#cas x spirituality

[meirimerens]

(ran this reblog through a discussion with some people who have more experience in storytelling/gamedev than i do and some who are central asian indigenous [which i'm not] to get their point of view on the Kin so it's probably going to be long because I'm condensing multiple discussion pieces in one, it's gonna be one of them Long Posts)

while the Kin is obviously heavily inspired by the Buryat, including in its language which does contain a lot of Buryat words, but also a lot of not-Buryat words (Yargachin, pointedly incredibly important in the game, is Mongolian directly. as stated above, Yas & Merdrel are also Mongolian), I do not know if I agree that finding the other inspirations is "forgetting that and trying to match them to other cultures". The Kin is not "its own somewhat distinct culture", it is its own, imagined, invented, imaginary culture, which takes inspiration from (/plainly steals) from existing ones. It is an imaginary people with heavy foundational roots, in the same way the town is imaginary with heavy foundational roots, and the disease itself is imaginary with heavy foundational roots. It is obvious the game takes inspiration from the Buryats (and from others), but it also, in the name of storytelling, creates a religion which is almost an inverse of Buryat Tengrism (Tengrism, with Kyuk-Tengri, father-sky-god as head of the pantheon, being, from what i'm understanding, pantheistic [the Main God is in everything, and everything is a manifestation of him], polytheistic [while Tengri is the main one, there is a heap of other gods, goddesses and spirits under/around him, with great importance placed on those spirits [44/55 associated with different things]], and of course with a main head of a father-sky-god; whereas the Kin's religion, with Boddho, a mother-earth-goddess* [whose name seems to relate more to Mongolian], is pantheistic [mother Boddho is in everything and everything is a manifestation of her], monotheistic [she is the only one, the all-mother, all-creatoress] OR duotheistic [her + Bos Turokh are the only deities], and lacking in spirits entirely, which are so important to Tengrism), has an important spiritual caste of women (the Herb Brides) who have no resonance within Altaic/Mongolic/Turkic cultures because no culture has Naked, Dancing Young Pretty Women Whose Sole Job is Dancing For Harvest (some types of goddess-priestesses / witches / oracles have always existed, but the Herb Brides are a distinct, obvious invention, which deserves scruteny. you could argue that they correlates with shamans, but in the text it appears evident that is more the place of Burakh [father, then son], and the Herb Brides directly go against a widespread shamanic practice which is the wearing of many layers made of animal skins, bones, antlers, horns in order to disguise oneself, to wander between worlds, to trick the tricksters, etc), and also like. Worms. "crude", "unfinished". half-man half-dirt.

*the cult of an earth-mother/mother-earth exists in Buryat Tengrism with Umai, because earth-goddesses exist/have existed in most pantheons, especially before the advent of pastoralism; however, she is daughter of Tengri, whereas Boddho is all-mother. Mongolian Tengrism has her be named Etugen, and while she is said to have all control over the natural forces and all living forces be subordinate to her, Kyuk-Tengri is still "above" her, she is the "second highest" after him. the existence of a earth-goddess within two religions does not make them more similar than any others (the Greeks had an earth-goddess, Demeter, with theories that she was there before the advent of the hellenic pantheon as an all-mother... etc etc so on). there is also sources stating that at some point, Tengrist or proto-Tengrist peoples might have worshiped him/a sky-father exclusively or so majoritaly that the other deities were aside, but it could also come from biased or outside sources.

we are also unsure about your claim that the Kin represents the Buryats in "interesting and careful" ways. We do not know of your position wrt indigenity (and it's none of my business specifically, might be the business of those in the group who are indigenous but i'll let them decide if they want to contact you directly) and if you were doing research on the Buryats out of a reconnecting journey or intellectual curiosity/desire and personally feel that the Buryats are respectfully represented in P2 as one, but I have read many other Central Asian Indigenous people in this fandom write, since the release of P2 (and possibly before that about P1, as well as in the discussion we were Just Having about this ^) about how the Kin does not represent them faithfully, or even sometimes just kindly, and the treatment of it and its members being insulting in multiple ways (including the fact that their beliefs and language are a hodgepodge of languages and beliefs that feels to "steal" from multiple sources [=appropriative instead of appreciative] which itself is another discussion, do not represent any real-life religion while obviously being inspired by some, and on other levels just the fact that the Kin's clothes do not resemble the vibrant, intricate, and historically-significant clothing of the Buryats, or any of the peoples they are inspired by. That and the fact that they literally have non-human/in text sub-human members [the Worms]). Most of the discussions around the Kin that i've seen, from Central Asian Indigenous people, recognizes and celebrates the inspirations (plural) while still interrogating how callous, cruel, sexualizing and misogynistic the narrative and metanarrative treatment of the Kin is, a far cry from a "careful and interesting way" of representing the Buryats (or any of the other inspirations).

last thing: I am personally curious as to where/how you've found the "half Chinese" data piece, because I have not been able to find anything of the sort online (doesn't help that my grasp on Russian is nonexistent). I have seen it going around, without a source, and I also have seen (in the tags of this) the data of "1/16 Manchu or Han", which is a far cry from "half-" anything, and not related to Shenekhen Buryats. [deleted the rest to add:]

Dybowski, from his own mouth, is not half-chinese, and the tagger who mentioned it being 1/16 was right: on page 57 of [this interview], he mentions his grandfather's father (so great-grandfather) having married a Chinese woman (when he was 60 and her 20, but that's a whoooole other story), making him 1/16 chinese (possibly Han or Manchu as the tagger mentioned). I do not doubt this informs his view of the world and how he is treated, even if he mentions being "the only one in [his] family who really looks Russian", but it is a far-cry from "half-" anything. that does not change the general discussion i've read for years at this point around the Kin, which is that the inspirations are obvious and should be celebrated, but it is obviously imaginary/invented, and in the hazy lines of imagination lies a treatment of the Kin which is cruel, crude, sexist (more specifically misogynistic), often racist and feels more like appropriation for a morally gray ethnicity that pays lip-service to its inspiration but mistreats it nonetheless rather than full, hearty representation.

great discussion! 👍🫂 i'm genuinely glad we can exchange on this. but what is contained in your reblog is, from what i've seen and read, pretty far from the consensus on the Kin. we all can recognize (and we should appreciate and take good care in handling) the real-life inspirations while still seeing that, in the blurry lines of storytelling and "invention" for the sake of (technically) a ~fantasy~ ethnicity, lies like. a racist mistreatment with appropriative qualities. which i've seen people talk about for years at this point.

the pathologic Kin is largely fictionalized with a created language that takes from multiple sources to be its own, a cosmogony & spirituality that does not correlate to the faiths (mostly Tengrist & Buddhist) practiced by the peoples it takes inspirations from, has customs, mores and roles invented for the purposes of the game, and even just a style of dress that does not resemble any of these peoples', but it is fascinating looking into specifically to me the sigils and see where they come from... watch this:

P2 Layers glyphs take from the mongolian script:

while the in-game words for Blood, Bones and Nerves are mongolian directly, it is interesting to note that their glyphs do not have a phonetic affiliation to the words (ex. the "Yas" layer of Bones having for glyph the equivalent of the letter F, the "Medrel" layer of Nerves having a glyph the equivalent of the letter È,...)

the leatherworks on the Kayura models', with their uses of angles and extending lines, remind me of the Phags Pa Script (used for Tibetan, Mongolian, Chineses, Uyghur language, and others)

some of the sigils also look either in part or fully inspired by Phags Pa script letters...

some look closer to the mongolian or vagindra (buryat) script

looking at the Herb Brides & their concept art, we can see bodypainting that looks like vertical buryat or mongolian script (oh hi (crossed out: Mark) Phags Pa script):

shaped and reshaped...

[bullet-prooflove]

Saint Michael - Frank Castle x Reader

Part of @storiesofsvu Holiday Bingo! The square was Gift Exchange/Secret Santa!

