#are we on the same frequency. do you understand

[dry-yellow-marker]

satoru gojo is standing still so his students can look back to see how far they've come

[bisexualamy]

I see people talk about fanfiction and novels being different mediums a lot, and while I don’t necessarily disagree, I don’t feel like I understand either. In your opinion, what makes them different mediums from each other? What decides that two things are separate mediums like in general? It’s totally cool if you don’t wanna answer this btw, I know it’s kind of a lot

No worries I think that's an interesting question! With any categories, the boundaries on this are going to be fuzzy, but the reason I believe they're different mediums is that fundamentally, on a metatextual level, the languages are different. What do I mean by this? Let's use film as an example, a medium that I'd argue is very obviously a different medium than novels, even if we may not be able to articulate all the reasons why.

What are some attributes of film that differentiate it from novels (another storytelling medium) or paintings (another visual medium)? Films and novels are both storytelling mediums, but films have visual and auditory components. They also mainly consist of storytelling through visual cues and dialogue. Exposition is given visually or in media res by characters speaking. In a novel, your omniscient narrator giving you a few paragraphs of background on your main characters is common, and so expected it probably flies over the reader's head. In a film, a narrator doing the exact same thing for all the main characters often comes off clumsy. It takes you out of the story in a film, where it doesn't in a novel.

Film is also a time-based medium. A film unfolds over time, and you cannot experience the entire film in one moment or glance. That's not true of a painting (at least traditionally). With a painting, you can view the whole painting in one look. Now, you can sit with a painting, pick out details, analyze the craft or ponder it for a long time and watch as new aspects jump out at you. Fundamentally, however, if you wanted to view a whole painting in one look, you can, and it would still make sense. You cannot do that with a film. On the other hand, a painting is typically not an auditory experience. To do so would be an experimental use of the form. In modern film-making, the exact opposite is true. Music, dialogue, and environmental sound, all of these things are essential to how a film tells a story. To not use them would be considered experimental or odd.

These are three different mediums with three different "languages" in how they interact with their audience. They may share parts of their languages, like I said above, but they don't speak the same language. What works well for one medium can come off clumsy or strange in another.

I believe fanfic and novels have sufficiently different languages that they should be considered different mediums. Both of them are short or long form written mediums telling some sort of story. But fanfic's relationship to its source material is such an inherent trait that novels do not have. The relationship doesn't have to be positive (it's often, in fact, argumentative or strained or dismissive), but the relationship exists. Even in AU fanfiction. Even in fics full of OCs.

In canon compliant and even canon divergent fics, this relationship is more obvious. These fics are both conversations with the source material as much as they are stories. They're playing in the author's sandbox, or they're wrecking their sandcastle and building something else. They're saying "I like/dislike what you did with this specific story, and I'm going to show you that by rewriting or expanding it." They take large aspects of the author's story whole cloth: the characters, the setting, the magic system, the tech, etc.

These fanfics often have little exposition at the top because they presume a familiarity with the characters, the world, or both. This alone makes them really different from novels. Creatively and seamlessly integrating exposition, immersing your audience in a new world and convincing them to stay, is a really important aspect of a novel that these fics don't have to contend with. This alone fundamentally changes how you'd structure a story.

For AU fics, both fics in AU settings and AU fics full of OCs, the above still applies. These fics are still a conversation with the source material. Something about the source material compelled an author to flip it and remix it and change it around. That conversation might be "in the source material, these characters suffered, and I don't want them to suffer any longer" or it could be "I felt the story had a vacancy that this OC fills" or it could be "if these characters had the time/awareness/ability to grow closer, they would've fallen in love." These are all direct commentaries on the original work.

An exercise that I believe illustrates this point the best is to try and adapt an AU fanfic to an original work. Try to file the serial numbers off. I've done this with some of my fic, and it just doesn't work. You don't realize how much you presume the audience knows until you have to cater to an audience who knows nothing of the source material. That hilarious joke you wrote? Turns out it's only funny because it's a nod to this character's original characterization. This awesome climatic plot point that ties the whole story together? Turns out in relies on a specific bit of lore, a quirk of the magic system, or an aspect of the character's past history or personality. Now that this is a novel, you have to back-fill all of that exposition. And you can try to do that, but watch how your story gets clunky and bloated. You will have to start viciously killing your darlings, as you realize that your favorite scene is beautiful in a fic, but sounds awkward and out of place in a novel. Soon, you're basically just rewriting the whole thing to fit a different medium.

Many fanfic writers are extremely talented. And much of that talent, that wit, that perfect line that you can't get out of your head, is integrally informed by your knowledge of the source material. The irony falls flat without having read the source books. The relationships suddenly feel shallow when you don't have seasons of backstory to deepen them. You do not realize how much of fanfic writing consists of this back and forth until you go looking for it.

And here's the thing: if your fanfic has a totally AU setting and it consists of completely original characters, I'd argue that's just a novel posted to AO3. If all you need to do is change the names to make it work, that's a novel. This is why Clueless is inspired by Jane Austen's Emma and not an AU fanfic of it. If you've never read Emma, if you went into Clueless not knowing that Emma was the inspiration for it, you'd perfectly understand the movie.

In fanfic, the source material is always present. It can be obviously present with canon compliant fic. It can be antagonistically present with canon divergent or AU fic. And it is still present, floating in the background, with totally AU fic. Ultimately, the changes a fanfic author makes to the source material are, themselves, as integral to the fanfic as the words on the page. It is a dialogue with the source material: what it did well, what it could've done better, what this author believes is the essence of the story, or the world pushed to its limit, that even though we're in space or in a coffee shop or 1920s New York, we're still, on some level talking about the source material.

This is an aspect of fanfic I love that novels do not have. Novels have a lot of other great stuff! I love novels! But while novels are often engaged in a dialogue with their present society or their predecessors in a genre, that conversation is much more nebulous than it is with fanfic. You can read Slaughterhouse-Five or Gravity's Rainbow, and while knowing their contexts helps you understand them on a deeper level, that is unnecessary to their enjoyment. They are fundamentally more standalone works than fanfic will ever be.

This is ultimately why I think comparing fanfic and novels is comparing apples to oranges. They're different mediums. They use different languages. They require different skills and they fill different artistic niches. You might as well be comparing a film to a painting just because they're both visual art.

[physalian]

How To Make Your Writing Less Stiff 6

Part 5

Part 1

Adverbs

Gasp! Oh no. Dare come yet more writing advice burning adverbs at the stake? Vindictively, gleefully, manically dancing in the ashes?

No.

This is not about whether or not you should use them, but their frequency and obvious places to replace them. Most bad adverbs are the common ones that could be replaced by verbs we all know.

“She ran quickly” // “She sprinted”

“He said angrily” // “He snapped” “He chided” “He chastised”

vs.

“He ate voraciously”

“She swayed solemnly”

“She laughed sadly”

Bonus if you can add in some alliteration like ‘swayed solemnly’

If you can come up with an obvious verb to replace your verb + adverb combo, do so. If it would take more words or the closest applicable verb doesn’t hit the same vibe, then leave it. Adverbs should enhance the verb, not be redundant. Verbs shouldn’t be pretentious just to avoid them.

“She smiled happily” — most smiles are happy. Happily is redundant.

“He ran quickly” —a run is, by nature, quick

vs.

“She smiled sourly”

“He ran erratically”

Also!

The adverb need not always be after the verb.

“C accepted gladly” // “C gladly accepted”

But also

“Glad, C accepted”

“A shook their head resolutely” // “Resolute, A shook their head”

“The child skipped excitedly away.” // “Excited, the child skipped away.” // “The child skipped away, excited.”

English is flexible like that.

Which is what I mean with managing your adverb frequency. As most end in the -ly, too many in succession, on top of the repeat syntax of Subject - Verb - Adverb looks boring and dull (and so does beginning every sentence with the subject). It helps with your cadence and flow if you don’t have entire paragraphs at a time all starting with “He [verb]” or “She [verb]” or “They [verb].” We don't speak like this in natural conversation.

But at the end of the day, there are some juicy adverbs that have no equal without busting out the thesaurus for some obscure lexical nugget that no one would understand anyway.

[peachsukii]

— emergency contact

it’s been two years since you’ve seen your ex-boyfriend, and didn’t plan on changing that anytime soon. a nasty villain fight lands you in the hospital during an overnight patrol and leaves you unable to tell the doctors who to call in your dazed state.

✮ content. late 20s. ex-boyfriend bakugo, hospitalization, sappy confessions & second chances. distance makes the heart grow fonder kind of deal.

『 #reis softie sundays 』

Sharp, shooting pain down your back and a desperate cry from your partner ⎯ that was the only thing you remember from the last…four hours? Time is becoming illusive at this point, blending together with how fast everything unraveled around you.

Were you injured on patrol? Did that villain slip through your fingers and escape? Where was your partner in all this chaos?

“Doctor, she’s waking up,” you hear in the distance, muffled but clear enough to understand. A nurse walks into your blurred vision, a soft smile on her lips. “Hi hon, you’re in the hospital. We’re taking you to your room now, hang tight.”

All you can manage to do is nod in acknowledgement, the world spinning on its axis and making you extremely dizzy. Your eyes fall closed, a hazy sleep welcoming you in seconds.

When you wake next, you're not quite sure how much time has passed. The room sits in darkness, the only sources of light coming from the moon outside the window and the various machines chirping around you. There's a static in your head, as if you're stuck on a radio frequency that hasn't been adjusted to the correct channel. Even with all the noise in your head, a familiar voice can be heard outside in the hallway, one you'd never mistake for anyone else.

"It's late," a nurse says, presumably trying to convince him to go home. "Are you sure you want to stay? We can try her other contacts again in a few hours."

"M'sure. Do I need'ta sign in or whatever?"

"No, that's alright. I'll notate it on her chart and let the front desk know. I'll be back in a bit and we can talk more about treatment."

The door slides open to prove you're not imagining things ⎯ your ex isn't a manifestation of your delirious state. Bakugo's standing in the dim light of the hallway, tip toeing inside and shutting the door as quietly as possible. When his eyes fall upon your hospital bed, he notices that you're awake and sighs. "Been awhile."

You don't have the energy to do this dance with him, to go back and forth with lightheartedness like old times. "Why are you here?"

His lips press into a straight line, jaw clenched tight as he seems to silently ask himself the same question. He makes his way over to the bed, taking a seat at the edge by your feet. "I'm still one of your emergency contacts in your hero file."

Your eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. There's no way you haven't updated your database profile in two years...right? Bakugo catches onto your confusion and explains before you have a chance to press him further on the matter. "M'the only one who answered."

What time was it, anyways? Your eyes bounce around the room swiftly to find a wall clock. You squint a bit to read it, finally making out the numbers. 4:30...am?

"What did they call you for?" you yawn, rubbing the exhaustion out of your eyes. "I don't even know what happened."

He takes a deep breath as a large hand finds your thigh, resting atop the thin blanket. His touch makes you want to melt into a puddle, memories of your past relationship coming back in waves.

"They didn't tell me much, only that it was life or death. Thankfully, your ass chose life." He shakes his head, a quiet huff escaping him. "Somethin' about a villain's poison quirk. Ya got hit in the spine and it paralyzed you temporarily, an' you fell from someplace high up. Your partner caught ya and the paramedics got to you just in time."

Oh. Well, that explains the pain from earlier.

"But why did you answer their call, Baku⎯" you cut yourself off to correct his name as it leaves your lips. "Katsuki?"

"I'm not heartless, just 'cause we haven't talked in ages doesn't mean I don't care about ya."

You shift in your bed a bit, eyes gravitating toward the window to avoid his gaze. Truth be told, you two ended on decent terms and not maliciously. Wrong place, wrong time...at least, that's what you two chalked it up to. You were both too busy with hero work, too absent from each other's lives to properly be a couple. After a year, you convinced yourself that you were satisfied watching him from afar, catching brief glimpses of his life through interviews and news reports. That was your excuse, a cowardly way to keep him out of reach and prevent you, and him, from getting distracted.

"Hey." Bakugo's fingers squeeze your thigh to recollect your attention, the blanket crumpling under his palm. You're terrified to look at him, knowing full well that in your battered state, you'll crumble like stone if he says anything remotely sweet. Those vermillion eyes of his always had a way of making you weak ⎯ soft. "I was thinkin' on my way over here that I should'a called ya, reached out to keep in touch. M'sorry for not doin' that."

"It's...fine," you stammer out, a shaky hand coming up to wave off his concern. "We don't have to talk about that now."

"I don't wanna only talk to you when you're hurt, or worse..." he trails off, screwing his eyes shut to avoid the dread lingering in his chest. "Look. What m'gettin' at is you scared the shit outta me, and it made me realize that I've got a lot to say after all these years."

