#confort shows ARE SACRED

[todomemolesta18]

Me being petty and ignoring posts that critize my favourite shows (they are my confort shows and I cant deal with criticism). And again, favourite, not "shows I like", those are casual but they arent """confort""".

So, yep, being petty and ignoring those cause my mental health is already bad and I cant deal with it :3

[medalloway-blog]

Tedromeda fanfics

As time goes by I start to think this is the relationship I am more curious about in the whole HP universe. Ted Tonks is the Hufflepuff whose love and patience won Andromeda’s heart. Andromeda is the Black that got away and, despite the hardships, had a full and happy life. Teddy is her shining star, her beacon, in the end. 

Tedromeda is one of the best love stories in canon. And yes, for fancast I really like Keira Knightley and James McAvoy for Andy x Ted. 

Below I leave a (long) list of Tedromeda fanfics, some I’ve read, others are still pending. Leave your suggestions!

the lost generation (Chapters 5, 12 and 17) by Jennbob | Multichapters - Ongoing | Wolfstar and Jily | I sincerily worship the way Andromeda is portrayed in these chapters, her relation with Cissy, Sirius and Ted Tonks is, in my opinion, brilliantly explored. In fact, this fanfic does an amazing job in portraying the Black family, Regulus and Alphard Black are two other characters I am particularly fond of in this fanfiction. 

Summer of 72’ by @padfoot-prongs-and-polaroids | Multichapters (9 so far) | Ongoing | Tedromeda | This is the story of the summer Andromeda Black and Ted Tonks fell in love. The thing I like the most in this love story is how support characters are developed and their stories intertwined with the two main characters - Andy and Ted. It’s a comforting love story, I am enjoying a lot reading it.

all is quiet in the clearing by slyther_ing | Oneshot | Tedromeda | His one regret, at the end of it all, is that he cannot turn back time and bring them both to the nights when Dora had settled into the deep slumber of a baby and they had watched her ever changing hair. This is a sad-slash-angsty oneshot, but very beautiful and profound about the last moments of Ted Tonks. 

waiting in the dark by amberwoods @merflk | Oneshot | Tedromeda | Andromeda's parents are part of a political movement trying to get Lord Marvolo into power by any means necessary. Sometimes, they take prisoners. It's Andromeda's job to take care of them.However, something is different about the latest unexpected guest. And he might just change Andromeda's entire life. A powerful and beautifully written piece of fanfiction. 

Night and Day by C.Queen | Multichapter (19) Complete | Tedromeda | Andromeda Black is anything but thrilled when she's forced to tutor Ted Tonks, a Muggleborn. The goofy, clumsy Hufflepuff isn't like anyone she's ever met, and he just might be teaching her a thing or two along the way.

Lessons by womeninthesequel @women-inthe-sequel | Oneshot | Tedromeda | No matter where she goes or what she does, Andromeda can't forget her childhood lessons. A powerful oneshot about Adromeda’s decision to leave her family.

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You by @siriusuntiltheveryend | Oneshot | Tedromeda | A short and cute drabble with Ted flirting Andromeda.

They Can’t Destroy Us by @xomarauders​ | Oneshot | Tedromeda | A safety and conforting oneshot about how Ted saves Andromeda, or in other words, how love saves Andromeda. I really like this one too.

Follow your heart by CharisaAce | Oneshot | Tedromeda | The five times Andromeda Black turned down Ted Tonks, and the one time she didn’t.

tell me how all this, and love too, will ruin us by thewhitebirds | Oneshot | Tedromeda | Three conversations shape Andromeda Black's love story (one with a sister, one with an uncle, and one with a daughter).

summer in the city by thewhitebirds | Oneshot | Tedromeda | The fateful days before, during, and after Andromeda Black's infamous elopement in summer 1972.

Run Away with me by diva.gonzo | Multichapter (9) Complete | Tedromeda |  Andromeda Black receives a letter from home - and throws her life into a bubbling cauldron of personal ambition versus family duty. And then there is the complication of Ted Tonks in her life. What shall the Slytherin Head Girl do?

Blackbird by artemis15sc |  Multichapter (60) Complete | Tedromeda |  Andromeda knows who she is, but when she's forced into an arranged marriage, she dreams of being something else. Enter Ted Tonks, the spontaneous muggleborn with a quirky grin and a habit of showing up at the worst of times. He's everything she never wanted, but she's still drawn to him. Though with the darkness rising around them, now may not be the best time to learn to fly.

BlackBird Singing by artemis15sc | Multichapter (30) Complete | Tedromeda | Ted and Andromeda thought after everything they sacrificed to be together, the worst was behind them. They couldn't be more wrong. As Hogwart's new out and proud mixed-blood couple, everyone either loves them, hates, or wants something from them. The honeymoon is over. Time to face reality.

Boom Boom by Lilae Kane | Multichapter (5) Incomplete | Tedromeda |  Andromeda Black is always a little too curious about things, Ted Tonks gets a little too sad sometimes, and a chance explosion in a potions classroom will change everything.