Tagging: @crazy4chickennuggets @kmc1989 @withakindheartx @@purrrrfect @juliannatryon @beardedbarba @wooshwastaken @justreblogginfics @anime-weeb-4-life @pleasurebuttonwrites @annetje @adaydreamaway08 @est1887 @multiflixshelves @thanossexual @bonsaijoons @spookyboogyuniverse @ankhmutes @spaghettificationandpretzels @trublu2u @nu1freakshow @thebaileybugle

It’s a few days before Christmas that Frank realises the silver pendent around your throat is missing. In all the years he’s known you, he has never seen you without it. It’s an engraving of St Michael, the patron saint of police. He knows the history attached to it. Your father had given it to you upon your graduation from the academy. It had been his up until he’d retired, and you’d taken over the mantle.

You’re already in the shower when he gets in. It’s been a couple of weeks since he was last here, not much has changed except the Christmas tree in the corner and the modest decorations that adorn your mantlepiece. It’s pretty, he thinks. There’s a dulcet glow to the room, something soothing and sensual.

He can hear the running water as he sets his bag down alongside your front door before toeing off his boots. His clothes are already gone, tossed by the washing machine in the kitchen by the time he steps into the shower with you. You smile as he leans in close, his naked body brushing against yours under the heated stream. His thumb chases along the line of your jaw, his lips ghosting over yours and you respond to him the same way you always do, a little desperate, a little needy because it's been too long since he last had you.

His palm trails down a little further, fingertips gracing over the slender chain only to find that it isn’t there. You feel him tense before he withdraws, his gaze lowering to the red welt against the hollow of your throat.

“What happened?” he asks, his dark eyebrows furrowing into a frown.

You sigh and he sees the sadness in your eyes because that piece of jewellery, it was the last tangible piece of your father.

“A perp.” You tell him, your palm lightly rubbing over the space where the pendant used to hang upon your chest. “He managed to get a hold on me, tore it off. I spent hours looking for it but…”

You shake your head.

“It’s long gone.”

It bothers him that the pendant’s missing. He doesn’t believe in a higher power, he hasn’t since before Maria and the kids were killed but you do. He knows that cops are a superstitious sort, that there is more to that medallion than just a piece of metal that hung around your neck. The protection it delivers, it’s spiritual, it connects to something deep inside. He thinks about that as he lays in bed beside you that night. It doesn’t feel right, you being out there without your faith to watch over you.

“I gotta go, angel.” He murmurs as he presses his lips to your forehead. You thread your fingers through his, mouth brushing over the back of his hand as you whisper.

“Stay safe.”

***

It’s Christmas Eve when he turns up again. You’re in the kitchen, washing the last of the dishes when he steps through the door, removing his boots and hanging his trench coat on the rack. You’re wearing a navy blue knit jumper that clings to your form and faded grey jeans, a pair of his socks are pulled up over the hems at the bottom. He will never admit that it does something to him to see you wearing his clothes, there’s a domesticity in it that resonates with him. You’re the closest thing to a wife that he’s had in years. The way he feels for you, it’s different from what he had with Maria. She was solid, dependable, the thing that kept him stable throughout all the shit he endured throughout his service.

You, you’re a force of nature. You’re the sunshine that graces his skin in the middle of winter, the light that shines in his otherwise dark existence. You’re the person that brought him back to life and he can never repay you for that.

He wraps his arms around your body, his chest tucking against your back as his lips brush over the curve of your shoulder. That welt he saw a few days ago, it’s already fading into a bruise he places a chaste kiss upon it before his breath ghosts in your ear.

“I’ve got something for you.”

“Oh, I know, I can feel it.” You tease and he smiles against your skin.

“Something else.” He tells you before withdrawing.

You turn to face him, and he reaches into the top pocket of his combats, withdrawing a slim silver chain. On the end of it hangs a pendent, your pendent.

“Let me help return it to the place it’s meant to be.” He tells you, indicating with his finger for you to turn around.

You do as you’re told, and he drapes it around your neck, fastening the chain so that it comes to rest in the space just above the swell of your breasts. Your thumb runs over the etching, and he can see how much it means to you to have the medallion back in your possession.

“I don’t know what to say.” You murmur as you turn and meet his gaze.

There’s so much emotion in your eyes, he finds it visceral. His palms clasp your features, his thumbs chasing way the tears that leak down your cheeks.

“I can’t have you out there without it,” He tells you softly. “I just can’t.”

You nod your head because you know exactly what he means. It’s your totem, the power that keeps you safe when all hell breaks loose, the thing that reminds you to be strong in your weakest moments. It’s your saving grace in the midst of the chaos that is your job, your life.

“Thank you.” You whisper as his forehead comes to rest upon yours. “Thank you so much.”

Love Frank Castle? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[dormireu]

Spiritualized® ‎– Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (1997)

Gen X Soft Club aesthetics (1990s) ca. Early 1990s - Mid 2000s

[shallowseeker]

✍️✍️✍️✍️WRITERS' CHAIN✍️✍️✍️ Name something you like about your own writing, or post a snippet you've written lately that you liked! 🖊️🖊️🖊️Then pass this on anonymously to your writing friends!🖊️🖊️🖊️

“The spiritual council—the bene elohim—are mentioned in earlier texts, but they never fully individuate. So, like. Worst-case scenario, Cas was just a tool to advance the plot, a wavelength of Chuck’s celestial intent.” Sam looks up from his coffee, his expression wary, like he’s ready for Dean to crumple—like Dean’s an empty beer can awaiting a well-placed head butt.

And yeah. 

Just the thought of it, of Cas not being Cas, is the bang of a gun—a bullet with an exit wound the size of Texas. Through it all, Chuck is the clown in his mind, yanking out Dean’s guts, inflating them long and thick, twisting them into balloon animals. 

Then popping them, watching the blood burst. 

Dean’s not in the right headspace for this conversation. Maybe he never will be.

“That was a lot of words to say you don’t think Cas is real.”

x

[amadholes-lostre]

Religion: Califinidad(?)/Califinity

I created this fictional religion a few years ago in 2021, when I was obsessed with The Prom. Well, it is actually part of a crossover between BNHA and The Prom, then I added other series like Amphibia, The Owl House, and Attack on Titan (I know some people reading this are getting brain aneurysm lol). The idea was that, other than enriching the world, it will create a realistic scenario if people start developing powers. I would like to try add this in my dune fic, either as a minority religion or somewhat bi-worship like how Japan does with shintoism and Buddhism.

(Which willbe difficult since how the religion come to be).

The religion (depending on the denomination) focuses less on worshipping on said religion name (Califia) but more of what her and her... friends, disciples, group (?)'s beliefs are. It focuses on Califia's philosophy, spiritual belief, and ideology. The religion is imperative in quirk society (mainly in the Americas) because Califia and her group were first-generation quirk users. Califinity is frankly a quirk religion.

So the lore behind Calafia and her group is that Calafia :

1: was born in Central America (Guatemala likely), a Mestiza, and her family emigrated to California in mid-2040 (funny because the US was fucked at this point).

2: Form an academy/sanctuary for quirk children who were either abandoned by their parents or who came to learn how to control their power.

3: Is in a polygamous relationship with two women (lol, lmao even).

I based Califia on two characters: Xavier and Magento. She created the academy, Califia's Orphanage and Academy for the Gifted, to protect quirk children during a time when anti-quirk was horrific. However, unlike Professor X, she is very not a pacifist or the idea co-existing with non-quirks. She won't go antagonizing non-quirks society (or the government), but she is very "don't fuck with us and we won't fuck with you". Naturally, the government does so, and led a shadow war between them.

The academy, which is now a pro hero academy (federal-level), is located in Solano County, CA because I'm a California gal (and also California was like, one of the safest place to be a quirk during that time).

So, Califia's friends/disciples/group were quirks (naturally lol) and they were mostly either ciswomen or genderqueers (there is only one man and he is a transman). They were also non-white, either agonistic or not deeply religious, leftists, and educated. During a time when 1. People were developing powers that are coming out of nowhere; and 2. The US was just coming out of a horrific civil war. So they try to figure out why people were having powers. These will lead to the fundamental aspect of the religion.

They believe that people individually have energy, similar to souls/spirit. This energy helps form the universe and keep it stable. When a person dies, their energy/soul/spirit dissipated and merged with the universe. How quirks come to be is that quirks are the manifestation of a person's energy. The more powerful a quirk is, the greater the person's energy is. Sometimes, a person's energy, which is supposed to be nontangible, merged more directly to its host, and that is how mutation quirks are formed.

This helps scientifically explain when some quirks, like Momo, could defied thermodynamics.