Oh boy, you brace yourself for impact, expecting the explosive nature to come pouring out any second. But, it never comes.

Before you could stop him, Bakugo's on his feet and leaning over the bed, arms slung around your shoulders to pull you close. A strange but familiar veil of comfort drapes over you in the moment, pulling on your heartstrings. Your eyes begin to sting when the words he whispers finally reach your ears. "M'done usin' hero work as an excuse to avoid you. I wanna talk this shit out...when you're ready. I'd love to make ya dinner again."

You can't help but let out a breathless laugh, arms finally coming up to return his hug. "Only if you promise to make your special katsudon. I've been craving it for weeks."

He chuckles over your shoulder, squeezing you a bit tighter in response. "Deal."

Who knew that a villain was what you two needed to face your fears, to finally admit that the spark was never smothered into nothingness. And this time, something tells you that you'll both make damn sure it stays ablaze.

happy softie sunday!! I know it's been awhile since I've written one. hope you don't mind some baku-sap :)

✮ network. @pixelcafe-network

✮ tags. @slayfics @maddietries @starieqq

@liluvtojineteyam @jays-adventure3 @simp-plague

@napbatata @Yoyolovesdaiki @kirishimaeijiromyman

@strwbrrykthv @awkwardchick87 @stunies @sakufilm

[foone]

There exist another dimension called The Empty World. It's very much like ours, in fact it seems to have been identical up until a few weeks ago, but it always seems that way. If you go there today, it was identical in late february, and if you go there this october, it'll have been identical until september.

It's empty, as you might guess. There's no humans, and no animals bigger than a cockroach. The sky is grey, and it slowly rains ash. It's colder than our world by a bit, enough to require a jacket even in summer. The streets are empty, the cars parked neatly in their garages or in lots, but they're all empty and abandoned, their doors locked like they expect their owners to return any minute now.

The newspapers left on stands don't mention any oncoming disaster. We have no idea what the TV or internet would have said: the power is out. The power is very, very out. Not just the grid, but batteries are drained. The cars won't start, the emergency lights are out, and anything with solar panels seems to be getting less energy than you'd expect, even with the perpetually overcast sky.

It's a very silent world, like the calm after a snowstorm. Sounds don't seem to echo as much as they should, nor does sound seem to travel as far. The radio spectrum is empty except for static, there's no one transmitting on any frequency.

There's fewer fires than you'd expect. Even places you'd expect to soon catch fire without human intervention are still standing, undamaged. Campfires can be lit but with difficulty: something is keeping them from burning as they should. Even if you pour kerosene on a campfire it'll barely grow, it's like something sucked the energy out of everything.

All the locked buildings are still locked. Alarms don't sound if you break in (understandable, given the power situation), and of course no one comes to investigate. So The Empty World is your oyster: you can break in wherever you want (provided you can physically do it: some doors are pretty hard to pry open even with tools), take whatever you want, and bring it back here.

Everything resets when you leave. You always enter The Empty World like it's your first time there, like this just happened and you're late to the party... but the party keeps getting rescheduled. You can even take something multiple times if you want.

When you enter The Empty World you get there at the same relative position as you are on this world. If you're in New York, you show up in the empty New York. If you're in Topeka, you show up in empty Topeka. So you have to travel around this world to get to where you want, and you can't just appear in the middle of a bank vault... unless you break into the vault from this world. (So it's great if you work at a bank and want to steal from your employer without repercussions, but not so useful otherwise).

You don't just have to take things, you know. You can take computers and files and books and diaries. You will have to deal with recharging laptops and breaking through any security when you get back, but it's doable.

So, imagine you've just gotten access to The Empty World. What are you going to do with it? What will you take, and where will you go?

[kakiastro]

Astrology Notes:

Mercury Edition

This is what my astrology notes look like lol

-People who have a Mercury-Uranus aspect can indicate having lots of intelligence. These are the “mad geniuses” of our world. These native may have lots of ideas on how to help humanity as a whole. You might be in a lot of controversies over your words or be misunderstood. On the flip side of this aspect, this can indicate someone who has a strong knowledge of it all personality and don’t want to hear others options. May get offended easy and loves to argue.

-Mercury/Moon aspect natives need to control their emotions before they speak especially if you have it in a harsher aspect like a square or opposition. You may get flustered or your feelings may get hurt easily. These natives are sensitive to words, they may act like they don’t care but it definitely hurt their heart. On the flip side, they may be mostly the quiet type of people. Once they open up, it’s like a whole different person lol. They also have a strong intuition, they understand people more than they let on. They also have a soft spot for babies and young kids.

-Mercury Capricorn/10h natives has a lot of wisdom within them. They start learning harsh lessons during there early years. Usually by the time they reach their first Saturn return, they may sound like a retired 60 year old giving out advice due what they’ve endured 😅 Capricorn rules over time, so as they get older, the more introspection they have on the word. These are the perfect natives to receive advice from because of the lived experience. On the flip side, if these natives use their words or actions to hurt others, it will come back. Capricorn is one of the “power” placements , hence why it rules the 10h(highest point our chart) so moral of the story, use your words for good. Make stretching your daily routine, your cap Mercury will one day thank you. Also, take care of your teeth, even if you can’t afford to go the dentist , brush them and floss.

-Mercury/Jupiter aspect natives have a thirst for knowledge and seeking the truth. They don’t believe in the theory “not everything has an answer.” Because to them it does, you’re just too stupid to them to find it but they will😅don’t lie, y’all know it’s true! These natives will make excellent historians, professors, gurus, researchers, writers. They are pretty open about their beliefs and don’t mind debating you about them.

-Mercury Pisces/12h natives occasionally experience brain fog😅 they have the ideas and creativity but they’re time when their brain is filled with smoke😭 sometimes they just be talking and we don’t know what their talking about but they have beautiful voices so we let it slide lol. Speaking of voices, they are incredibly singers, like you just get lost or hypnotized by their words. Listening to frequency music or Lo-fi songs will help soothe y’all mind. Take care of feet, clip your big toe nail and put some lotion on them. Don’t be out here with goblin feet😭

-Mercury Sagittarius/9h natives loves foreign cultures and always traveling some damn where chile😅 these natives are either anti-religious or very religious. They may also just like studying religion as an interest without really holding those beliefs themselves. May have lots of father figures growing up. May have their own library of books and publications they love to keep. These natives, like Capricorn are also good at giving advice because they’re constantly researching or reading to find answers. Take care of y’all legs by stretching, running, even if you’re disabled, if you can, physical therapy or someone you trust can stretch your legs for you. I know everyone circumstances is different and that’s ok! Do what you can with what you got!

-Chiron Gemini /3h words can be so healing but triggering at the same time. They tell it like it is and it can sting but at the same, their advice can help the collective. They may have a wound with a sibling(s) . They could’ve been bullied in elementary school. These people at their best, turn their pain into healing and help others. They may understand the misunderstood people in our world. At worst, they use their pain to hurt others , they may have started out doing that but then started learn and heal. It really depends on the person because we all have free will.

-Chiron is said to associated with Virgo since it’s a healer astroid. It’s also associated with Sagittarius because he’s a teacher and a centaur which are ruled by Jupiter.

-Mercury/Venus natives have such beautiful voices and has a way with words😍these are the true charmers, they way that they can make you fall in love with them with just their voice and words. If they decided to write a book, it would get lots of attention especially if they write romance and poetry.

-Mercury Aries’s /1h natives loves cussing and has a potty mouth on them for sure 😅y’all put a sailor to shame. They may come off as brash with their words even though they mean well. You just have to listen to the words and not the tone sometimes😅. I also notice these natives tend to get lots of headaches or migraines with this placement.

I’ll stop here but I might make a part 2 to this. Let me know what Mercury placements or aspect you want me to make note on. I’m also open for paid readings if you’re interested!

[blissfullyecho]

how to create a leveling up/dream girl/rebranding plan 🤍🍸🖤

establish your aesthetic

first thing’s first, you need to know where you want to go in life and what is your “aesthetic”? do you want to be giving “classy, businesswoman”? what about “nyc socialite”? of course these are just examples, but you should know what type of girl you want to embody. remember, you don’t have to fit a narrative, but you should have a general “aesthetic” that you want to be associated with. even if it’s 50 million different aesthetics, it’s whatever makes you, you.

visualize yourself/life

get inspired by making a vision board (physical or digital) and add to your board (if digital) daily. i find that this helps you stay in alignment with where you want to be in the future. you have to stay in that frequency and remind yourself of what’s next to come… because this new life is what’s next to come.

start with habits

please refer to my “starting your leveling up journey” post, but basically— you should create 1-3 habits for each of your goals and work on them until they become second nature. then when you’re ready, start implementing more habits that are aligned with your goals.

create routines with your habits

can you incorporate some of these new habits into a morning or evening routine? we all know that routines are important— they almost become our personalities and they set the tone for the day and night, and even the next day. for me, i know i’m only inspired to exercise in the morning around 10am, so exercise is part of my morning routine.

create daily + weekly goals

let’s say part of your journey is learning a new language. a daily goal could be learning one new vocabulary word in that language. your weekly goal could be knowing the alphabet in that language. use this method for all of your goals.

don’t overwhelm yourself with goals, routines, and habits

start slow; don’t overwhelm yourself. if you want to work on one goal at a time, then work on that one goal. burnout is real and it’s very hard to get back into the swing of things afterwards. i understand most of us are impatient when we just want to be a different version of ourselves, but it’s going to take some adjusting. i suggest not working on more than 3 things at once, but if you can work on more, go ahead

be a part of a community to keep you accountable

tumblr and facebook groups in my opinion are the best ways you can connect with other women who are working on the same thing. you can inspire one another, bounce ideas off of one another, and it’s super fun. you might want to even document your journey online.

set milestones and have a reward system

let’s say you would like to lose or gain weight, no matter the number, focus on 5-10 pound increments. when each milestone is successfully completed, reward yourself with something nice. maybe it’s getting your nails done, or splurging on a product that everyone on tiktok keeps talking about. apply this to any of your goals where there are milestones to get to.

don’t waste the day

you should not have any “zero days” meaning… you should be doing at least one thing everyday to reach a goal(s) you have. it doesn’t matter if one goal was to maintain a more organized, clean environment— do your dishes, set the trash out, clean up the hair from the bathroom sink, etc.

[breakyourrxles]

❥outsourcing (m)

↳ With monogamy as the assumed, standard relationship model, what happens when a few years down the line, you and your husband come to the understanding that both of you are interested in exploring more?

You call his friend over for dinner and entertainment, of course.

husband!bang chan x fem!reader x bull!lee minho — ethical non-monogamy, explicit sexual content. [5,8k wc] cws: hot wifing/cuckholding!!, dom/sub dynamics (dom!minho), penetrative sex (unprotected), oral sex (m), hair pulling, rough sex, dirty talk, humiliation, pet names (incl. slut).

Renegotiation of terms.

There are always terms and conditions.

We don’t typically refer to it in such a crass way – the agreed upon conditions of a relationship upon entering it. The expectations and boundaries each individual may have for the other. Typically, most things that would constitute the terms and conditions are assumed upon entry.

Monogamy is assumed. The standard. This is the baseline, unless otherwise stated. The end all, be all of a relationships' foundation, in many cases. Do you want to fuck other people, or not?

Sometimes, when entering a new relationship, we agree to terms that at the time we are happy with. Of course I don’t want to be with anyone else, I love you, why would I? You’re all I could ever need.

The concept of one person providing any and everything you could possibly ever need. Such a socially common set up for failure. An impossible task we ask of partners without even truly stating it. Be everything at all times for me, and I will be the same for you. The idea that seeking anything outside of a partner is bad – when that is precisely what friends, family, colleagues all provide, without the logical connection being made.

Is one person ever truly enough? Is it logical to even believe in such a fairy tale?

The truth of the matter, is that you are not enough. There is comfort, serenity, freedom upon accepting this as the case. We are only human, after all. Being human is okay.

“Do you ever think about it?”

You watch the back of Chan’s head from your seated position at the dining room table – you watch his arms still only briefly from the chopping motion of him working into the onions on the counter before he turns slowly to look behind him – at you, and his brows furrow in confusion. “Think about…what?”

The innocuous conversation about your time together as a couple – now married – had started simply enough, discussing the past and present and all of your little journeys together in between, sexual and not – but naturally, as the hours wore on, the sexual nature had begun looming more and more in the foreground of the talk.

Besides, you had been thinking about it for months, now. How to bring it up. If you even should. Suppose now was as good a time as ever.