How the Badger Courts the Snake by CokeBottleK |  Multichapter (7) Complete | Tedromeda |  She was a Slytherin, he was a Hufflepuff. She was a Black, he was a Muggle-born. They shouldn't have been together at all. But they just couldn't help themselves. Unfortunately, not all chapters are accessible, no idea why. 

Sweat the Battle by ikorous | Multichapter (Ongoing) | Tedromeda | Andromeda was a Black and the whole of the wizarding world knew what that meant- strict social structures, timeless traditions, and a historical linage she was supposed to continue. But Ted Tonks was not from the wizarding world and his interjection into her life made Andromeda question everything she had ever been told. (added to the list 25th April 2021)

the ruler of men by chill_mee | Multichapter (43) Incomplete | Tedromeda | Contrary to popular belief, Andromeda Black was not a well-behaved Black that changed when she fell in love. She always felt asphyxiated by her toxic family. This is her story: growing up, rebelling against her family, running away with a muggleborn, and watching her loved ones die. (added to the list 25th April 2021)

The Princess and the Hufflepuff by smartvpants | Multichapter (25) Complete | Tedromeda | Andromeda Black is an obedient daughter. As the middle child of well-connected purists, she's fully compliant with their plan: graduate with high-level NEWTs, marry Rabastan Lestrange, and settle into a life producing pure-blooded heirs. But there's no room in her parents' plan for her own Slytherin ambitions, and it's not the sense of purpose Andromeda would have chosen.Ted Tonks is a muggleborn. He's gotten too used to lying to his muggle friends about where he goes every school year. The handsome and charismatic Hufflepuff has a lot of friends, but he feels restless. Then Andromeda Black appears in the dungeon corridor where he's chosen to finish off his summer stash, and a fire is lit inside him.It's a bad idea: a muggleborn and the daughter of one of the "Sacred Twenty-Eight"-- especially as Voldemort and his followers become increasingly brazen in their attacks on muggles. But Andromeda and Ted can't keep their hands off of each other, and they're willing to risk it all for a tiny slice of happiness in an ever-darkening world. (added to the list 25th April 2021)

Andromeda Black and the Fight for Freedom by RoLouG | Multichapter (22) Complete | Tedromeda | Andromeda Black has never quite fit in with her sisters. As she starts her fifth year at Hogwarts, she meets Ted Tonks, and she begins to grow apart from her controlling family. But the new life she forms for herself will be anything but easy. (added to the list 25th April 2021)

Let me know if you have any other suggestions to add to this list.

[chiquitinchino]

Talking / flirting stage with you

! but not official !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ꕥ Fluffy Puffy ꕥ

Seonghwa x Reader

Warning: prepare for heart flutters

Descr: You have a crush on Seonghwa and him to you. You guys are aware of eachothers feelings without having to confess to one another. This is a head canon of how Seonghwa will treat you, his crush during this stage of talking. Not yet official. Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

  I feel like no matter what being in your presence makes him so happy

He enjoys being with you and being around you. It’s like his favorite part

He would be so aware of you, of your likes and dislikes and literally take in all the little things you have said into consideration.

Like I most definitely see him going to the pharmacy to get you pain killers cuz you mumbled it under your breathe for your next grocery shopping list.

Or like making sure you don’t accidentally order a new dish that has what you’re allergic to on it.

ITS SOMETHING LIKE THAT. So cute and caring from the start.

I feel like for one he would absolutely love staring into the other person’s eyes. especially when they are talking.

For one he loves how eyes look; he loves how your eyes look; he wants you to know that he is listening; and it always puts him in a trance

As for flirting he can lightly flirt but he doesn’t feel very confortable or confident when doing it so he prefers to show you his caring side.

But on side note if you are goofy with him and he with you, he has no problem with playful flirtatious gestures. Like winking and lip biting.

He would take you out for many walks in the park and picnics.

Date would always be places where you both can interact, the more he knows about you the more he finds interest in you and the more reason to fall for you.

And for your first kiss you both shared he would be so princely with it.

Whether is taking you completely in his embrace, body upon body, he’s grabbing your face and his soft lips delicately piercing onto yours

OR

He brush his hand down your arm into your hand to hold it; lifts your chin up to look at him; and leans in for the softest lips to brush upon yours; kissing you with a great balance of love and delicacy.

It’s was almost like he was treating your lips as sacred. Lmfaooo I can see it already

He didn’t really like getting freaky in the talking stage (sorry to disappoint but that’s what I think)

He was also ready after everything was official. So if things were to happen after you got official, they needs your consent and things would be in his hands from there.

Unless it was a one night stand type of thing but that’s not for this head canon.

Anyways

He’s not one to get freaky, it’s all about getting to know you a tad bit beyond friendship, to see whether he can trust that you would lay your heart as much as he will lay it for you.

So yea. .

In conclusion Seonghwa is great. End of discussion.

[vajranam]

From Rituals To Simplicity

The two traditions work together and for one who want be yogi in our modern time well we need understand that we don’t neee to run to cave to be yogi we got 84 plus more examples including Marpa Lotsawa who was practicing with their life.