Calafinity also suppose have a holy book, similar to The Bible. How the book were structured that it contains Califia's and her group 13 journals. The book is structured by beginning what Califia's belief how quirks come to be (explaining spiritually), then categorized Califia's early life (which is pitiful before her quirk awakening) chronologically. Then, it will lead into the 13 disciples' journals, each explaining their early life, their quirks awakening, and how they met Califia. Their journals will also explain how they believe how quirks and, by proxy, the main religion spirituality. So, the Books will likely come in 2 versions: one that is categorized by events, belief, and the disciples' views on Calafia; or, the Book separates the journals. However, there are important chapters in the Book: the final years of Calafia's. Actually, the chapter for the last days of Califia's, which she was killed in, is called "The Final Ballad" or "The Ballad of San Francisco.""

Califia has an archnemesis. The archnemesis isn't viewed as The Devil (though some denomination do view him as such), however, they view him as an antithesis of Califia's value. The archnemesis, named Dreadmond (he has many other aliases), is a quirk supremist, and by meta, I will view him as the Americas (or at least, in the US) counterpart of All for One. However, unlike him, Dreadmond does not work in the shadow. He is at the center of his legions (?), wnd is so in every battle. he makes sure that he is front and center. His philosophy is malleable depending on the era and followers, but he very much believes in might and Social Darwinism. He is charismatic, energetic, and authoritative, which allowed him to attract many meta-kinds (quirk-kinds). It also helped just how fucking awful having a quirk doing those time.

Califia and Dreadmond, initially, had informal agreement of not interfering with one another in their 30s (humans, by this time, double their lifespan). Both were already in a shadow war with the government, were at different coasts with Dreadmon and his followers being on the East Coast, and did not want to further weaken their cause. However, Califia utterly depised Dreadmond: even though Califia focused on quirk-kinds and hated the discrimination they face, she had no issue with non-quirks, especially ones who are sympathetic or helping their cause. Dreadmond, meanwhile, is a genocidal, eugenic tryant who believes non-quriks should, at best, be serfs that serve quirks. Later on, as quirk-kinds become the majority, Dreadmond starts changing this view, now harsher on weak quirks. Non-quirks, which he refers to as Roto (broken in Spanish), should be eradicated.

So, he is very much a horrible human being. Also, he is Puerto Rican lol.

So, while Dreadmond wants to dominate over the Americas (or, at least, the US), Califia wants to create a quirk society, locating on the West Coast, or at least California. Other than being a Cal-gal (and me being bias), California is isolated from the rest of the country thanks to the Sierra Mountains, the other side of the country, and far more tolerable compared to what going on past the Mississippi River.

How the conflict between them happened escalated suddenly and quickly. Dreadmond and his followers are, being bluntly, terrorists and though made life hellish in the East. His actions also increased anti-quirks sentiment and caused many quirks to migrated to the West Coast (by BNHA era, California has a population of 80 million, Oregon 9 million, and Washington (goes by different name) 13 million). There were some arguments between them, more in the likes of "can you maybe fucking chill for a moment?" "How 'bout you 🫵 chill." I don't know what really lead into this but one of Dreadmond's followers killed one of Califia's lover. All of a sudden, Califia and Dreadmond were in war. And Califia wants to kill him.

The war was short (lasting like six months), but it was brutal and bloody. Califia managed to create a truce with the US government (it more like "don't ever fuck with my people again and I will give you his head") which led into destructive battle. The final battle at San Francisco, which lasted for a day, destroyed almost half of it. Half of Sunset District, most of Market Street and the Financial District were just obliterate, leveled to the ground. The fight between Califia and Dreadmond pretty much ended not only the battle but the war itself and began the Dark Era (or Vigilantes Era, idfk anything about bhna history lol).

Califia was killed in the battle, and Dreadmond vanished, believing that he was either killed or went into hiding (he was actually hibernating beneath the Golden Gate Bridge waters). Her disciples were factual due to her; she was adhesive, the most important person of their group, and what held them together.

I didn't really talk about the disciples, mainly because I don't have a name for them (lol), but they're important in Calafinity, especially some who help disseminated Califia's teaching and belief, and one who mystified her. I gonna be referring them as their alias since it helps me. The most imperative figure was The Apostle, the youngest of the disciples (if Califia was in her mid-30s before her death, then The Apostle was likely in her late teen). When the disciples were factual, The Apostle spread about Califia, either her beliefs, her philosophy, her deeds, and even the possibility she was actually a deity (I also think the internet will be somewhat gone so she has to go it the old fashioned way). I would like to say that one of the denominations - one of the most popular ones, has a somewhat systematic structure (which is something Califia will actually hates lol), and it's dominanted in Northern California- will be named after The Apostle.

There is The Prophet, whose quirk is clairvoyance (though vaguely). There is The Man, and he is called that because I thought it was funny. Maybe The Lover for one of Califia's lover.

I don't know much about holidays. The Final Ballad will certainly be a holiday; ending the battle and war, stopping Dreadmond's tyranny, and for Califia's death/transcendence. However, do of how imperative quirk is to Califia and that Calafinity is a quir-religion, a child gaining their quirk will likely be one of the important day for them. For Japan, a quirk awakening will be a simple "Oh that great!" moment. For Califinitans, it is a celebration, a day where the community gathered at the local temple, throw a party, and formally welcome the child. Parents are required to mark the time and date when their child's quirk were awaken. Because of this, people usually celebrate two personal days for themselves: Birthday and Awakenday.

I certain I said this already, but Califinity superseded Christianity in the Americas, becoming the dominant religion both continents. However, this happened after The Great Blooming. The Great Blooming was an event a century (maybe half a century?) after the Final Ballad. It is similar to the Baby Bloom, except instead of having a population bloom, the ratio between non-quirks and quirks (1 quirk to every 4 non-quirks) flipped. Now, more than half of children were having a quirk awakening, and this led to another civil war, referred to as The Neo War (Human Purist teaming up with Neo-Confederates) (Also, the West Coast went mostly unscathed, lol)(also, Dreadmond was in). Doing a time where the majority are irreligious, horrific events occur, and the new generation were quirks, naturally Quirk-kinds will latch onto Califinity.

To be honest, I can't really think of anything else. There are other quir-religions in my bnha world au. There is a non-religious version of Califinity called Califinism, mostly about Califia's philosophy about quirks and how it should be used (she is a social individualist). All Might, Toshinori Yagi, is a Califinist.

Can't really think anything else, bye 👋.

[xtruss]

Mappa Mundi: The Greatest Medieval Map In The World

— By Anna Bressanin | Wednesday February 14, 2024

Credit: CalimaX/Alamy

From a small island in the Venetian lagoon, a 15th-Century monk somehow designed an astonishingly accurate planisphere of the world.

On the second floor of the Library of Saint Mark in Venice, a map of the world occupies an entire room – and rightfully so, considering its historical significance and imposing size (2.4m x 2.4m, bigger than a king size bed). Completed in 1459, the Mappa Mundi is the compendium of all the geographical knowledge of the time and is arguably the greatest medieval map of the world.

Almost twice as large as the famous English Hereford Mappa Mundi (ca 1300), this exquisitely decorated planisphere showcasing Europe, Africa and Asia was the masterpiece of Fra Mauro, a monk of the Camaldolese order who lived on the small Venetian island of San Michele.

Although the monk never set foot outside Venice, his Mappa Mundi is amazingly accurate in its depiction of cities, provinces, continents, rivers and mountains. America isn't on the map, since Christopher Columbus would take his trip across the ocean 33 years later; and nor is Australia. But Japan (or in Fra Mauro's words, "Cipango") is there, making its first appearance on a Western chart. Even more surprisingly, Africa is correctly drawn as circumnavigable, long before the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope in 1488.

"It's the oldest surviving medieval map," said Meredith Francesca Small, author of the book Here Begins the Dark Sea, also describing it as the most complete medieval map to survive into modernity. "It's the first map to be based on science more than religion. The Hereford map is all propaganda, religious propaganda."

While the Hereford map depicted Heaven and Hell and was designed to serve as a compendium of the world's knowledge from a spiritual perspective, Fra Mauro took a scientific approach to his cartography. He declared in his inscriptions that he would "verify the text by practical experience, investigating for many years and frequenting personas worthy of faith who have seen with their own eyes what I faithfully report here".