It was difficult sneaking it in there, between some recollection of dirty talking and fantasy discussion. He was the one that had brought it up to begin with, after all. He put the thought in your head. Nothing you were too keen on in particular at the time – three or so years back, and in the middle of sex – but the idea stuck with you, creeping back in with more and more frequency. He brought it up. He mentioned it. It was his idea.

But did he even remember?

Bringing an elbow up to the table and placing your chin in your palm, you grin towards him. Your husband. Love of your life. It wasn’t as if you wanted to replace him, after all. He was perfect, amazing, wonderful, and the sex was, too. It wasn’t about any of that.

You weren’t really sure what it was about. Curiosity? Taboo? A sort of itch unable to be scratched, but also lingering without cause. The truth was this: you had perfectly fine dick at home, so why were you wanting more?

He brought it up.

“Remember that anniversary night that we got pretty drunk, you said that thing,” you begin, taking the utmost care in how you traverse your words. “About…someone else?”

It always was cute, the way you could watch Chan’s ears redden in real time.

“Were you serious?”

Chan sets the knife down and turns slowly, leaning the small of his back up against the counter edge as if in need of the support for the conversation that is about to take place. Chewing on the inside of his mouth as if just as carefully attempting to choose his words, he silences for far too long for your own liking, before finally allowing a response from himself.

“Do you want that?”

“Don’t answer my question with another question!” you whine, jokingly throwing a hand towel in his direction and only for it to fall flat on the floor in front of him. He flinches regardless and smiles.

“Fine,” he says, before making his way to sit across from you at the table. “Then we need to like…talk about this.”

Chan reaches forward and takes your free hand into one of his own, gently rubbing his thumb over the top of it and bashfully smiles at you. Ears still bright with shyness, and he pulls his eyes down and away from your own briefly before answering the question.

“For me? Yeah, I mean,” he pauses, once again thinking through his response carefully and in real time. “I don’t want to pressure you into anything but…I think about it, yeah.”

“Do you jerk off to it?”

“Oh come on, really?”

“I feel like that’s the best indicator of how into something you are,” you joke, “if you come to it, then you’re into it. At least, the idea of it.”

Pulling his hand away and sitting back in his chair to cross his arms, playfully huffy at the way the conversation has turned, he rolls his eyes before reluctantly answering. “Yes! Is that what you want me to say? Yes, I have.”

“Okay, good,” you say, reaching forward again with a grabby hand indicating that you wish to receive physical affection from him just as he had been giving prior to the line of questioning. “What is it about it that you…like?”

You can tell that your husband struggles with coming to terms with the conversation taking place. Not from a place of humiliation, or dissatisfaction, but rather that it was one he hadn’t intended on ever having, most likely. A conversation that he had never once played out in his head, or practiced. A passing whim one drunken night, locked away into the back of his mind – only to be indulged between him and his hand – now bare and laid out on the table for questioning. By his wife. In regards to a monogamous marriage.

…Unless?

Chan shifts in his seat and gives his hand back to you, bringing his elbow up to mirror your own posture before responding. “Suppose…something about watching you – would just be incredibly sexy to me. Making eye contact with you while it happens even if I’m not involved.”

And now you’re really taken aback, because the original assumption had been one of a threesome, but now with new information present – you realize the two of you had been on much different pages all along – and the difficulty of not expressing your shock at the revelation holds firm as it paints your facial features. “Not involved?”

But he only smiles in reply, as if the initial timidity had already worn off with the one, single expression of his desires. However, perhaps he had merely passed it to you, now, feeling the tips of your ears heat up at the implications racing through your mind.

Not a threesome. Watching.

“You think about watching another man fuck me?”

Just right out with it, then.

Chan chuckles at the fact that you’ve finally caught up with what’s actually being discussed and squeezes your hand in affirmation. “You know I’ve never been the jealous type, babe.”

“I mean, yeah,” you stumble through your words, “I just figure…most men would at least want to be involved.”

“I would be involved, I’d be there, just wouldn’t be the one fucking you.”

“You’ve really thought about this before?” you ask, suspicious.

“More than you even know.”

Your eyes widen in silent shock at the admission. You learn so much about your husband everyday, suppose today would be no different, would it?

“Besides,” he begins again, “you’re the one that broached this conversation, so obviously you’ve been thinking about it, too.”

“Yeah, a threesome, not-”

“Fucking another man, in general. The details are just that, really.”

Chan saying it like that makes you feel a little guilty, you realize. Shying away from the topic both verbally and physically – gently attempting to pull your hand from his own you watch the way his face Changes from playful to concerned – he always was incredibly attentive and quick on the pickup. “Whoa, whoa,” he stammers, “what’s wrong?”

Concern lacing your own features, you refrain from making eye contact with him – unsure of the turn that the discussion had taken. “I don’t want you to think that you’re like…not good enough or something, or like I’m constantly fantasizing about other men, or-”

“Aww, babe,” Chan coos, motioning you out of your chair and over to him. He seats you on his lap and quickly wraps strong arms around you. “I don’t. I am not even a little insecure about this – or about us – you have to know that.”

Chan kisses your arm, the only thing in direct kissable range and smiles up at you as you look down at him. “Trust me, that I know what I’m okay with, yeah? You don’t have to babysit me, I promise.”

“Okay, I believe you.”

“So, shall we dabble, then? Wade in the pools of non-monogamy?”

Hearing him say the words, non-monogamy, it sort of makes your head spin. Obviously, that is precisely what is at hand, so it being said shouldn’t elicit such a bizarre reaction deep within you. Innate guilt, worry, almost a sense of dirtiness begins to bubble up in your gut – and realistically, you know why.

Monogamy is the implied social standard. Anything outside of that is wrong. That’s what you’ve grown up being told…by everyone, by everything. Is it really okay, to bring someone else into your marriage, even if both parties are enthusiastically on board?

Hell yeah it is.

The truth is, renegotiating the terms of ones marriage – even just for a night, takes time. It takes work. It takes numerous conversations – and as a result, it’s approximately six months that go by before the logistics ever really feel ironed out enough to make the dive. Discussions of friends? Mutual friends? One-sided friends? Strangers? Each coupling will have their own preference of whom to invite in, even be it only for an evening, but upon settling on the first term, it’s only a whole slew of others thereafter. After a point, you begin to consider if sex is ever even going to happen, or if the two of you will simply talk about it forever.

But such is how it must be, to help ensure that the night – and relationship – not end in catastrophe.

It does, however, sneak up on you faster than expected – once a third and the date arrive. Standing in front of your bathroom mirror, clipping the backing of your earring on – is when you hear the voice of your husband greeting another of only semi-familiarity.

Lee Minho was Chan’s friend. He was in the wedding party. The two of you had spent just enough time together that you felt comfortable around him but not so much so that he felt too close to you, specifically. The perfect candidate. Drop-dead gorgeous. Not shy about his particular…endeavors, either. He fit the bill, perfectly.

Because you and your husband were searching for something quite specific for the evening.

It was in that moment, though – knowing that the two men were both in your home now, that it felt truly real. Of course, there was still much conversation to take place before anyone's clothing would be coming off, but he was here. Your husband was here. You were here. You were…going to have sex with another man for your husbands viewing pleasure tonight.

Probably not a story for the future grandchildren.

“Hey.”

There they are. The two men of the night standing in the doorway, now both looking at you as you slink into the living room slowly – as if not to disturb, and you can’t help but carefully scan the expressions on both of them – as if looking for the tiniest sign of reluctance.

But Minho knows why he’s here tonight – naturally, best not to spring this sort of arrangement on an unsuspecting party.

“Hey,” Minho says, continuing to shrug off his coat and hanging it on the rack next to the door. With shoes already off, he makes his way over to you and kisses the air next to your cheek. “Long time no see, huh? You look nice.”

It feels normal, in ways. It also feels incredibly bizarre. Perhaps you expected him to act some way, some way different – although you’re not sure how. But he wasn’t. He was the same as always. You aren’t sure if it makes it feel better or worse. Weird?

You look over at your husband, once again looking for any signs that this should end now before it even gets started.

But Chan only smiles. All lights green for go.

Chan handles dinner as he typically does, and it goes smoothly as expected. Catching up with Minho as if he’s any other house guest – except for tonight, a careful consideration for the alcohol intake by all parties. A soft ‘two drink maximum’ is agreed upon long before his arrival by all participants, as to not get too carried away on any end. Once food is eaten and plates cleared, Chan pours everyone their second and final glasses of wine for the night before taking his seat at the shared table again and he inhales deeply, purposefully.

Because it’s time for negotiations.

“So, suppose we should talk about the rest of the night, then?”

You shuffle in your seat a bit at the idea of how the talk will go, despite having already had similar discussions previously over the months. Minho is no stranger to the topic at hand, and it’s not even his first time being a third to a couple – information he casually mentioned upon the first inquiry – it was comforting to you in a particular way, that at least someone involved in tonight's festivities had been here before.

“Pretty much,” Chan starts, and surprisingly confident, “the two of you just have fun. I don’t have any particular boundaries of what you can and can’t do, but I think it’s best if we use the color system for safety, just in case.”

Green means “everything is good,” yellow means “slow down, I need a moment to recollect myself,” and red means “immediate full stop.”

“Yeah, that sounds best,” Minho agrees, and then turns his sight to you across the table. “Are you okay with that? Is there anything you can think of that you do or don’t want me to do?”

Just the question itself makes you feel a little light-headed. You had thought about this numerous times already, for months, and yet your mind still felt empty in the moment. As if not even a second of consideration had been had prior. It was excitement, but it was also fear. The fear of doing something wrong. The fear of the potential aftermath of tonight.

Sensing your hesitation, Minho looks at Chan before reaching his hand across and taking your own. “Hey, you don’t have to do this just because I’m here, seriously, we don’t have to do anything, I can go home now, later, right in the middle of it – it’s all fine by me.”

“No, no!” you insist, realizing how standoffish you appear. Reluctant. scared. You are a little bit, but in no way are you rethinking. “I do, I want to…I'm just, nervous? I guess?”

“Is it because I’m here?” Chan asks suddenly, and you realize upon hearing the words that yeah, it kind of is. He smiles and nods at your admission, gently reaching over and adding his own hand onto the pile of reaffirming ones already laid out atop the table.

“Don’t worry about me, if you’re happy, then I’m happy.”

Arms pull back and negotiations continue, easier than before. Minho asks about the common things; condoms, anal, penis in vagina, oral…along with some less common things that are more within the scope of the role he’s meant to play that night, and with boundaries more or less set, the three of you stand up, and head towards the bedroom. Minho walks ahead, taking your hand into his own to lead you – briefly looking back at your husband, with a smile on his face – it’s the first time that the guilt and fear truly subsides – and is replaced with excitement, anticipation, desire.

Pulling up a chair, Chan sits himself down a bit distanced from the corner of the bed as to allow ample space for the scene that is about to take place before him. You suspect that perhaps he had downplayed his interest in the whole thing, with how the smile on his face never diminishes even once Minho starts kissing you.

You think it’s charming, but you know that eventually, you’re going to have to let the thought of your husband fall by the wayside to truly enjoy the fun that the night has to offer.

Standing at the side of the bed, Minho gently wraps one, strong, arm around your waist and pulls you flush against him before kissing you on the mouth – and the excitement of another man kissing you, lips completely unfamiliar after years of familiarity, immediately sends a rush of anticipation to your groin. Gently sucking at your bottom lip, teeth ghosting against the flesh – you’re reminded that Minho had been invited to play a very particular role that night – one that Chan never had been all that willing to play, even after all of your years together.

Minho was there to use you.

Pulling back from you, you already feel a bit dazed from the rush of adrenaline – looking at the man before you as he begins unbuttoning his white dress shirt, looking at you through long lashes and whispy, black hair, he smiles briefly before quickly kissing you again.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, remember that,” he whispers as he continues fiddling with his buttons. “Ever. You can tell me to stop any time.”

“I know,” you respond, a bit breathier with want than you had liked, and Minho chuckles under his breath at the effect that he’s already had on you before shrugging his shirt off and bending down for the bottom of your dress – carefully pulling it up and over your head.

Now it was very real.

Minho kisses you again, arms pulling you against him, and you revel at the way it feels to have the heat of another man on your skin. When you had imagined the moment, you hadn’t thought it to feel anything like this. The excitement, the anticipation, the needy want of another man inside of you, and already? Truthfully, you were a little humiliated at what he was doing to you.

“I’m gonna start the scene now,” Minho says quietly, looking you in the eyes and scanning your features. “Remember what I said.”

“Yeah, okay,” you exhale, and it’s shaky.

“Are you okay?” Minho chuckles again before starting, and you can only laugh at yourself in response.