There's more than scientific and historical relevance to it, though. The most striking aspect of the map, which immediately catches your eye after ascending the white marble stairs of the Library of Saint Mark, where some of the world's most precious and ancient manuscripts are kept, is its sheer splendour.

"It's huge, beautiful, fantastically crafted," said historian Pieralvise Zorzi. Beyond the outlines of countries and continents, Fra Mauro's Mappa Mundi is a magnificent golden and blue painting composed of minute drawings of gorgeous palaces, bridges, sailing ships, rolling blue waves and outsized sea creatures, plus a total of 3,000 cartigli – red and blue annotations written in ancient Venetian that tell stories, anecdotes and legends.

In Norway, for instance, a cartiglio indicates the location where the Venetian merchant Pietro Querini came ashore after a shipwreck. As the tale goes, he not only survived the accident, but he brought stockfish back home, thus starting the Venetian passion for baccalà (the creamy fish spread you can find in every osteria).

The Exquisitely Decorated Mappa Mundi measures an impressive 2.4m x 2.4m. Credit: Bildagentur-online/Getty Images

Another cartiglioindicates Tharse, the "kingdom where the Magi came from", then thought to be located somewhere between China and Mongolia.

All these annotations are legible on the map, and are relatively easy to decipher for Venetian speakers since the current dialect is not dramatically different from the idiom of the 15th Century. However, the inscriptions are also translated into English on an interactive map created by the Galileo Institute and Museum in Florence. Displayed on a flat screen in the same exhibition space as the Mappa Mundi, it provides the somewhat peculiar experience of entering the mind of a savant monk and reading the world through his medieval eyes.

It was not a small world. Although Fra Mauro lived his entire life in his island monastery in the lagoon backwaters, he tapped into the knowledge of travellers and merchants who crossed paths in the flourishing trading city of Venice that was "the capital of cartography at the time", explained Saint Marks librarian Margherita Venturelli.

“Maps Were Fundamental For Trade Because If You Have A Good Map, You Can Go Everywhere”

"Maps were fundamental for trade because if you have a good map, you can go everywhere," added Zorzi. "Every innovation in terms of cartography was welcome in Venice, and well-paid."

The Library of Saint Mark is home to one of the world's most significant collections of classical texts. Credit: Mo Peerbacus/Alamy

Fra Mauro's main source for Asia was merchant and fellow Venetian Marco Polo, who had published his travel accounts more than 150 years earlier. On the map, 150 locations are directly traceable to Marco Polo's Travels; for instance, the Mount of Adam was placed in the island of Ceylon (today's Sri Lanka), where, according to legends recounted by Polo, the first man's body was believed to be buried, together with his teeth and even his bowl, which was supposed to have the magical property of multiplying food.

Besides Polo, Fra Mauro had numerous sources around the globe. The fact that the chart looks upside down to contemporary Western eyes, with the south on top, might indicate that he was inspired by Arab cartography, like a 12th-Century map by North African geographer Muhammad al-Idrisi. The numbers that Fra Mauro lists as "the Distance of Heavens" are from mathematician and astronomer Campanus de Novara. "From the centre of the world to the surface of the Earth there are 3,245 miles. From the centre of the world to the lower surface of the heavens of the Moon there are 107,936 miles," and so on, he writes in the top left corner of the Mappa Mundi.

Fra Mauro also displayed a healthy scepticism and wasn't shy of criticising – as well as sometimes using –the revered Ptolemy's Geography, a treaty written in Alexandria, Egypt, by Claudius Ptolemy in 150 CE and lost for centuries to the Western world until it was rediscovered and translated in Latin again in the 1400s.

Fra Mauro's main source for Asia was merchant and fellow Venetian Marco Polo. Credit: The History Collection/Alamy

This Renaissance rationalist attitude also showed in the way he placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden outside of the planisphere, making it clear that Heaven is not a place on Earth; a statement that separated religion and geography and was forward thinking for any medieval man, let alone a monk.

These novelties, and the fact that the map was completed few decades before Christopher Columbus sailed to America, contribute to Fra Mauro's Mappa Mundi being considered the geographical link between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. To contemporary visitors, his map is a reminder of the fact that maps were once not only practical tools, but also a matter of beauty – and a way to tell the most extraordinary stories.

[harrelltut]

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[artisteclipsed]

"The Penitent Saint Jerome" ca. 1627-1630 — Antonio d'Enrico, often called Tanzio da Varallo, (1580 - ca. 1635)

Oil on Canvas 80.96 x 65.41 cm. or 31 7/8 x 25 3/4 in.

Technique:

Antonio d'Enrico, commonly known as Tanzio da Varallo, was an Italian painter from the Baroque period. His artwork often grapples with religious and spiritual themes, a feature conspicuously evident in this painting, "The Penitent Saint Jerome." Rendered in oil on canvas, the painting delves into the theme of penitence through a portrayal of Saint Jerome, a Christian scholar and translator known for his ascetic lifestyle and significant contributions to theology.

Paint Application and Color Palette

The painting likely utilizes the traditional Baroque palette that leans toward earthy and darker tones, punctuated by sharp contrasts and radiant highlights. Tanzio da Varallo's skill in applying paint would have involved both meticulous detailing and broader brushstrokes, allowing for the creation of multiple layers of varying transparency and opacity.

Technique Type

Given the Baroque era's predilection for dramatic scenes and intense emotional states, the technique of chiaroscuro is exemplified here. This involves using strong contrasts between light and dark to create volume and depth in a two-dimensional space.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere is deeply introspective and somber. The isolation and penitence of Saint Jerome is emphasized through atmospheric elements like subdued lighting and a secluded setting, and featuring a dark cave.

Perspective

Baroque artists often employed linear and atmospheric perspective to lend their works a three-dimensional effect. The figure of Saint Jerome is emphasized through foreshortening techniques, where the subject or other elements are portrayed in picture in depth, which is furthered by the linear shapes of the books.

Color Theory

Tanzio da Varallo utilized a carefully planned color scheme to harmonize or contrast the elements within the frame. Warm colors used for the saint's skin and attire to bring attention to the central figure, whereas cooler, muted colors might fill the background, accentuating the sense of isolation or penitence.

Proportions

In adherence with classical ideals, the proportions of the human figure and the surrounding elements is balanced and harmonious. The figure of Saint Jerome serves as the standard, around which other elements are scaled and positioned.

Texture

There is a meticulous rendering of textures, from the saint's wrinkled skin and coarse garments, as well as the books with their pages delineated in intricate detail. This textural depth is achieved through the layering of paint and nuanced brushwork; some of which is apparent in the cave walls.

Transitions

Transitions between light and shadow, as well as between different elements of the composition, is handled with subtle gradation to maintain a naturalistic appearance. This technique contributes to the overall unity and emotional gravity of the artwork.

Focal Points

The principal focal point is undoubtedly the figure of Saint Jerome. His positioning and the directional flow of other compositional elements would guide the viewer’s eye toward him. Secondary focal points cause the eye to move between objects like a crucifix ending with the book and skull, alluding to his scholarly contributions and a hint of the theme of memento mori.

Symbolism

Given the religious subject matter, symbolism is abundant. The skull represents mortality and redemption. The books serve as symbolic references to Jerome’s intellectual contributions to Christian theology. His line of sight could either represent a presentation or attention to god.

Layering

Multiple layers of paint, varying in opacity and texture, is instrumental in achieving the painting’s complexity and emotional depth. From base layers that set the tonal structure to final glazes that impart luminosity and depth, each layer would contribute to the painting’s overall visual and emotional impact.

The image above is what I used to analyze the work. The green line shows how I found my eye moving through the piece. The pink lines are implied or literal lines that reinforce the movement of the eyes. The blue lines enclose the negative spaces, which also reinforce the line of observation.

The line of Saint Jerome's vision also supports the movements as well, which helps bring a deeper sense of life and animation to the painting.

Artist History:

Antonio d'Enrico, better known as Tanzio da Varallo, was an Italian painter born around 1575-1580 in Alagna Valsesia, a town in the Piedmont region of Italy. He is most closely associated with the Baroque period, an era marked by the exploration of dramatic emotion, elaborate ornamentation, and intricate technique in art. Although comprehensive records of his life are scarce, what is known suggests a career deeply embedded in the religious and cultural milieu of 17th-century Italy.

Tanzio da Varallo apprenticed under Giovanni Battista Crespi, also known as Il Cerano, an established painter in Milan. This early phase would have been formative in shaping his artistic skills and exposure to the Mannerist and Baroque styles prevalent at the time. Crespi was instrumental in bringing the Counter-Reformation style to Lombardy, and this influence likely impacted Tanzio's own thematic focus on religious subjects and mystical experiences.

Around 1613, Tanzio went on a pilgrimage to Rome, an experience that further enriched his artistic vocabulary. Here, he was exposed to the works of Caravaggio and his followers, assimilating the Caravaggesque techniques of chiaroscuro and tenebrism into his own style. These techniques involve the dramatic use of light and shadow to create a heightened emotional tone.

In the years following his return from Rome, Tanzio spent most of his career in and around his native region. He is best known for his work on the Sacro Monte di Varallo, a complex of chapels in Varallo Sesia dedicated to the life of Christ. His contributions to this pilgrimage site included frescoes and panel paintings that were both spiritually evocative and artistically innovative. His work here is often cited as the pinnacle of his artistic achievement.

Despite his primary focus on religious themes, Tanzio also painted secular works and portraits. However, these are considerably less known compared to his religious art. Many of his works were destroyed or lost over time, and therefore the exact scope of his oeuvre remains uncertain.

Tanzio da Varallo passed away in 1633, but the specific circumstances of his death are not well-documented. His legacy lives on primarily through his contributions to the Sacro Monte di Varallo and other religious sites, where his art serves as a testament to the Baroque spirit of emotional intensity and technical mastery.

His name is sometimes confused with that of his brother Melchiorre, who was also an artist, but Antonio remains the more renowned of the two. Despite the scarcity of biographical information, Tanzio da Varallo’s surviving works offer valuable insight into the religious and artistic currents of 17th-century Italy, as well as the innovative techniques and thematic focus that characterized the Baroque period.

Time Period:

The period between 1627 and 1630 was an epoch of significant upheaval and transformation in Rome, both within its walls and beyond. This juncture is primarily positioned within the wider timeframe of the Baroque era, which spanned from the late 16th century into the 18th century. This was a time marked by exuberant art, grandiose architecture, and complex compositions in music; but also, it was a period of profound intellectual and sociopolitical changes that influenced various facets of life—economic, religious, and cultural alike.

Sociopolitical Climate

In a sociopolitical context, Rome was a focal point of power, being the seat of the Papal States. The papacy had vested interests not only in spiritual governance but also in political dominion. Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini) was the reigning pope during this period, and his pontificate was marked by a degree of nepotism and an aggressive foreign policy. The Barberini family amassed wealth and influence, much to the chagrin of other Roman nobility and city-states in the Italian peninsula. Urban VIII's geopolitical machinations extended into conflicts such as the War of the Mantuan Succession, indirectly involving the Papal States in broader European affairs.

Economic Climate

Economically, the 17th century was not a period of unabated prosperity for Rome. While the city had its affluent nobility and clergy, there was a widening gap between the rich and the poor. The accumulation of capital through ecclesiastical avenues had led to an investment in monumental architecture and art, with men like Bernini and Borromini shaping the Roman cityscape. However, this did not necessarily translate into economic affluence for the common populace. Jobs were scarce, and many were dependent on ecclesiastical charity. In fact, Rome's economy was so deeply entwined with the Church that it could be said to have been a "pre-industrial" economy, lacking a robust commercial or manufacturing sector. The very grandeur of Rome’s architecture and art was partly a façade masking an underlying economic frailty.

Religious Climate

The Church’s Tridentine reforms, initiated in the mid-16th century, continued to reverberate. This was a time when the Counter-Reformation was in full swing, and Rome was its epicenter. The Roman Catholic Church was still reacting against the spread of Protestantism in Northern Europe, and this religious fervor had both positive and negative impacts. On one hand, it led to an unprecedented proliferation of art and architecture intended to glorify the Church and underscore the spiritual profundity of Catholicism. On the other hand, it also led to the increasing power of bodies like the Roman Inquisition, which pursued heretics with dogged determination. Fear of heresy and a rigid orthodoxy impacted academic and intellectual pursuits, notably in the case of Galileo Galilei, who faced an inquisition for his heliocentric views.

Cultural Climate

Culturally, Rome was a crucible of innovation and tradition. The Baroque style was flourishing, characterized by its emotional intensity and complexity. Artists like Caravaggio had already set the stage for a form of realism that imbued even religious scenes with a visceral, earthly quality. The presence of various academies like the Accademia di San Luca served as nuclei for artistic and intellectual discussions. Literature, too, was a crucial part of Roman cultural life. The epic poems and librettos of the period often displayed both religious fervor and a newfound interest in human psychology.

Daily Life and Events

As for events that impacted everyday life, the increased taxations and levies to support the Papal States' military involvements were deeply felt. In addition, the period was not devoid of plague and disease, with the risk of outbreaks often being a constant specter over the city. Public health was a significant concern, compounded by the limited understanding of medicine and sanitation at the time.

Natural disasters also had a role in shaping the Roman experience. For instance, the River Tiber was known to flood, and each flood brought not just the immediate destruction but also long-term economic repercussions. Food scarcity was another everyday issue, especially for the lower strata of society. Bread riots were not uncommon, and the Roman "annona," a grain dole similar to ancient practices, was often a critical aspect of urban stability.

Furthermore, religious festivals and public ceremonies were regular occurrences, impacting everything from traffic to business operations. These events were not merely religious in nature but were intricately tied to the city's political and social fabric. Participation was not just a matter of piety but also a declaration of civic allegiance.

Personal Note:

This piece is hung in the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri. I first saw it when I was 14 years old and it has remained in my mind ever since. The book laying over the skull, marked by the clear disturbance of Saint Jerome who seems to be glancing at the heavens, in wait, as if interrupted. The calmness of the dark cave and the flowing fabric of his clothing contrast with his facial expression. 

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this Week #139 (Year 3/Week 35):

2 more back-to-back re-watches of Ron Fricke’s sublime non-narrative Head trip Samsara (“Impermanence”). Spiritual poetry, gorgeous visuals, breathtaking scope. A perfect film to watch while mushrooming. 10/10. (Photo Above).

🍿

First watch (no idea why I waited all these years) of William Friedkin’s Sorcerer, his ill-fated adaptation of Clouzot's 'The wages of fear'. Roy Scheider is a desperado transporting nitroglycerin in the Dominican jungle, together with 3 other unfortunate misfits.

🍿

A enchanting, classic 1974 French drama, Vincent, François, Paul and the Others, my second by Claude Sautet (after ‘The heart at winter’). A group of middle class 40-something friends, lovers, husbands and wives face a series of midlife crises. Among them Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Gérard Depardieu and Stéphane Audran. The camaraderie reminded me of the friendship in ‘Goodfellas’ (without the crimes, violence, and immorality). 7/10.

🍿

The big clock, my first Corporate Noir by John Farrow (father to Mia, husband to Maureen O'Sullivan). Ray Millard acts and sounds exactly like Cary Grant-Lite in this less-known thriller.

A curious visual: There's a very stylish shot at an empty executive boardroom with a giant conference table, and the only items on it are oversized personal ashtrays next to each chair.

🍿

Val Lawton X 2:

🍿 The best movie of the week, the documentary Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows. Produced and narrated by Martin Scorsese. A terrific biography and assessment of this melancholic producer who had the potential to become one of the biggest auteurs, but who is now barely-remembered for a series of 1940's low-budget, B-movies from RKO studio. I previously only saw his 'I walked with a Zombie', but I'm going to watch as many of the others as I can.

🍿 "...My Goodness, ain't nobody likes chicken Gumbo?..."

Lewton's first project, after he was installed as head of RKO low-budget horror department, was Cat People. "A disturbed woman", a Serbian fashion illustrator [Not too many of those] turns into a ferocious panther, after she's shown at her very first scene, littering repeatedly by throwing her discarded drawings in the streets.