“Yeah, you’re…I want to fuck you.”

You hear Chan off in the corner, and he’s laughing at your admission, which only causes Minho to laugh a bit, himself. “Okay well, we’ll get there, needy.”

Hearing Minho call you needy certainly doesn’t offset your desire for him, but watching his expression harden and his eyes darken right before you – as if settling into character – only sets off the growing desire in the pit of your stomach more.

“Get on your knees.”

Minho is already unbuckling his belt and prying his zipper down as the demand leaves his lips, and you’re all too happy to follow suit, dropping quickly and placing your hands on his thighs for leverage as he exposes himself to you. Slightly thinner than Chan, but also slightly longer – the idea of taking a dick that you’re not familiar with rushes to the forefront of your mind and the familiar ache of want begins to settle between your legs.

You haven’t even touched it, yet.

“Why don’t you go ahead and make coming here worth my time, then?”

And you’re all too happy to oblige, wrapping a hand around the base of his cock and slowly working him before gently running a circle over the tip of him with your tongue – Minho’s breath hitches as he watches you then take the majority of his length into your mouth. Three strokes of your lips onto him, Minho brings a hand up and into your hair, gripping slightly and pulling you off of him. He smiles, rubbing the head of himself against your already red lips and watching the way you already – seemingly desperately – wish to have him in your mouth again.

“Look at you,” he says, satisfaction lacing his tone, “so desperate for strange cock. Color?”

It almost gives you whiplash, but you answer right away, “green.”

“Good, that’s what I thought – now show me just how bad you want it.”

And you do, in quick fashion. Combining the motion of your mouth and your hands as you work him, tongue lapping circles over the tip of his cock when you pull off, you love the way he watches every motion of you on him – and almost with a look of disdain. As if he doesn’t respect you, as if you’re nothing but a place to come for him.

Precisely everything that Chan could never do.

Working him quickly, you feel his fingertips curl into your scalp as the words leave his lips – except that they’re not intended for you.

“Mmm, your wife sucks cock pretty well, might have to make a regular arrangement of this.”

You think in that moment, that you might come untouched after all.

But just as quickly, Minho pulls you off of him and motions for you to get onto the bed as he pulls his jeans from his legs the rest of the way. You quickly oblige, and it’s not long before Minho is up and between your legs – meeting you face to face again and kissing you rough, with teeth. needy and hard between your legs. Hands snaking up his toned arms – not as thick and built as Chan – but enough to be strong, you feel all of the ways that he’s different from the man that you married. That you love. The thought brings your attention back to Chan, seated across the room – hand firmly and slowly wrapped around himself.

He was enjoying watching it. Suppose it really was his ultimate fantasy all along: watching you fuck another man for his entertainment.

And naturally, the fact that he was enjoying it, touching himself to it, only made the desire pool between your legs that much more.

“Don’t look at him,” Minho says, pulling your face over and towards him with a finger, “you’re mine, tonight.”

Oh my god.

You feel Minho’s hand slink down your body and between your legs, fingers pressed up against your clothed pussy, and you watch the way genuine shock takes his features – it’s almost out of character in the split second – it might actually be out of character.

You wore lace panties. Can’t hide much with that.

“Oh my God,” he exclaims, barely touching the soaked fabric between your legs, “you’re so wet.”

“Minho!” you shyly reply, swatting his arm as it holds him in a hovering position over you, and he only laughs in response.

“Sorry, I’m just – wow – good.”

And it’s as if he remembers to slip back into a more domineering character, that he adds, “I was going to eat you out, but suppose I don’t have to.”

Pulling himself up and seated on his heels, Minho slips a finger on each side of your hips into your panties, “can I take these off?” and you nod hurriedly in response. Minho’s eyes follow the string of arousal that connects the fabric to you as he pulls it from you in near awe – and playfully shakes his head at you before crawling back up your torso and settling down against you – head of his length just faintly pressed against your folds.

“Sure you don’t want me to wear a condom?”

“No, I-” and you pause, eyes pulling towards your husband again – his own eyes intently gazing upon the display in front of him – and you snap.

“I want to feel you, I want to feel all of you.”

Minho only smiles, dipping his head down into the crook of your neck as he reaches down to line himself up with you. Kissing your skin, his lips make their way to the shell of your ear as he slowly presses himself forward and in.

“God baby, you want me so bad, hm? Don’t worry, I’ll have you drooling for me…”

It’s a whisper, dialogue only to be heard between the two of you – not for your husbands ears, and the implications make your head spin, along with the slow stretch of unfamiliarity prying you apart in new and different ways from what you’re used to. Once pressed hip to hip, Minho stills and pulls himself up and off of you to look at you – taking you in visually.

“Can I move?”

“Please,” you just about beg.

If you were honest, Minho was being much less domineering than you had expected – you assume that it’s due to this being the first time that this arrangement is taking place – that he’s playing it safe and not wanting to take too many risks. You kind of wish he would be riskier, but the excitement of a new partner is already doing majority of the work for him as it is – mind racing at how wrong it is, allowing another man to fuck you, and raw at that.

And come inside of you?

With just the thought, your walls tighten against him and he feels it, humming at the sensation in a slow build up to a pace that suits the both of you – Minho hovers over you with both palms flat against the mattress to either side, looking down at how he enters and exits you – and then back up at the absolute delight splashed across your face.

Biting your lip as his pace builds, the overwhelming need to vocalize threatens you, and it feels all too real in the moment. Moaning as another man fucks you, for your husband to hear, but Minho’s too quick on the uptake and he recognizes it. Another easy win, for him.

“You worried he’s gonna hear you?” Minho groans as he finally settles into his pace – fucking hard into you and the sounds echoing throughout the room. “Worried he’s gonna hear how much you love my cock? He can hear you, he’s going to hear you, it’s okay.”

You can’t even control it at that point, exasperated fuck and oh my God escaping your bitten red lips as he fucks into you, and it only makes him thrust against you harder – so hard that it pushes you up the bed. “That’s right, don’t hold back, let him hear you, baby, let him know you like it.”

Head spinning, and muscles tightening, you scramble to grab onto anything that you feel will give you any sort of leverage as you feel your first orgasm quickly threatening – Minho’s forearms seeming as good a choice as any as your nails dig in, and he hisses in response with a smile, all the while continuing his relentless pace into you.

“You can come” he insists with a soft, gentle utterance, “you can come for me, and you can come for him.”

And for whatever reason, that’s what makes you snap.

The orgasm tears through you in violent fashion, eyes darting down to watch your husband as he pulls at himself at the sight. Looking back up at the man taking you through it, he grins down at you with his bottom lip pulled up between his teeth in satisfaction.

As Minho finishes riding you through it, he presses himself down against you again – mouth against the skin of your cheek, hot breath against you as he breathes out, and you can feel him begin to withdraw from you.

“That one was for me, now one for him, hm?”

Before you can think through the implications of the words, Minho pulls up and away – taking your limp body with him and turning you to face Chan across the room – your arms barely able to catch you from face planting into the mattress, and the man steadies your hips up and towards him and just as fluidly sinks himself into you again with a groan as he leans forward and settles a fist in your hair – ensuring that you’re watching your husband just before you.

“You like having him watch you?”

“Y-yes,” you stutter out and against the sheets.

Minho looks up and at Chan, “you like watching her get fucked?”

It’s breathy and shaken, but a “yeah” escapes from him in response.

“Good,” Minho says, burying himself deep into you from behind – so hard that the force and weight of him pushes you down and flat against the bed beneath you – now straddling you from behind, he brings his hand back, flat against the between of your shoulders to hold you in place as he continues into you. “She’s so wet, think she’s going to come watching you.”

Chan groans at the words, and the truth of the matter is that he might be right – feeling the familiar coiling between your legs again, and already at that.

“You gonna come for him, baby?” Minho growls, his motions harsher and rougher than before, getting more comfortable in his role as a sort of dom for the night. “Gonna let him watch you get filled up with my cum, maybe?”

“Fuck, Minho,” is all you can manage through gritted teeth, fingertips curled into the sheets beneath you begging for any purchase onto reality, but the truth is, you’re watching Chan – watching the way he palms himself at the sight of another man fucking you, talking to you like this, saying that he’s going to come inside of you – and Chan is enjoying it. He’s close.

It only gets you there even faster.

“Oh, hear that? Thought of me coming in her has her moaning my name,” he says smugly, thrusts harder than ever before, “well go ahead then, milk me, slut. Earn it.”

Quickly, you feel Minho lean down and against your ear, “can I cum inside of you?” and you just as quickly answer in affirmation. You had discussed it prior, but you appreciate the check in, nonetheless. He pulls back up, both hands gripped into the flesh of your behind as he rocks into you, desperate pleas for him not to stop falling from your mouth as you bring your attention back up to your husband – and with finality, you deliver the final blow of the night.

“I’m coming, please, please, i-inside, I want-”

Your incoherent babbling is enough to set both of the men over the edge, but it’s Chan who is the first to go, breathy curses leaving his lips in what you think might be the hardest he’s ever come – and you think to yourself in one split-second moment of clarity how lucky you are to be in such a position where you can simply witness it, as almost a bystander of sorts – to the absolute visual glory that is your husband stroking himself to completion as milky-clear ropes of cum coat his abs and fingers upon the display before him.

You’re the second to find your end, tightening hard around Minho’s cock at the visual of watching Chan finish, and it’s all it takes to topple the man inside of you over the edge – fingernails gripped deep into your skin as he fucks into you hard – three, four more times – throbbing through his release inside of you before slowly coming to a halt and slumping over your back with a heaving chest.

As sanity begins to come back to you, you consider the fact that there’s a lot of post-nut clarity to wade through right about now.

But Minho takes over, just as he had majority of the night – being the sort of guide throughout – he soon after finishing withdraws from you and peels himself from you altogether, lying down next to and brushing hair from your face.

“Are you okay? How do you feel?”

It takes you a few moments to answer, but the concern across his face pushes you forward. he’s worried. He needs to hear that you’re okay. That it’s all okay. That he didn’t fuck up and that you’re not feeling regretful, guilty, remorse.

“Yeah,” you finally exhale, “yeah, I’m okay, I feel good.”

And Minho smiles at the response, feeling relieved. He reaches down and finds your hand, lacing his fingers with your own, before leaning forward and kissing you on the forehead. “Good.”

With that, he then slowly cranes his neck up and over to get a visual of Chan, still breathy and spent just a bit across the room. “You good, champ?”

But Chan can only chuckle in response at first, before nodding and acknowledging the mess before him, “if she’s happy, then I’m happy.”

“Thanks for everything again,” Chan says, handing Minho a bag of food to take home in the morning. “You do good work, very professional,” he jokes.

“Don’t talk to me like I’m work for hire, oh my God,” Minho scoffs, pulling his jacket on and taking the bag from Chan. “I did you the favor!”

“Fucking my wife is a favor to me?”

“Evidently, I didn’t invite myself.”

“Don’t listen to him,” you smile, playfully slapping Chan on the arm before reaching towards Minho and hugging him goodbye. “Thanks for last night, you took really good care of us, it means a lot.”

Minho sort of rolls his eyes, as if embarrassed by the idea of being complimented for a job well done, but says that you’re more than welcome to you before turning back towards your husband, and with an elbow to the arm and a sly grin, “be careful buddy, might steal your girl.”

And Chan rolls his eyes in response, thanking Minho again for his time before pushing him out of the front door in envious jest.

With the door closed, and an end to the chapter, Chan pulls you into his embrace and hugs you tightly, much to your surprise. “I love you,” he says.

“Babe,” you start, apprehensively, “are you really worried he’s going to take me? You don’t have to-”

“No,” Chan interjects, pulling you from him and just as lightning quick hoisting you up and over his shoulder before heading to the bedroom.

“But don’t worry, I’m about to undo everything he just did.”

♡ send me your thoughts and feelings in my ask.

—this is a oneshot, there will be no part 2.

[hot-astrology]

Herzen (3052) ~ Your Love

Herzen represents your hearts content and where you vibrate on the frequency of love. This asteroid represents the heart. Today, we'll be going over more prominent aspects/placements in synastry, composite, and natal. In the natal chart, Herzen will show where you vibrate on the frequency of love and where you love the hardest. In synastry, we see where this love is ignited between the two. In composite, if there are prominent placements, then it shows where there is unconditional love within the relationship.

Herzen conjunct Neptune

Natally Herzen conjunct neptune shows a transcendental love that the chart holder possesses. They have the ability to love past flaws and worldly circumstances. They know how to love others from & for the soul because they understand we are all one.

In synastry, this is powerful because, again, we see unconditional love with no boundaries. The neptune person has no idea how much the herzen person loves them, although subconsciously, they feel it. They can have dreams and strong intuitive feelings of loving the other. This love has nothing to do with the physical but all with the oness they feel together spiritually.

In composite, this aspect tells the story of a relationship filled with unconditional and undying love. There is definitely a spiritual link between the two.

Herzen conjunct Saturn

Did you know saturn represents contracts? It only makes sense because of Saturn's will to bind things together. Not to mention, that libra the sign of contracts is exalted here. There is a strong connection of contracts & business whenever saturn is involved with something, that's why saturn is karma because when you make a contract with someone, you now both owe the other something. When saturn aspects herzen, but especially conjuncts the native has a contract to learn about the matters of the heart. They have come down to this dense,3d realm (saturn) to learn how to love unconditionally and vibrate on that frequency. In synastry this is the same except, the saturn person has a contract with the herzen person to learn about love, and saturn is here to teach herzen lessons about love. This energy is also reciprocated into composite. The relationship will be filled with trials & lessons about love.

Herzen conjunct Sun

Herzen conjunct Sun in the natal chart shows that the native is the physical embodiment of love, and their personality exudes this heart frequency. They can be very selfless, and it's important for them to not just love others but also themselves. People can love the light this person gives off. In composite, this shows that the source of the relationship is based on love; and when these souls come together, the vibration of the relationship is the heart. In synastry, they both love each other a lot and are willing to sacrifice certain things for others. This is a representation of unconditional love. Look at where this conjunction is taking place.

Herzen in 7h

In the natal chart, this shows that through partnerships/marriage, this is where your heart feels content. This native likely gives a lot in their relationships, and it's also important in relationships that their partners show them, unconditional love. They will likely attract partners who have a very big heart. Herzen 7h overlay in synastry can show the energy of love exists strongly within the relationship of these two. Their souls agreed to come together to gain love within their connection. Herzen person exudes this energy in the 7h person's eyes, and they love the Herzen under no conditions, and Herzen just loves the 7h person just because of the way they are. Similar to the Herzen 7h overlay in composite, there is unconditional love within their relationship.

While doing some research, I stumbled upon a page on Instagram called @extraasf, and their posts are SO inquisitive. They introduced me to this asteroid, and I had to know more. So go check out their page if you are into the more spiritual side of astrology! These are just a few descriptions of some random placements, but pay attention to this asteroid if it's closely conjunct to any planets/angles. I would also say look to see if you have this asteroid at any libra degrees (7°,19°) because this rules over relationships/contracts! Hope you guys enjoyed it, see you next week. 🌙

𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝐴 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 |🫦| masterlist

[eatmangoesnekkid]

I don’t live my life thinking a lot about money, trying to ‘get’ more money, or not having enough money yet I am not motivated by money either. The act of receiving more money does not make me rush to hurry up and finalize my books or open up my school. I can’t remember the last time I worried about money because having money is an intimate frequency and energy of FREEDOM. You have to break the frequencies of constantly penny-pinching, being stingy, allowing how much money you have in the bank to dictate your mood or living afraid to buy the very things that you need that will expand or evolve you, which is not the same thing as shopping all the time as a coping mechanism for being human, incurring consumer debt or being irresponsible and reckless with your money. And your life force will never thrive when you are a slave or prisoner to money.

The Practical and Spiritual Journey to Making More Money —You Must Enlist Your Warrior and Your Energy

You have to look at earning money like a game and enjoy growing your money and playing the game or else you never win. Not just saving or hoarding it away in your bra but allowing your money to work for you while you sleep like putting it in stocks. I have a degree in Accounting and have always believed that women were born to be skilled in financials but we are socialized to perceive ourselves not. But when you were born with a womb, you are naturally gifted at multiplying a seed into something much larger and intelligent like a whole baby. You are a natural amplifier, nourishing and growing what has been received. Be willing to look into investments and not be afraid of accumulating “healthy debt” and learn to move your money around in order to grow it. Look to investing part of your earnings into different funds, even if it is just cutting back on buying coffee and putting that money you would have paid for a daily coffee into a savings that will accrue and be used to invest in the future. If you already have cash flow, getting rental property to airbnb or sell (everyone I know that is quietly wealth-oriented owns at least 2-3 homes) which can be overwhelming to think about when living pay check-to-pay check but just beginning to think about how you can earn more money from your own money passively gets the ball rolling in your consciousness like what would it be like to open up a laundry mat, build it up and sell it in a few years for huge profit? Laundry mat ownership is such a fast lucrative business, just like what you see in the hood in movies. Or buy a raggedy house, build it up and sell it for a higher cost and incredible profit. Some of you straight and bi women entrepreneurs who are ready for good lovers must find love and attraction with lovers who are builders and handymen and can help to upscale and modernize your home that you can then resale for great profit and stop messing with dusties who have zero skill sets and create more stress on your life. 🙏🏿 Because when you live a highly stressful, parasympathetic, flight or fight life, the first thing you lose is your sexual desire or libido i.e. your umlimited creative power. No thank you!

If you have a spiritual business like me, you can do deals underneath the table but also work towards a LLC to legitimize your company which gives you tax breaks and allows you to earn more money. Something about going through the channels to make something official moves it from just being a hobby to a legit business. As magical spiritual woman, your power move is to attract someone willing to invest in your work as a start-up. If you do, you must cherish this person, love this person with all your heart, hips and soul (if the relationship is romantic but of course it can also be platonic or familial, either way, love this person), adore them deep and true. The person, this angelic being, this God, is saving you massive stress and headache. Their presence in your life serves a larger purpose —you must help them to understand this because our world teaches us to be so fearful and suspicious of being helped or helping someone rather than gracious and honored. Too many people are missing out on great blessings of interdependence because they live afraid and suspicious of the big heart of another human. So sad that many amazing beautiful people are stuck in their little corners hoarding away and missing out on healing, thriving, and experiencing the gifts and/or talents of another human because of how we have been wired to perceive the desire to meet one another’s needs and desires by status quo culture. To be a woman who can love someone in ways that relax their body so deeply that they can finally get out of their head and rest well and regenerate their tissues at night is incredibly priceless.

**This is not the same thing as looking for a handout, walking around broken like the world owes you something or hoping someone will help because you tell a victimization story. It is about being mature and resourceful and consciously manifesting what is needed and not simply what would be cool or cute potentially through love and loving.

But not every woman is ready or qualified for the aforementioned experience because you do have to develop skills that will be greatly useful, nourishing, nurturing, decompressing, relaxing or expansive or beneficial in other ways to another person. You can’t just be attractive or whatever. You have to be a woman who has developed a certain ease and peace in her body and life first and and that is what joining my school and online temple will help you master. And I personally believe you must also really love someone if the harmony is right because 1. love is incredible and healthy for the body to experience for however long it lasts 2. love is essential for the brightest sustained outcome. I’m not talking about the “sprinkle, sprinkle“ foolishness being promoted online. I am advocating for more love between people and all that comes with truly loving someone.

Be so skillful in your mature womanhood that you don't run from challenges, but face and engage them head on, and refine, recalibrate, and evolve beyond them. Never lose the boundaries that you are running a business albeit a spiritual one but still a business. Stay devoted and disciplined, both are essential. Work towards hiring people who can help you scale and grow eventually.

The Spiritual Journey to Making More Money—You Must Invoke Your Lover

The key to having more money is to learn to surrender and trust and truly allow the universe to be your provider, which is not an intellectual idea but a frequency of feminine energy. This is less about gender and more about the willingness to live a little bit beyond the egoic surface layer of reality of urgency that tells you to hurry and produce, to hoard or take or trigger you to constantly need to check off a to-do list, always needing to plan or to cross your t’s and dot your i’s which will allow you to buy that nice house and cute car eventually, but could greatly inhibit your energy from flowing where you never really can feel the joy of a simple moment pulse up your spine because you live in stress and overwork for external things that never make you fully truly happy.

No matter what stage of life you are, the undercurrent of your reality must feel like more relaxation and freedom if you want to have more money but not exhaust yourself in rigorous pursuit and constant labor for it.

I had to learn to draw in the frequency of freedom—to laugh at myself, to play, to rest, to relax, to do silly shit like twirling throughout my day —when life was very stressful, drama was high, and money was low. Neighbors would see me twirling. I would sometimes twirl for customers whose shopping totals were over 200 dollars. Because changing frequencies or weaving new realities is most potent when life is hard. You have to discover strategic ways to do the things you really want to do in life but was told you couldn’t afford. You must also have this hunger and desire to play the game of life to win while laughing at yourself along the way as you refine more and more and develop intimacy with the currencies of relaxation, love and freedom, which naturally include having more money.

But do not just copy and paste and take from others. Give. —India Ame’ye

Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.

Kahlil Gibran, Mirrors of the Soul

Chapter: The Money Drop (unedited)

[epiphainie]

why do you think bucktommy has been "hitting differently"? i love them don't get me wrong, but i don't think it's been written much differently than buck's previous love interests (yet)

Hi anon, 

I don't think I agree with you there. Well, first of all I think talking about all of Buck's previous romantic relationships as one thing is doing injustice to those different arcs and Buck's character journey. All served different purposes, all were written differently from each other. When I make the distinction that BuckTommy has been "hitting differently" what I mean is that it has what worked in those previous relationships as well as what was lacking. And I think the reason is twofold: the writers being intentional with their choices and how it's all been executed. 

Intention:

Just to be clear, I don't mean anyone has had endgame BuckTommy intentions. Tim has been very clear about how he doesn't plan that far ahead and it's hard to talk endgames with a procedural format like this. But we know they wrote the bi Buck arc with more care, hence being more intentional with their choices than some of his previous relationships. We know that their first kiss had taken multiple shapes before it ended up being this gentle, surprising but still mutual kiss. We know that they wanted to create a story where Buck felt connected to this guy but also safe and light. We know that they wanted to make Tommy a character who can be understanding and lead Buck as he stumbles. We know that Tim thought Lou's buy was important because he didn't want to repeat the same mistake of creating a LI who didn't fit with the rest of the cast etc.

Now you can say some of these fit previous LIs one way or another but it brings me to execution:

Many people talked about this before me, obviously, but I think the execution of everything they planned with Tommy has been great. I mean before their first kiss, this guy goes out of his way and shows up at Buck's to "clean the air" with this virtual stranger because he believes he caused bad blood between him and his friend. Not just that, he reassures Buck about his place in his friend's life and apologizes for making him feel excluded. Now as the audience we know Buck is the kid who'd get hurt on purpose so his dad would pay him attention, he's the guy who sued the fire department because he felt pushed out and isolated, but Tommy doesn't. I think an LI addressing one of Buck's core insecurities in such a direct and reassuring manner before even knowing him is a great way to set up why Buck would feel safe with and understood by him.

Another is that Tommy immediately meets Buck at that vulnerable place when he admits to being jealous of the 118's bond and Buck reassures him back. This for example, is something Abby had done with Buck imo but Buck back then didn't know himself enough to embrace his own insecurities and at a maturity level to address Abby's despite his best intentions. With Taylor, their whole issue was that they couldn't be honest and vulnerable with each other. BuckTommy in this aspect feels different because from the get-go as they're being honest and are on the same frequency when it comes to this.

Episode five, we see them on their failing date, then we see Buck being nervous that he fucked it up in the coffee scene. We've seen this Buck before, when he got into that anxious mode to make sure Abby knew he wasn't cheating on her. Obviously, the context and the stage of the relationship are very different and they both reassure Buck about it not being his fault. Great on both Tommy and Abby.

But then, the immediate follow-up in Abby's case is that she's leaving for abroad. I don't think Abby is being evil or mean with this decision (where I have a problem with is when she starts ghosting him and doesn't just end it, but that's another topic) but again knowing what we know about Buck as the audience, we know this is a big deal. We know this - and later Ali leaving - adds on his issues of feeling like he's not worth it, we know it leads to him basically trapping Taylor because he's so afraid she'll leave. Again, Tommy doesn't. But Tommy gives him a second chance and then shows up at the wedding.

You can say showing up on one date is not proof that Tommy will always be there for Buck, but I think the execution is so good in painting Tommy as very reliable concerning this. Because Tommy doesn't just show up. If the writers' only concern was to write Tommy out of the A plot of episode 6, he could just come to the ceremony and be like "my shift just ended". No, Tommy says he'll try his damnest to make it to the wedding and then he enters the hospital all rushed, haphazard, covered in soot, hair a mess. The dramatique of that entrance immediately validates in the audiences' mind that yeah this is a guy who will do his damnest to be there for Buck. It, again, addresses a core insecurity of Buck's.