🍿

Our friend, my second film by Gabriela Cowperthwaite (After ‘Blackfish’). A sad, non-linear tearjerker, based on a real story. Dakota Johnson is dying of cancer, with her husband, two daughters, and their best friend, who selflessly stays by their side. The first film when I liked the role Casey Affleck plays. 7/10.

/ female /

🍿

The new gonzo documentary Telemarketers reminded me of a chapter from my own life that I'm not proud of. For about 3 years in the mid-90's I sold bogus investments, gold futures, and fake ostrich options (!) over the phones in exactly the same way as the conmen in this sleazy, seedy, funny, cynical story. Except that over in Jersey they sold $35 donations and got paid $10 an hour, while we in Costa Mesa, CA got a $3,500 commission for every time we fleeced $40,000 from someone, which happened very often. So much money, and so many regrets later!

🍿

4 more I can watch over and over again:

🍿 My 10th-15th rewatch of Edgar Wright’s brilliant Hot Fuzz.

1. If you know nothing about it beforehand, and watch it for the first time while stoned, it’s impossible to know what it’s really about until the end; the story changes style, intention, musical cue and genre from scene to scene.

2. Is the violent shoot-them-up climax, cartoonishly exaggerated, (where still, nobody dies) the most cliché-filled action scene ever?

3. The subtle musical score underlining every scene is sublime; I am going to listen/watch it again - without the pictures, just the sound!

4. Actually, the whole editing, visuals, sound editing, borrowing from dozens of prior movies, is extraordinary.

5. Every part of the dialogue - every single line - is highly quotable!

10/10.

And as always, How to do visual comedy, from ‘Every frame a picture’.

🍿 I just saw the trailer for The big Lebowski for the first time; It really ties the movie together pretty well. So I "had to" watch the movie itself again. A masterpiece on every level. Even the IMDb synopsis encapsulates it correctly: "Jeff 'The Dude' Lebowski, mistaken for a millionaire of the same name, seeks restitution for his ruined rug and enlists his bowling buddies to help get it."

I also like Wikipedia's chapter on its 'Use as social and political analysis'. With a magnificent score (which includes Dylan's 'The man in me', Gypsy Kings cover of 'Hotel California', Yma Sumac's Ataypura) and with Asia Carrera as Sherry, the porn actress.

The last sentence in it is 'Say, friend, you got any more of that good sarsaparilla?' Always 10/10.

🍿 Once again, Ali Wong’s first stand-up Baby Cobra. Funny, filthy, hardcore vulgar, very sexy; "Best pregnant comic".

🍿 Top banana, S1E2 episode from ‘Arrested Development’. From Vanity Fair’s ‘List of 25 perfect TV episodes’.

🍿

The source, another banal documentary about a spectacular human being, ultramarathoner Courtney Dauwalter, who just cemented her status as the greatest ultrarunner of all time by the unprecedented triple crown wins of the ‘Western States 100’, the ‘Hardrock 100’, and UTMB in the same summer. Emotionally inspirational.

🍿

The midnight gospel, an adult animated series, my first by Pendleton Ward. I saw the first episode yesterday, and I already can’t remember a single goddam thing from it.

🍿

From Dane Sitagi’s The ballerina project: Basia Rhoden dances in the city of Chicago.

🍿

Throw-back to the "Art project”:  

Ballerina Adora.

🍿  

(My complete movie list is here)

[alexesguerra]

Throwing Bones, Crystals, Stones, and Curios: Includes 20 Unique Casting Boards for Divination and Insight Throwing Bones, Crystals, Stones, and Curios: Includes 20 Unique Casting Boards for Divination and Insight Contributor(s): Dylan, Mystic (Author) ISBN: 9781578638369 Binding: Paperback Pub Date: April 08, 2024 Author: Mystic Dylan Physical Info: 0.7" H x 8.4" L x 7.8" W (0.95 lbs) 128 pages Publisher: Weiser Books Create a divination system that delves deep into your psyche to help you peer into the future, explore your past, and address issues in your present. Fortune casting, or throwing bones and other objects for divination, is an age-old magical practice. "Bones" are like totems and can be any item: something from nature, like shells, roots, or crystals, or trinkets and found objects, like dice, coins, or keys. Whatever you use, casting will help you create a definitive divination system based on your personal practice. It is through casting that you can truly enhance your intuition and connect to the spiritual, earthly, and supernatural realms. Through collecting your objects, you are building a unique alphabet and language that will help you answer important questions. Biographical Note: Mystic Dylan has studied the occult for over two decades. Now a fully practicing professional witch, Dylan uses the Craft to assist both friends and clients in their personal lives. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA, where he teaches classes, runs his own coven, co-hosts "The Witch and The Medium" podcast, and co-runs The Olde World Emporium shop. He is the author of The Beginner's Guide to Candle Magic, The Witch's Guide to Manifestation, and Witchcraft for the Home.

[livrelady]

#i often think of that one post that was like#all of dean's girlfriends/boyfriends in a room together#and cas says#''i won not because i'm the least insane out of all of you. i won because i'm the MOST insane''#this list is its spiritual successor#spn#also it's important to note that cas literally invented free will because he loves dean so much so like. yeah it ain't even close#everyone else is just chillin' compared to him (X)

Dean's boyfriends ranked by how normal they were about him (from most to least):

4. Lee Webb. As normal as one could get about Dean Winchester. Like yeah, he tried to kill him, but that was completely unrelated to them being exes. Even able to have a nice, friendly reunion with Dean, no hard feelings at all (again, until Lee tried to kill him).

3. Benny Lafitte. Genuinely probably the closest Dean got to a normal relationship with a man and they probably could have made it work if they weren't both hung up on other people. Benny did end up sacrificing his life for Dean, after Dean ghosted him even, but Dean was only partly the motivation there. Still, seeing the dynamic between Dean and Cas in Purgatory and willingly inserting yourself is kind of bonkers.

2. Crowley. Man started this relationship thinking he had the upper hand, then caught feelings and fully shattered himself on the altar of Dean Winchester. Went around telling people that Dean completes him after they had a regrettable summer fling, then sacrificed his life for him because that's just what falling in love with late-seasons Dean does to a motherfucker.

(Special mention of Chuck, who while completely abnormal about Dean was never his boyfriend, as much as he wishes.)

1. Castiel. And it's not even close. In this competition, Cas takes the gold, silver and bronze. Laid a hand on Dean in hell and never had a normal thought again. You just know he had fantasies for years about confessing his love for Dean while dying in his arms before it actually happened. Fortunately for him, Dean matches his freak perfectly.

[spiritual123]

Rudolf Steiner

Ga-4 – Filosofia libertății

Rezumat

#FilosofiaLibertatii #RudolfSteiner #Antroposofia #Антропософия #Anthroposophy #Anthroposophie

REALITATEA LIBERTĂȚII

X. FILOSOFIA LIBERTĂȚII ȘI MONISMUL

Omul naiv, care percepe realitatea doar prin simțuri, caută principii morale externe și perceptibile. Acesta acceptă autoritatea externă a altor oameni sau a unor entități divine pentru a-și ghida moralitatea. La un nivel mai avansat, omul percepe aceste principii morale ca fiind dictate de o conștiință interioară sau de o divinitate ipotetică, dar totuși externe lui.

În domeniul moralității, realismul naiv vede legile morale ca forțe independente și externe, fie ele divine sau sociale, iar libertatea umană este considerată o iluzie din cauza determinismului material sau spiritual. Materialismul și dualismul spiritualist exclud libertatea, fie prin constrângeri mecanice, fie prin voința unei ființe superioare.

Monismul, pe de altă parte, recunoaște parțial justificarea realismului naiv, dar susține că adevărata libertate vine din intuiția morală internă a individului. Omul este liber atunci când își urmează propriile idei morale intuitive și nu constrângerile externe sau metafizice. Concepția monistă respinge determinismul metafizic și recunoaște libertatea umană ca o realizare a spiritului liber prin evoluție.

Monismul vede moralitatea și libertatea ca fenomene specifice umane, determinate de natura omenească și nu de principii externe. Aceasta conduce la o filozofie a libertății, unde omul acționează conform voinței sale intuitive, contribuind la o ordine morală creată de el însuși și nu impusă de factori externi.