Back half of the season doesn't do anything different but we again see Tommy notice Buck's emotional state, meet him in that vulnerable place, and also match his flirty vibe. They're comfortable; it feels earned even in such a short span because of the well execution of their initial arc. This to me what Buck said about Natalia when they thought the show wasn't coming back (and before that relationship was recontextualized as being a dud), about how he feels seen and comfortable etc. Only this time, there's intention, effort, and execution.

One final note in execution - and this is very ymmv because I've seen even from some BuckTommys that they wished they did this differently - I genuinely love how little BuckTommy there is in 7x03. More specifically, I love that Tommy's reintroduction to the series is not through being Buck's potential love interest. He's there in that episode for Hen, Chim, and Bobby. In 10 mins screentime he's quickly established with motives and personality quirks, is involved in the main plot, bounces off of other characters. Again, great execution of a thing Tim intended to do: a love interest who can fill more roles than just the love interest. This basically makes him in his own category in how purposeful and functional he can be as a character in the greater narrative. So yeah I think both as a person in-story and a character, Tommy has been hitting different.

[ladykailitha]

Hellfire Part 8

This story is almost done and will have 13 chapters. Which I thought was very fitting, honestly. It has been one hell of a ride and thank you for sticking it out with me.

In this we have a new villain or two, the attacks against Steve simmer down, but up frequency, and Wayne is pissed.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

~

Steve had to be more careful and stayed clear of the edge of the stage. But little things kept happening. His make up would go missing, his hair spray would suddenly be empty, just little things.

Wayne was furious. The fact that whoever was doing this was doing it under his nose. He couldn’t believe that any of the people he hired would stoop so low as to terrorize another dancer into quitting.

He resolved to get to the bottom of this, come hell or high water.

“You don’t have to do this,” Eddie murmured. “You’re supposed to be on vacation.”

Wayne glared at him. “I came down here to make things easier on you in running this place. So I’mma focus on this and you focus on shaking your ass up there.”

Eddie ducked his head and nodded. “I just don’t understand why they wouldn’t just say something to me.”

“Maybe you did and you rightfully told them to go to hell,” Wayne reasoned. “Some folks just don’t like change. Will do everything in their power to buck against it. Nothing you can do about that.”

“Yeah, okay,” Eddie said with a heavy sigh. “Just keep it on the down low. I don’t want them spooking and doing real harm to Steve.”

“You’ve got it.”

~

It would be a couple of days later before Wayne got anywhere with his little investigation. He called Jeff and Eddie into the office.

“Have a seat boys,” Wayne said with a chuckle. “You aren’t in trouble, there was just something I noticed while digging into the schedules to see if I could find a pattern in the attacks against Steve.”

Jeff and Eddie shared a glance.

“What did you dig up, you old fossil?” Jeff teased.

Wayne turned around a piece of paper and laid it on the desk. It was their weekly schedule.

Eddie read it and then scooted it back to Wayne. “Okay, I’ve seen this, I’m the one that makes it. What about it?”

“Did you know that you and Jeff don’t have any nights off?” Wayne said, lacing his fingers together and leaning on his elbows. “Eddie I get, he’s a workaholic and wants to be there every night to make sure everything goes well and doesn’t have any issues that crop up. But you, Jeffrey? I expected better work/life balance out of you.”

Jeff blushed. “I originally asked for more days because I went through a messy break up and just never changed it back.” He rubbed his hair sheepishly.

“You’re both experiencing burnout,” Wayne groused. “And I’m not gonna let that happen on my watch. So here’s what is gonna happen. On Monday nights, Jeff will have it off. Not Sunday, though I considered it. Don’t want folks thinking you’ve got a problem with Steve, considering he has your night off.”

Jeff nodded. “Works for me.”

Eddie just shrugged. It didn’t matter when Jeff had off. All the days were covered for the dancers, it was just the waiters he had trouble with juggling to give Robin and Steve the same days off.

“And you will have Tuesdays off,” Wayne growled. “And on that day, Jeff will be manager. Lean on him a little and I’ll bet you both will be feeling like new men in a matter of weeks.”

Eddie and Jeff shared another glance.

“Yeah, okay,” Jeff said. “It’ll my nice to have an evening to myself for a change.”

Eddie on the other narrowed his eyes at his uncle. “Giving me the same day off at Steve, and you’ll want me to believe that’s coincidental.”

Wayne smiled back. “Oh it absolutely isn’t. It is a very deliberate attempt to get you laid.”

Jeff laughed as Eddie slumped in his seat, arms crossed over his chest in a pout. “Fuck you, too, old man,” Eddie huffed.

Wayne’s expression turned serious and immediately Eddie sat up straight and Jeff gripped the arms of the chair. “I think I have it narrowed down to about three people it could be and it could be all of them, one of them, or any combination of two.”

“Let me guess, Stella, Danny, and Levi?” Eddie said darkly.

Wayne blinked at him for a moment and then tilted his head. “How did you get two out of the three right? I knew Stella still had problems with Steve, but I thought Danny and Levi had gotten over all their doubts about him.”

“He made them look stupid,” Jeff said shaking his head. “Hell, I’m pretty sure I’d hold a grudge against anyone who did that to me.”

“So who are the three?” Eddie asked, leaning forward on his elbows and cupping his hands under his chin.

“Levi, Danny, and Scott,” Wayne said, sitting back in the chair.

“It’s not Scott,” Eddie and Jeff said together.

Wayne eyebrows shot up. “You two sound very sure of that. Why?”

“They’ve become friends,” Jeff said, “they even go out for lunch and coffee and stuff. Scott would never.”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, “Scott was the one that jumped in and helped Steve when he was having trouble with a move Steve’s first day at practice. Dude would literally have to be possessed before he hurt Steve.”

Wayne blinked at them for a moment. “Not Scott then.” He made a note and quietly rearranged things. “All right, it’s really looking like there is a third person but I can’t figure out who it is.”

“I don’t want to say Stella,” Jeff huffed, “but it’s totally Stella.”

Wayne opened his mouth to refute that when Scott came barreling into the room.

“Eddie you’ve got to come quick!” he huffed. “There is something happening out front and we need you!”

All three men were on their feet in an instant and followed Scott out to the front of the club. Eddie wasn’t sure what he was going to see but whatever it was, it wasn’t this.

Steve stood in front of Chrissy with his arms crossed in front of him, glaring at two newcomers. Well, one was a newcomer. The woman was new to Eddie, but the man most certainly was not. Jason Carver, asshole extraordinaire stood next to short woman with dark curly hair and piercingly cold eyes. She also had her arms crossed over her chest, her full weight on her back foot.

“I don’t care what you think of me, Nancy Wheeler,” Steve spat, “you or the sanctimonious ass over here, but you leave Chrissy alone.”

Instantly Eddie’s already raised hackles went into overdrive. “Hey, what’s going on here?” he asked moving between the intruders and his dancers.

The woman, Nancy raised an unimpressed eyebrow as she looked him up and down. “And you are?”

“I’m the owner, Eddie Munson,” he replied coldly. “And you already fucking knew that. Or at least you should if you’re any kind of reporter. But then again most journalists don’t care about the truth anymore just about getting that good ‘ol revenue dollar.” He rubbed his fingers and thumb to indicate money.

Nancy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. She didn’t think that she would be recognized. “So you’ve heard of little me?” She ducked her head and batted eyelashes coquettishly.

“I’ve course I’ve heard of Nancy Wheeler,” Eddie growled. “You’re the reporter that got that lab in Hawkins shut down for dumping chemicals into the local lakes. I thought you were about taking out the trash, not swimming with it.”

Jason raised his fists to go after Eddie, but Nancy stalled him by putting her hand on his chest. “You and I have very different definitions of trash if you think I’m not taking it out, by writing an an exposé on this place to get it closed down. Hopefully for good.”

Eddie laughed. He just doubled over, clutching his sides. When he finally stood up, he wiped a tear from his eye. “Honey, if you’re talking about the Mayor’s daughter, I was barely involved and fired the one that was heavily so. All my licenses are current and my building was inspected two months ago and was told it was better than in code.”

Nancy narrowed her eyes and turned to face him completely. “And what about men and women getting dressed together in one big room? There is no privacy.”

“Honey,” Eddie said disdainfully, “I don’t know if you’ve been to many of these types of clubs, but like with modeling shows you have to do costume changes really fast and sometimes you see a bit of a dick or the flash of a nipple. Besides, they literally take their clothes off for a living, I really don’t think they’re seeing anything they haven’t a million times before.”

“It’s about the decency!” Jason roared. “Men and women shouldn’t be getting changed together! And they certainly shouldn’t be taking their clothes off together! It goes against the sanctity of marriage!”

“Jason,” Chrissy said, sliding off the stage on to the restaurant floor, “if this is about us breaking up, it’s been five years, get over it. I broke up with you because you are controlling and an ass.” She cocked her head to the side. “But especially because I’m a lesbian!”

Jason pulled out an actual fucking cross and thrust it in her face. She rolled her eyes and walked around it, straight up to Nancy. She looked her up and down. “I know your type. You’re as much as hypocritical, sanctimonious ass as he is. Only virtuous when it suits. You’re the type that would picketing outside of a Planned Parenthood, slip in for a little flush on the weekend and then pop! Back out on the picket line by Monday. You don’t get to judge me, princess. I’m the Queen of Hell.”

Steve let out a whistle. “She’s got you pegged, Nance. You’re just pissed no one else would put up with your diva behavior once I was forced to drop out of the ballet company. Well, it’s not my fault your understudy didn’t know the correct way to jump. But then again, she shouldn’t have had to know it, but you refused to come out your dressing room because the flowers in the bouquet were red and not white.”

“The flowers are supposed to symbolize the purity of the love between Odette and Siegfried and red means passion,” Nancy huffed stomping her foot. “But look at you, Steve. You’re stripping for strangers, using your God given talents for titillation and seduction.”

Steve laughed. “You say that like it’s not as much work and effort to strip as it is to do ballet. And let me tell you, having done both? Stripping is way more fun. I get to smile for a start.”

Nancy decided to change tacks. “Steve, I know when you got hurt, you felt like you had no where to go and I know you were fired from your last job, but is this really the life you want to live? I could put in a good word for you, anywhere you want to go. It would give you your dignity back.”

Steve put his hands on his hips and licked his lower lip. “Oh yeah? You going to put in a good word for everyone? What about Eddie? Huh, Nancy? You’re willing to take away his livelihood just because his morals don’t align with yours?”

Eddie felt a surge of fondness for his new dancer. Steve hadn’t been with the troupe long and had people actively try and hurt him. And yet, here he was standing up for all of them, but especially him.

“He doesn’t have morals!” Jason spat. “Him and his uncle has bred this den of iniquity for years corrupting the good people of this fair city to the depths of hell! The number of souls lost to this pit of destruction are countless and grotesque!”

“Dude,” Scott huffed. “Chill out. Being a stripper didn’t make Billy Hargrove an ass, being Billy Hargrove made him an ass. And Heather Holloway never set foot inside this club, not ever. So how did the club corrupt her? Billy? Pass me on that bullshit!” He licked his lips and cocked his head back and forth sassily. “Besides my mother is Catholic and she loves what I do. Just as much as she loves my younger brother doing drag on the weekends. So what’s your excuse?”

“You blaspheme!” Jason cried. “You’re all going to Hell! You will all burn in the fiery pits of damnation if you do not turn from your current path! Repent! Repent all ye sinners!”

“Fuck off,” Stella said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “We don’t need your puny god. He has no power here. Shoo!”

Eddie turned to them. “You heard the lady, get out before I call the cops on you two trespassing in my club.”

Nancy turned to Jason, “Come on, let’s get out of here. I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.”

Jason clenched his fist like he was still looking for a fight. He looked around gauging the people around him. With a sneer and a snarl, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the club. Nancy followed him, but she stopped at the door.

“This is your last chance, Steve,” she murmured. “You can still come with us. Leave this behind. I’m sure I could you place teaching ballet. You’d have to leave this place off your resumé of course. But just think, you could be raising the next group of dancers.”

Steve scoffed. “There are fifteen dancers, six bartenders, ten wait staff, and two large cleaning crews that depend on this club for their livelihood. Not to mention the two men who put their heart and soul into the running of this club, and if you think I’m going just walk away like that, then you never knew me at all.”

Nancy just shook her head and walked out the door. It was silent in the hall for a beat, maybe two before the whole club erupted into a dull roar. Everyone talking and gesturing wildly all at the same time.

Wayne let out a loud whistle. “Shut up!” Once everyone had sputtered to a stop and turned to stare at him, he said, “Nothing is going to happen to the club. There have been a total six of these so called exposés in its history and it has never come close to shutting down.”

“That said,” Eddie told them, “we keep everything on the up and up for next little bit. I’m not sure how long. But we’ve got this. We follow all the laws, we keep our mouths shut and our heads down.”

He looked at everyone and they all nodded back. He clapped. “Now let’s have a round of drinks on me. I think we all deserved one. Maybe three.”

~

Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14

Tag List: CLOSED

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2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @cryptid-system

3- @maya-custodios-dionach @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

4- @justforthedead89 @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @forgottenkanji

5- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

6- @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman

7- @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @ravenfrog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @lingeringmirth

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10- @themoonagainstmers @gloomysoup @novelnovella @micheledawn1975 @garden-of-gay

[crippleprophet]

i don’t understand how people can be so fucking cruel about people who can’t read much (including people who aren’t literate, though this post is from my experience with chronic illness). like, one of my main motivations behind posting excerpts of butch+femme writing on my main (@campgender ; it’s fine to go through my bookshelf tag but please only followers age 18+ on that blog!) is that it is fucking hard to read a full book!!

my reading comprehension & stamina decreased drastically when i developed worse chronic fatigue, & while i’m overjoyed that i’ve recently regained a lot of that particular ability since getting blackout curtains, there are absolutely still texts i can’t even begin to parse that i once would’ve loved digging into — texts that it would be actively dangerous for me to attempt to struggle through because it would break pacing.

idk i’m not trying to be self-congratulatory here or whatever but like. the second i could access information through this means again, the focus of my (very fucking limited!!) energy has been giving it back to my people. my life has been unquestionably, deeply shaped by tumblr users who share excerpts of theory & memoir & poetry because they were providing labor of which i was in need & incapable.

finding, selecting, transcribing, formatting, & at times contextualizing passages takes a lot of fucking time & energy, but in order for me to encounter certain concepts, experiences, & histories, it’s work somebody else had to do, because i couldn’t read 200 pages of research or anthology in order to encounter the 10 that would change my life — but posted 2 or 3 pages at a time, i could save that in my drafts to get through on a good day, & quotes that were only a couple lines i could usually read right when i encountered them.

so, in memory of the years i spent unable to access theory through anything other than excerpts & secondhand summaries,

and in anticipation of the years to come where i will live the same,

and in acceptance that the brain is a muscle, in love of we the exercise-intolerant,

to you, dear reader — whatever form & frequency & duration that reading may take, even if it’s no further than this post — i make my motherfucking covenant: the issues i discuss around pulling quotes will be about the political act of the ellipse and the ethics of transcription, not shaming people for the methods of accessing information that are available to them. as often & as long as i am able, people can ask me to explain something or summarize in plain language and i will meet them with respect, interest, & effort. if someone’s looking for information on a particular topic, identity, experience & doesn’t have the energy to find it, i’m gonna give what i have towards filtering through the bullshit for the gems.

according to our abilities. according to our needs.

and the next time somebody tells you it’s not ableist to say everyone has to read [whatever work], tell them to go put their precious ability to better use in making it more accessible.

[thefoxtherapist]

Can we get relationship hcs w/ calcharo please? He’s so cool siskhsosjsoshsksjsjs

He's very neat I like him! I haven't properly met him in game yet though. I go off of the lines I hear when I forget I'm standing in a boss area and the boss respawns.. :pensive:

I hope you like these!

-Reiterating what I said in my Cuddling HCs, most people don't know he's in a relationship or has a partner. It probably happened accidentally, Calcharo wouldn't pursue somebody on purpose. He'd put his own feelings aside. So when you told him about yours, well..

-He did try to deny you at first. But Calcharo wasn't really prepared for you to say anything! So he broke, because of course he did. Avoided making eye contact, arms crossed over his chest, the whole shebang.

-But you captured his heart! So here we are. He doesn't bring you conventional gifts, no flowers or chocolates or cute stuffies. Actually, scratch that last one, he did bring you this crocheted dog with the cutest silver beady eyes. He refused to tell you where he got it from though..

-BIG kisser. Calcharo's lips are surprisingly soft, they're a bit cold, but he makes up for it with frequency. Loves to hold you and kiss you, tends to kiss all over your face before finding your lips. This is how he greets you when he gets to greet you in private.

-His favourite food voiceline is "Huanglong's emergency rations. They taste slightly better than those made elsewhere." which sounds like me when I got French MREs during my military time and that's REALLY embarrassing for him. Tease him about it and he'll scoff and look away. (his real favourite food is whatever it is you like cooking. even if it is instant noodles.)

-In public, he treats you the same way he treats his people. Honestly? Chances are you're ONE of his people. Calcharo's skills span many subsets, this includes deception. He doesn't spare you a second glance, or even a first one.

-He apologises for the above in private often in an attempt to seek reassurance that you understand. And when he gets that he's back to holding your waist and looking over your shoulder at whatever it was you were doing.

-Calcharo comes in through the window sometimes and has a habit of startling you and he finds it the funniest thing in the world. Probably one of the few times you'll hear him LAUGH.

[fsfghgee]

Warning: Long dive. Bi-Han and Sektor's relationship part 2 (+ Bi-Han's redemption)

Honestly, I think people who are expecting to see Bi-Han flirting with Sektor in the expansion will be disappointed, 'cause Bi-Han isn't like Johnny Cage or Kung Lao. He really is not that kind of guy…

And he's damn far from it. Even if Bi-Han and Sektor do have a romantic relationship, I'd bet anything that in the intros they'll just be praising each other, reaffirming vows of loyalty, talking about the clan's defectors, making more plans together, giving each other advice, and hopefully talking about their parents. And that's it.

'praising her is something he does often"

I don't know about our new Sektor, but Bi-Han is not the type who flirts and the way he doesn't like to follow traditions, does everything together with Sektor and treats his female subordinates as if they were any other subordinate (I think everyone saw how he got a face-to-face with Cyrax… And if Frost really is already part of the Lin Kuei, I doubt she's getting any special treatment either…), I'd say he takes gender equality really seriously and chivalry in Bi-Han's language is letting her shoot first.

And most importantly…

He takes his position very seriously. The fights between Bi-Han and Sektor will be just sparring, but I doubt he would treat even that lightly. If he is romantic, which I personally doubt (I wouldn't put my hand in the fire for that), we will never know because even his perception of romance is independent. I believe that his romanticism comes down to heroic acts, like probably giving his life for Sektor's…

I mean, the person who built the armor was Sektor, so the woman who is fighting alongside Bi-Han in OutWorld can only be Sektor. And to me, it looks like they were about to take her instead of Bi-Han (and remembering that their target was Geras who they also take with them).

.... Or stroking her ego (which is almost as big as his), promising heaven and earth, giving her expensive gifts, maybe calling her his queen when they're alone, being a bit too touchy-feely when he's needy…

I imagine that as a self-centered mama's boy (I love him, but that's just who he is), he must prefer people to give him attention instead of giving attention, I can even imagine him enjoying a cuddle with a gentle petting, honestly.

And the way Sektor seemed surprised by Bi-Han's reaction to Cyrax... I believe she's not used to seeing him angry around her, I doubt she hears anything from him other than compliments.

After all, Bi-Han was the one who sensed that she was his kindred spirit…

What are kindred spirits?"Kindred spirits are like-minded and like-souled people with whom an instant connection of love and understanding is mutually experienced," clinical psychologist Carla Marie Manly, Ph.D., tells mbg. "The connection is inimitable and often defies verbal description."

People who share common interests, values, or worldviews might be described as kindred spirits. "In more spiritual words, we could say that they resonate at the same frequency, and there is matching energy between them," Katherine Bihlmeier, a relationship coach specializing in energy work, tells mbg.

And it's Sektor who rescues Bi-Han in the story mode, not Scorpion, her lines don't appear like all the dlc, but she's clearly the one rescuing him. She joins KuaiSc's mission to rescue Geras just to rescue Bi-Han.

You can hear that she's the one who recognizes him first and sounds really worried about him…

In fact, in the first trailer for the story mode expansion, you can see Sektor fighting alongside Bi-Han already turned into Noob Saibot but with his mind under his own control again.

He's fighting the khaos versions of Cyrax and Sektor...

We can see Bi-Han fighting alongside Liu Kang too, fighting SubZeroChaos, TakedaChaos like in the datamined script…

And again, although I'm still a little bit confused about their fate…

Will Sektor really sit back and accept the Lin Kuei being punished by Liu Kang and leaving Bi-Han locked up in the temple? Honestly, I highly doubt it.

I have no problem with the nature of their relationship, whatever it is. I'm a Lin Kuei fan, so Sektor getting some love kinda warms my heart since it never happened before...

And I think if it's well written it could be really interesting and make Bi-Han's character more multidimensional. Since he literally has no one else besides Sektor to lean on... Cyrax will desert them.

Hopefully, Noob Saibot ending will show us what will become of Bi-Han Sub-Zero in mk1.

...

edit: With the revealed Sektor trailer, we saw that Bi-Han ended up in Havik's hands when he jumped after him trying to strike him and accidentally ended up entering the portal that Havik had opened.

[hildadoll]

Understanding Awareness and Reality Shifting

Awareness, at its core, is simply the state of being—a condition where you observe everything without attaching to thoughts, feelings, or sensations. It is often described as pure consciousness or being; a realm beyond the ego and identity. However, when we consider this concept in the context of reality shifting, especially in relation to the five senses, it becomes more practical rather than an abstract idea.

To put it simply, the awareness you're referring to is the ability to observe both internal (your imagination, thoughts) and external (your current reality) things without judgment. In the understanding of Advaita (non-duality), it means realizing that everything exists within this awareness, and there is no real separation between you and the reality you experience—you're not "in the world"; the world exists in your awareness.

So, what does this mean for shifting?

When it comes to how aware you are in your current reality, it’s because your consciousness is focused on the sensory inputs of your present—your body, environment, time, and space. However, when you shift, you’re redirecting your consciousness from these inputs (your current reality) to another input (the reality you desire). The awareness remains the same, but it’s like tuning a radio to a different frequency. Shifting isn’t about creating or reaching something external—it’s about adjusting what you’re aware of.

Regarding who succeeded using the five senses method, yes, they likely practiced awareness actively, even if they didn’t call it that. By focusing their five senses on the desired reality, they redirected their awareness there, which is why it worked for them.

Now, about focusing on your imagination and not being able to see it manifest, this is a key point. Awareness involves not just "seeing" it in your mind, but fully immersing yourself in that version of reality. It’s not just observing, but your belief system also needs to align with that reality. The combination of being aware of something and believing it to be as real as your current experience brings about change. The reason you might not be able to "see" your imagination as clearly as your current reality could be due to still holding onto some belief in the rigidity and permanence of your current reality.

When shifting, practicing awareness means consciously focusing on your desired reality, feeling it, using your senses to make it tangible, and embodying it as if it is already happening. The more you do this, the more your awareness naturally aligns with that reality.

From this point on, we can develop a deeper understanding of what awareness really is and how it can be applied to shifting. Awareness is not merely a passive state of observation; it is an active process of directing your attention towards the desired reality. In other words, you need to consciously focus and use your five senses to exist within that reality.

The question of why you might not see the reality when you focus on and observe your imagination is likely related to not fully "embracing" that reality. It is not enough to simply imagine a reality; you need to feel as though you are experiencing it, to live within it. The point at which you accept that what you imagine is as real as your current reality is when your awareness aligns with that reality.

Many people, consciously or unconsciously, apply this awareness while shifting. For example, those who shift by focusing on their five senses add a layer of conscious awareness to the process of experiencing a new reality. Those who truly shift do not merely imagine the reality; they accept living within that reality. It is not just about observing a scene but about taking part in that scene.

The Relationship Between Awareness and Belief:

In shifting, awareness is not just about observing; it also involves believing in the reality you observe. For awareness to fully manifest, you need to feel as though you are there both mentally and emotionally. Simply paying attention and observing is not enough; you must believe in and internalize that reality.

This means: If awareness perceives what you observe as temporary or imaginary, it does not change your perception of reality. However, when your awareness accepts that the imagined reality is as real as your current one, then shifting occurs. Thus, awareness is a mixture of consciously directed attention and belief.

When you combine this process with a method, it might become clearer how to use your awareness in the desired reality. For example, by selecting a method and focusing your five senses on that reality, consider it not just as visualization but as a genuine experience you are living. Accept the reality as if it were a moment you are present in, not just a scene you are observing.

Awareness is a mental transition. The more you immerse yourself in the new reality both sensorially and mentally, the more your awareness integrates with that reality.