REALITATEA LIBERTĂȚII

XI. FINALITATEA UNIVERSALĂ ȘI FINALITATEA VIEȚII

(DETERMINAREA OMULUI)

Rudolf Steiner explorează conceptul de finalitate și determinare a omului în univers. El începe prin a distinge noțiunea de finalitate de cauzalitate. Finalitatea implică un fenomen ulterior ce influențează un fenomen anterior prin intermediul reprezentării, ceea ce se observă doar în acțiunile umane.

Steiner argumentează că în procesele naturale, percepția și noțiunea sunt separate; percepția cauzei precede percepția efectului și legătura dintre ele este realizată prin noțiuni conceptuale. El respinge ideea că finalitatea poate fi aplicată naturii sau universului în afara acțiunilor umane, deoarece aceasta ar implica existența unor scopuri perceptibile care nu există de fapt. El afirmă că noțiunea de finalitate este aplicabilă doar acțiunilor umane, deoarece numai omul poate realiza idei ca finalități.

Monismul, potrivit lui Steiner, respinge noțiunea de finalitate în natură și univers, căutând în schimb legi naturale. Finalitățile naturale sunt considerate ipoteze arbitrare, iar scopurile vieții omului sunt determinate doar de el însuși. Astfel, omul își stabilește propriul scop în viață și nu urmează un itinerar predeterminat.

Steiner critică utilizarea termenului de finalitate pentru a descrie evoluția istorică sau ordinea morală a lumii, considerând aceste idei nejustificate. În schimb, el subliniază că ideile pot fi realizate ca finalități numai de către oameni și nu de către natură sau istorie.

Se adaugă că respingerea finalității în acțiunile extraumane nu înseamnă că lumea exterioară este redusă la un fenomen natural. Steiner afirmă că în afara acțiunilor umane există un principiu superior finalității care se manifestă în umanitate, iar rezultatul activității totale a omenirii este o realitate superioară compusă din finalitățile umane individuale.

REALITATEA LIBERTĂȚII

XII. FANTEZIA MORALĂ

(DARWINISM ȘI MORALITATE)

Autorul explorează distincția dintre acțiunile spiritului liber și cele ale spiritului neliber. Spiritul liber acționează pe baza intuițiilor alese din lumea ideilor sale, determinând astfel deciziile în mod original și independent de influențe externe sau exemple anterioare. În contrast, spiritul neliber își derivă motivațiile din experiențele și percepțiile trecute, acționând conform regulilor sau exemplelor deja stabilite.

Steiner subliniază importanța fanteziei morale pentru spiritul liber, care transformă ideile abstracte în acțiuni concrete. Acest proces necesită creativitate și abilitatea de a aplica aceste idei în realitate, fără a încălca legile naturale existente. Tehnica morală, ce poate fi învățată asemenea științei, implică transformarea percepțiilor existente conform noțiunilor morale.

Steiner compară evoluția morală cu teoria evoluționistă, afirmând că ideile morale noi se dezvoltă din cele anterioare, însă fiecare individ trebuie să creeze și să își asume propriile idei morale. Astfel, individualismul etic nu contrazice evoluționismul, ci îl completează, arătând că omul, ca ființă morală, își dezvoltă propriile legi morale, așa cum natura dezvoltă forme noi de viață.

Libertatea adevărată înseamnă capacitatea de a genera și acționa conform propriilor intuiții morale, fără influențe externe, realizând astfel acțiuni libere și autentice.

[moochilatv]

Sam Blacky x Niniola presents: Ronaldinho

Electronic metts soccer

Sam Blacky Joins Forces With Acclaimed Grammy-nominated Nigerian Singer-Songwriter Niniola On Inspiring Vocal Afro-House Single "Ronaldinho." Out Now on Easier Said

Powerhouse LA-based DJ/producer Sam Blacky partners with Grammy-nominated African singer-songwriter hailing from Nigeria, Niniola, for their new single "Ronaldinho," which celebrates the former's love for afro house and the latter's Nigerian history in a dynamic, soulful sonic journey. Sam has long loved pushing the boundaries of dance music and breaking music genres' molds, and over the past few years, it's become apparent that her true passion lies in creating globally-inspired, dance-worthy records. "Ronaldinho" is a shining example of this with its undulating, deep basslines, percussive instrumentals, and ethereal melodies courtesy of Sam, while Niniola's shining vocals truly turn the song into a spiritual listening experience. With the summer festival season just heating up, "Ronaldinho" is about to be heard on the beach, the festival stage, and the club dance floors around the world. The track is out now on Easier Said, which finds Sam exercising her artistic freedom by once again joining a formidable roster of forward-thinking artists such as Barclay Crenshaw, Life on Planets, Maya Jane Coles, Party Pupils, and Todd Terry.

"As the years have passed, my passion has become more and more integrated with what we know as afro house. When the opportunity came up to work with one of the original, most iconic singers in that realm, all the way from Nigeria, there was no question. I heard what Niniola had done with the vocals for Ronaldinho and knew I had to make this song with her. Having someone who is such an amazing storyteller, with such an incredible voice, who has lived this life through and through brings an entirely different message and meaning to the music." - Sam Blacky

Sam Blacky's forthcoming dates:

May 26 - Brooklyn, NY - We Belong Here Jun 05 - Los Angeles, CA - Academy LA Jun 08 - Montréal, QC - New City Gas Jun 22 - San Diego, CA - Horizon Music Festival Jun 23 - Long Beach, CA - Day Trip Festival Jul 06 - Kristiansand, NO - Palmesus Festival

Niniola

Niniola participated in several social activities and competitions. She finished third runner-up in the sixth season of Project Fame West Africa. Niniola released her debut single - "Ibadi," on 19 March 2014. The song received positive reviews, topped national music charts, and gained extensive airplay. Her singles "Ibadi" and "Gbowode" were included in the soundtrack for season 2 of "Gidi Up." Niniola was nominated in the Most Promising Act to Watch category at the 2015 Nigeria Entertainment Awards. In 2017, Niniola went on to release another single titled "Maradona," which went on to become a global hit. "Maradona" enjoyed a good 13 weeks on the South African charts and was at the No.1 spot for over 6 weeks. It also earned Niniola a BET Awards and SAMA nominations. Since then, Niniola has gone on to receive nods from international heavyweights like Drake, Timbaland, and others. In 2019, elements of the single were sampled on "The Lion King: The Gift Album" by Beyoncé on the track "Find Your Way Back," where she also appeared as a songwriter and composer of the song, which has gone on to get Niniola a Grammy nomination. In April 2020 and later in June 2021, she received her 1st, 2nd Grammy nomination certificate for her work as a composer. In June 2021, she's got inducted into the Grammy Recording Academy Class of 2021. In July 2021, Niniola's single, "Maradona" was certified gold in South Africa by the Recording Industry of South Africa RISA.

Sam Blacky is a multitalented DJ, Producer, and Cultural Icon from San Diego, USA. She spent several years in Australia, where she first fell in love with producing music and performing live. Since moving back to the US, music, performing, and fashion have taken a front seat in her life. Performing since 2017, she's graced the stages from Mexico to Ibiza, Bali to Europe, and some of the world's premier electronic music festivals and clubs.

Since her first self-released EP in 2021, Sam has released on esteemed labels such as Repopulate Mars, Terms & Conditions, Easier Said, Thrive Music, and Hood Politics. Her standout remix of "Gaslight" for Grammy-nominated Inji was a viral sensation. Sam's signature style of blending Afro-House, Latin House, and everything in between is connecting with global audiences and has earned her the coveted 1001 Tracklists' "Future of Dance" producer list two years in a row. Her latest release - "Amor," was remixed by Brazilian producer Illusionize and cemented her place worldwide as a one to watch.

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[ashleysingermfablog]

Wk 1, Feb 15th, 2024 Research

Mysticism, the world made fresh

Having started looking into the many forms of fruits and flowers from nature, what are world views that intersect nature and spirituality? How can my viewers encounter work in ways that evoke the ancient and the mystical?

Reviewing the E-flux article: The Word Made Fresh: Mystical Encounter and the New Weird Divine by Elvia Wilk.