Let's delve into a deeper analysis of reality and awareness. In our current discussion, we focus on the role of awareness in the shifting process. This is a mental and spiritual journey where we aim to understand concepts of existence and consciousness. However, the most crucial aspect here is to set aside these theories and transform them into an understanding you can truly experience.

What is Awareness and Why is it Important?

Awareness is often something overlooked because it is always with us. Yet, we are lost in what we are aware of—whether it be thoughts, emotions, or even external objects. Take a moment to pause and simply notice that you are aware of everything around you. Your thoughts, body, senses… Yet none of these define you; they are merely what you are aware of. This point is critical: You are the observing entity, not the observed.

This is the same for shifting. Your current reality is simply a scene you are aware of. However, as long as you accept this scene as “real,” you remain attached to it. Transitioning to another scene (shifting) is merely about shifting your awareness to a different reality.

Now a deeper question: How does Awareness Form and How Can It Be Managed?

To be aware of something, there are two fundamental elements:

Attention – The direction of your awareness.

Belief – The acceptance of the reality of that thing.

These two elements are crucial in the shifting process. The reason you are aware of your current reality is that your attention is focused here and you accept it as real. However, when you direct your attention to the desired reality and accept it as real, your awareness shifts to this new reality.

How Can We Practice This Process?

It is essential to move from being a passive observer to an active creator. Consider these two important stages:

1. Directing Attention

By focusing your attention on a specific reality, you can move your awareness into that reality. This is a critical step in shifting. Your mind constantly directs attention to a point, which determines the direction of your awareness. Once you clarify the reality you wish to achieve, you must direct your attention to it. The five senses method comes into play here. Experiencing the sounds, smells, and textures of the reality you imagine—these are ways to focus your attention on that reality.

2. Integrating Belief

Once you direct your attention to that reality, the second step is to accept it as a real experience. People often struggle here because the mind continues to believe that the current reality is more real. However, when you combine attention and belief, your awareness fluidly transitions between the two realities.

Let’s explain this:

You are visualizing a scene you want to create. When you fully observe it, you direct your attention to it. But if your awareness isn’t fully there, you will only see it as a thought. To truly shift, you must believe that the scene is real. Mentally and emotionally accepting this new reality leads to your awareness shifting there.

The Harmony of Awareness and Belief:

Here lies the secret of shifting: the combination of awareness and belief. Awareness is not just about observing but about believing in what you observe with your entire being. The scene is no longer a thought in your imagination; it becomes your reality. This reverses the concept of “seeing is believing.” When you believe, your awareness begins to see that reality.

Returning to your question:

“Why can’t I observe my imagination as I am aware of it?”

The reason might be that when you merely observe the scene, your awareness might still be tied to the current reality. However, when you accept the scene as real, your awareness transitions to this new scene. At that point, “imagination” is no longer a thought but a part of your existence.

Ultimate Question: Awareness or Belief?

Shifting is not just about observation but about combining belief with awareness. The more belief you add to what you observe, the faster your awareness shifts there. Therefore, awareness is not just about watching but also about existing within that reality through belief.

Returning to the question: Is it just being aware or adding belief to what we observe?

The answer is: Both. When you add belief to what you observe, your awareness fully transitions to that reality.

This is the deep secret of shifting: the intertwined dance of awareness and belief.

Philosophical Foundations: Existence, Awareness, and Reality

The Nature of Existence and Awareness:

At its philosophical core, shifting is rooted in the nature of awareness and the essence of existence. Awareness is a fundamental force underlying all experiences. We are constantly aware—whether consciously or unconsciously, it does not matter. Our existence is made possible by being aware. You are aware of the world around you, your thoughts, and your feelings. But here’s the intriguing part: you feel like you are the observer, not the creator of what you observe, as if you are separate from them. Yet, when we delve deeper, we realize there is no distinction between the observer and the observed. This understanding is particularly grounded in nonduality philosophy. You and the world you experience are two aspects of the same awareness. Therefore, shifting can be perceived as moving from one aspect of existence to another. The true realization is that awareness contains every reality, and wherever you direct your awareness, that reality emerges.

The Flexibility of Reality:

Many philosophical teachings suggest that reality is neither rigid nor immutable. Particularly in quantum physics, concepts related to the observer's role reveal how consciousness affects reality. This forms the basis of shifting. Whatever we focus our awareness and attention on becomes our reality. In other words, there is no solid world; there is only a field of experience that flexes based on the focus of awareness and changes when we shift that focus. Thus, shifting is about consciously directing this focus to a different reality.

The Role of Belief Systems:

A common topic in philosophy is how our belief systems shape reality. Plato’s "Allegory of the Cave" is a prime example: people chained in a cave see only shadows on the wall and accept them as reality. However, when they step outside and see the light, they realize that their perception of reality was entirely an illusion. Similarly, we live in our inner caves, constrained by our beliefs. The essence of shifting involves breaking this belief structure to step into a new reality. The core of this practice is for awareness to move beyond beliefs and orient towards a different reality.

Practical Application: How to Implement It?

Understanding the philosophical foundations is the first step; applying this understanding in practice is the next. The practice of shifting is a way to materialize theory into action. This process can be applied step-by-step mentally, emotionally, and consciously.

Managing Awareness:

The first step in shifting practice is to become aware of where your attention is. In daily life, your awareness often automatically stays within your current reality. However, consciously directing your awareness to the desired reality is the first step in shifting.

Calming Awareness with Breathing Exercises: Start with breathing exercises to clear your mind and distance yourself from the hustle and bustle of the current reality. Take deep breaths and bring your mind to the present moment. Focus your awareness on your current bodily sensations, as this strengthens the foundation of your awareness.

Focus Exercise: In the second step, begin visualizing the new reality you desire. Use your five senses to feel what that reality is like. Here, imagination and awareness come together. This practice enhances your ability to manage awareness.

Transforming Belief Systems:

Belief is a critical element of shifting. Your mind may be tightly bound to the current reality because you subconsciously accept it as more "real." At this point, it is essential to form a belief in the new reality.

Recognize Your Inner Resistance: When imagining a new reality, you might notice resistance from beliefs about the current reality. Questions like "Is this possible?" are signs of inner resistance. Once you become aware of this resistance, remind your subconscious: "Reality is flexible and changes according to the direction of my awareness."

Affirmations: Use affirmations aligned with your desired reality. Powerful statements that remind your subconscious that the new reality already exists will help restructure your belief system.

Sensory Experience and Manifestation:

Instead of just visualizing the desired reality in your mind, make it real with your senses. This allows your awareness to fully integrate with that reality.

Experiencing with the Five Senses: Instead of just thinking about the reality you imagine, experience it with all your senses. Consider the feel, smell, sound, and even taste of the things in your imagined reality. Experience the scene in your mind not just as an image but as a complete sensory experience.

Embodiment of Reality: At this step, you should not think of the reality as just imagination. Immerse yourself completely in the scene you’ve created. Feeling as if you are living in that reality and moving, feeling, and acting as if you are there makes your awareness integrate with that reality.

Deepening the Practice:

Connecting with Meditation: Meditation is a powerful tool for managing awareness and consciously directing it to the new reality. Sit quietly, calm your mind, and then consciously direct your awareness to the desired reality.

Using Dream States: You can combine shifting with dream states. Lucid dreaming practice allows you to delve deeply into your subconscious and begin experiencing your desired reality there. This strengthens the connection of your awareness with the new reality.

In summary, the philosophy and practice of shifting are interwoven twofold processes. Philosophically, understanding that awareness is an unlimited and reality-shaping force allows you to materialize this in practice. Managing awareness and integrating belief are the fundamental elements of shifting.

Who Manifests the Manifestation?

Manifestation is often linked to the individual's ego and its desire to produce a particular outcome through the "I" consciousness. However, in deeper spiritual understanding, the ego is seen as an illusion; thus, the idea of manifestation is considered an extension of this illusion. From this perspective, true liberation means there is no individual desire left, and thus no need for manifestation efforts. In other words, there is no "I" behind the manifestation.

At this point, the "natural flow of life" comes into play. A liberated being is in harmony with the rhythm of life without ego. As a result, actions arise without great effort, and this state of harmony may be misunderstood by others as "manifestation." However, this is not a manifestation of desire but a result of pure awareness and alignment with life. Therefore, no one actively manifests; life simply flows, and awareness witnesses this flow.

The "Neti, Neti" Practice

The concept of "Neti, Neti" (Not this, not that) plays a crucial role in spiritual inquiry. As Nisargadatta mentioned, this method is aimed at finding the non-subjective reality behind all perceptions and understandings, beyond both the mind and the senses. Theoretically, "Neti, Neti" involves setting aside all forms of thought, belief, and awareness to reach the remaining pure awareness. Everything is seen as transient, disposable, and ultimately a means to reach the final nature.

This leads us to the question: "Who practices 'Neti, Neti'?" Questioning who is applying this method leads to a state of awareness where the concepts of mind and self dissolve. The mind attempts to go beyond itself, but paradoxically, it is the mind itself that is doing this. Thus, although the mind cannot ultimately transcend its own boundaries, true awareness emerges.

States of Samadhi and Liberation

Samadhi, while a significant experience on the spiritual path, is not the final destination. These states play a crucial role in dissolving the individual's mental constraints but are still tools for achieving self-realization. Samadhi is a state where the person transcends the mind and reaches conscious awareness, surpassing the limits of the ego. However, even this state is transient; true liberation is beyond surpassing all these states. In other words, samadhi is a mirror, but identifying with the mirror is still a trap.

The Paradox of Transcending the Mind

Ultimately, transcending the mind and achieving liberation begins as an effort of the mind, but this effort itself continues until it is understood to be futile. As Nisargadatta said, effort must be made, but this effort will not take you anywhere. The mind believes it is a solution, but ultimately, the mind itself is an illusion. Thus, transcending the mind requires a complete understanding of its structure and nature.

The phrase "the mind is devoid of mind" summarizes this paradox. The mind only produces thoughts and concepts; pure awareness is beyond these. In the end, shifting, manifestation, and awareness—all these are concepts perceived through the mind. True self-awareness is beyond all these, a state of silent and pure existence.

In this context, concepts like shifting or manifestation can be seen as mere "shadows" of ultimate awareness. They are reflections of the mind's operation, but true liberation is about going beyond these reflections.

Understanding the Connection Between Shifting and Non-Dual Awareness

Understanding the connection between shifting and non-dual awareness can help in grasping how conscious experiences and levels of awareness function. Shifting typically involves moving one's conscious existence from one "reality" to another, while non-duality implies returning to a state of pure awareness. Both concepts share a similar foundation from different perspectives: both involve consciousness and question the perception of reality.

Connection Between Shifting and Non-Duality

Conscious Awareness: Non-duality is based on the "awareness of consciousness." Consciousness is not an object of its own awareness; it simply "is." Shifting also relies on changing the level of consciousness to experience existence in another reality. In this sense, the essence of shifting is actually non-dual consciousness, which is always present regardless of which reality is being experienced. The essence of shifting is to move awareness through a particular "state" or "reality," but this awareness is always there.

The Illusion of the Self: Non-dual awareness points to the notion that the self is an illusion and that pure consciousness exists. During shifting, the concept of identity or personality is dissolved to allow pure consciousness to be experienced in a different "place" or "reality." This shows that the self or identity is not fixed; consciousness can shape any experience. While shifting, the realization that the conscious mind is an illusion allows consciousness to step beyond this illusion and enter a new reality.

You Are Already There: The phrase "you are already there" is frequently used in non-dual teachings. This applies to shifting as well. The key to successful shifting is realizing that you already contain what you are seeking. Changing your reality is simply about experiencing different aspects of consciousness. Therefore, shifting means becoming aware that you are "already always there" and expanding consciousness in that direction.

Awakening in Consciousness: The essence of non-dual awareness is maintaining conscious awareness. Shifting requires directing this awareness to another state of consciousness or reality. Practices such as meditation and mindfulness can help sustain this awareness in consciousness and make the shifting experience easier.

Practical Approaches

Focus on Consciousness: Observing conscious awareness is crucial in both shifting and non-dual practices. During meditation or preparation for shifting, observing pure consciousness and questioning "who you are" can lead to a deeper state of awareness during shifting.

Concentration on the "I-ness" Feeling: In non-dual awareness, suggestions like Maharaj's observation of the "I-ness" feeling can also be applied during shifting. Creating awareness around the question "Who am I?" and focusing on this feeling can serve as a bridge for directing consciousness to the desired reality.

Liberation from Concepts: In non-dual teachings, freeing oneself from the concepts created by the mind is important. During shifting, it's necessary to transcend the conceptual framework that shapes the current reality. This means removing the boundaries created in your mind to develop the ability to exist in a new reality.