From the text: Many foundational mystical texts in the lineage of Nature Mysticism have been written by women (see image below). In the Middle Ages in particular, women’s access to theological knowledge (the explanation and interpretation of sacred texts) was limited by circumstance.Therefore, the knowledge about God and spiritualism that women produced was often empirical in the most literal sense: a kind of truth only obtained by firsthand, affective experience. Although not necessarily opposed to the religious theory or conventions of their time, given the radical authority implied by their often intimate communion with God, female mystics have at various points posed political threats to religious institutions; in these cases mystics become martyrs.

Together woman's writings amount to a lineage of female knowledge outside of dominant epistemologies of both religion and science. Their insistence on the possibility of encounter beyond reason—even beyond what the conscious mind can account for—is, weirdly, comparable to the type of revelation Annihilation proposes. As a literary category, New Weird holds potential to unearth and update mysticism according to contemporary knowledge, much of which points to an existential threat on the species level. In Western mysticism, the transformational (alien) force beyond the limits of human consciousness was God. In Area X, maybe the divine is literally alien, or maybe it’s simply nature at its most ecstatic, matter at its most vibrant, the nonhuman at its most alive—so alive it annihilates not only a single human self but the category of human altogether.

Could my work be moving towards trying to make matter more vibrant? What would that look like in sculpture using found matter and casting from life?

See below the poems taken from Canadian psychiatrist R. M. Bucke, who documented his own lapses of sanity into what he describes as“cosmic consciousness”:

The dark yet poetic language infers human spirituality with a sense of nature and mortality in languages such as "sinner, worms, dead, sun shining, fatal softness, blossom, seeds and decay". Here I see Bucke taking the motifs of nature and intersecting them with human emotional qualities to find acquiesce. In terms of image-building, this text creates in the mind the idea of nature and human emotions as intermingling across a style of stream of consciousness writing. Presented like a sermon or a religious warning/outcry, the text could be read in line with my questions above, that nature and spirituality intersect through human emotion.

Reviewing the Book of Flower Studies, ca. 1510–1515, Made in Tours, France (acc. no. 2019.197)

From the text:

Reflect fondly on summer with Met curator Griffith Mann and horiculturist Carly Still as they explore medieval flowers in the galleries and in the gardens at The Met Cloisters.Take a closer look at the Book of Flower Studies: met.org/2TAbL5K. The image of Dandelions, Iris and other French and European species of flowering plants from the Medieval period are cultivated in the Cloisters' garden at the MET in line with their illustration in the Cloisters' manuscript.

All of the species illustrated in the Manuscript is grown in the Met's Garden by horticulturists. By centring a garden around Medieval Manuscripts that depicts European Native species, like the Purple Iris which is a very spiritual symbol of many rituals in early Europe and the medicinal Dandelion, the garden practice at the Met brings to life ancient or historical landscapes. Unfortunately now seen as a weed, the dandelion plant is deeply healing and comes from the French word 'lion claws' (dande) because of the leaf shaping resembling the claws of the lion. The manuscript that is being opened and shown in the video that I have screenshot from, is an illuminated manuscript in a sense that it shows vegetation which would have been used as a reference to adorn the pages of manuscripts by Monks to evince messages of the texts they were transcribing by hand. The book comes from a time in human history that predates the printing press and shows the use of the hand drawn and hand written to communicate religious prose, scripture and the spiritual (Christian messages). Combining nature and the theology of early christian proverbs, this text shows evidences early forms of nature mysticism in the medieval period. To me, this book is a prime example of the overt combination between plants species and human theology.

See below, Iris Manuscript Illustration and the head horticulturist Carly Still holding native European plant varieties grown in the Cloister Gardens.

Stills from the Met Museum staff unpacking the gardens and the contents of the Cloister's manuscripts: access full video here: https://youtu.be/CKBCn34KZBU?si=m5sKWqr5n3oxJtEj

The Iris links to my practice as I have cast three Dutch Iris Bulbs from the local garden centre in bronze, each bulb a marker for growth in the Winter Season as this is when bulbs are planted for (further post showing this work in a mini crit with Ashley Lowe and Shady Moore.

[n1thaya]

Hornbuckle, Jenean, Eastern Band of Cherokee. Creation. Ca. 2003. Oil on canvas. 29 x 35. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.

In Creation (2003), an oil painting by Jenean Hornbuckle, the contemporary Cherokee artist portrays a creation story provided through Cherokee oral traditions. She takes inspiration from the legend of “How The World Was Made”, illustrating the earth as “a great island floating in a sea of water” in which beings lived above the sky world, called the Galunlati. Many beings were sent down to explore the earth, but only the Great Buzzard, also known as a water beetle, came back successful:

“He flew all over the earth, low down near the ground, and it was still soft. When he reached the Cherokee country, he was very tired, and his wings began to flap and strike the ground. And where they turned up again there was a mountain… the Cherokee country remains full of mountains to this day.”In this painting, Hornbuckle portrays this moment of creation by superimposing a negative silhouette of the beetle both upon and within the sea, in which the creature reflects a glimpse into the landscape of earth. The window into this world illustrates mountains surrounded by water through the gaps of tall slender trees, in which the tree branches protrude outside of the frame of the body, seamlessly extending into the back legs of the beetle as he travels upon the water’s surface. By juxtaposing form and shape, the movement of the legs mirror the wind that sways in the trees, symbolizing the connection between the living and the land where “new life [is] emerging from its murky depths–a hopeful future with an unknown past”. This artwork is representative of the deeply rooted oral traditions in Cherokee cultures as these stories are generationally handed down. For instance, Southeastern indigenous communities have conceptualized the cosmos as a layered construction, each realm occupied by entities given symbolic value. By combining both physical and spiritual realms, the totality of the world is fit into complex patterns of existence and meaning, with great emphasis on balance and purity. In capturing the essence of this history, this artwork serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of Cherokee oral traditions and the community’s resilience towards settler colonial efforts to culturally assimilate and eliminate its history. Overall, the artist combats the prevalence of written practices in western culture by bringing back to light the very existence of oral traditions as an enduring practice.

[mctionsick]

XAVIER JIMINEZ AESTHETIC & STATS

basic information

full name: xavier jimenez

nickname(s): zay

age: 24-30

date of birth: oct 13.  libra.  

hometown: oakland, ca.

current location: brooklyn, ny. (flexible depending on plot)

occupation: bassist for drunk jesus.  

gender: cis male

pronouns: he/him

orientation: bisexual

religion: raised catholic.  has v complicated feelings about religion especially in his supernatural verses (thanks to getting possessed).

species: human.  in supernatural verses he recently possessed by a demon and is dealing with the aftermath of being back in control.  

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

face claim: brandon perea

hair colour: brown.  usually bleached or dyed various colors.  

eye colour: dark brown

height: 5 ft 8 in

piercings: lip.  ears.  

clothing style: band t’s of various punk/metal bands, motorcycle jackets, worn in sneakers that desperately need to be replaced, jeans/work pants.  

usual expression:

HEALTH

addictions: he’s will to try anything to get him out of his own head which can lead to substance abuse issues.  also also addiction issues in family.  

drug use: see above.   frequent smoker.  

alcohol use: see above x 2.

illness:  depression

PERSONALITY

positive traits: genuine, sensitive, reflective

negative traits: moody, paranoid, destructive 

hobbies: sketching / drawing, listening to podcasts, making music, secretly loves bird watching.  

habits: smoking cigarettes, humming to himself, mumbling  

FAVOURITES

weather: dusk

music: metal, thrash, punk, folk punk.  

movies: super hero movies, sci-fi, horror.

books: comics, books about spiritualism,  

food: grew up with traditional filipino food so he will always associate that with comfort.  he tries to eat healthy and later in life adapts a vegetarian diet.  

FAMILY - tw: alcoholism 

father: ernesto jiminez.  worked hard to provide for his family but wasn’t a very hands on parent.  he was a young father and while he adapted he mourns his youth.  

mother: alma hernández.  started her family young and always knew in the back of her mind the kids were the only reason her and ernesto were together.   often turned to drinking to cope.  

brothers: maruice, julius, gage.  all much younger than xavier but he cares about them deeply + wishes he could be there for them more.  

QUICK FACTS

in supernatural verses xavier was used as the human vessel for a demon and is dealing with the after math.  it’s complicated his feelings about life and death, religion, and has made him a bit on the paranoid side.  

in human verses xavier had a near death experience (car accident while on tour with his band) and that’s where he gets his broody nature more prominent in supernatural verses.