Now when we come to the sadhana themself well first before be a yogi path the recommendation is finished ngandro the preliminary but even having finished that recommendation is to have a very strong practice base.

In my own experience I learm from Tilopa and Milarepa the way, Milarepa learn his practice by heart from refuge to seed syllable to visualization. Tilopa him practice in the simple way but very efficient.

For one who want be a modernsiddha need to learn few skill, first one there's two way the way to have no ritual and focus only on one practice that what did Milarepa and enlightenment in one life is good option. Second way Naropa was mix because he came from the high Nalanda he was mixing simplicity with ritual but yet wasn't in early stage.

The skills what siddhas has well siddhas know themselves very well whatever they practice the dream yoga or 6 yoga of Naropa they will know what’s happening inside.

Ritual and simplicity work togethers again when we practice like siddhas well rituals are gone, very simple but very efficient.

Milarepa say the shrine of your heart got all the buddhas you need, so been a siddhas we don't have shrine, we are the shrine, we dont have ritual we are the practice.

Difference between path

Sadhana : for normal practioners we got Sadhana and pencha for siddhas like Milarepa we got memories and are paper less.

Yoga: 9 breath and tsa long and tummo that essential techniques to learns, from my personal experience he took me long time to receive the transmission of each techniques, yes in our time we don't becomes siddhas in a day.

Do like the past masters did : social media show us that comfortable Tibetan monk playing siddhas in cushions in cave. That the very wrong way Milarepa was miles away from that picture he had sites on rock or whatever he was able to meditate that is ass was full of scares. That mean for modern yogi drop the confort and learn to meditate everywhere, before on my experience I had sacred space now I am the sacred space meam noise are mantra doesn’t bother a yogi to meditate in town or in cave that the same.

[asseret-sarim]

The Past, The Present... The future- Part 10

Summary: In SHIELD you are known for your charisma and your irrational optimism. Specially taking in count the irreversible curse HYDRA condemned you with. Because of that, Director Fury has determinate that you are the best person to take care of Bucky’s mental state.

Chapter 10: Recovery

Pairing: Bucky x reader

Y/N: Your name

Warnings: None! (Surprisingly)

A/N: Guess what? I’m not actually dead! But I’m guessing I will soon be for taking so long on uploading this. Believe me, I’m sorry! I didn’t have wifi! But yeah, you have the right to kill me. But enjoy this first!

Previously: Part 1, Part 9

Previously:

“Amonaliac” she whispers, her breath short from pain. “Hy-dra developed it when I-I was s-still with them. It is.. It.. It is a s-substance t-that stops m-my healing powers.” she grimaces after the effort of putting three sentences together, and closes her eyes as I lay a hand on her forehead.

“The knifes and bullets where soaked in it.” I explain as Tony and Bruce keep working. Stark is currently working on the cuts, cleaning them and bandaging them appropriately, but Banner isn’t working as swiftly as him. The doctor looks at the bullet wounds as if they where a big threat.

“I don’t have time to sedate you.” he finally announces with an apologetical tone, putting on medical gloves.

Y/N mumbles something like ‘Just go ahead, doctor’. He instructs me to hold her hand while he starts treating the wound. Everything’s going fine until Bruce has to take out the bullet. As soon as he starts, Y/N’s grip on my hand tightens as her back arches off the table. I kneel next to her, not letting go of her hand. “C’mon doll. You can do this” I whisper at her ear and she lets out a nearly imperceptible grunt.

Her eyes open suddenly, showing pain, but she looks at me and manages to smile. “I trust you” she babbles out, her breath heavy, and the grip on my hand even tighter.

As the scientist work, I can’t help but notice Tony’s deep-in-thought gaze falling over us.

Steve’s POV:

It’s been nearly three weeks since Bucky found Y/N nearly lifeless in the middle of the forest, but the atmosphere in the compound is still heavy. As I make my way to the common room for a meeting, I think about how much the girl has managed to impact our lives in the little time she has spent here.

When I enter, Tony greets me with a nod, his eyes empty and tired, and his eleventh cup of coffee in hand. I know he felt like a father figure to Y/N, but I don’t know how to explain to him that his self destructive tendencies won’t help her. I hope Rhodey, sitting next to him, is doing a better job then me.

Wanda  doesn’t look any better. She had deep bags under her eyes and, as she moves her hand absently, red patterns spiral out of it and vanish, leaving an invisible feeling of sadness in the air.

Natasha is laying next to Clint on the sofa. Clint looks sick worried, guilt filling his eyes, and clutched, white-knuckled fists. He is supposed to be with her family this week, but has decided to stay in to know how everything is going. He really looks terrible.

But Natasha… Nat’s face renders no emotion. She doesn’t look worried, or guilty, or frustrated, like everybody else. She just… Doesn’t feel. Not anymore, at least. I suppose it’s a coping mechanism. One everyone in here wish they had.

Sam, standing behind me, frowns at the room “Man, we are a disaster” he mumbles to no one in particular as he goes to sit next to a less-cheerful-than-usual Thor, and a silent Vision. I follow his lead.

“Any news?” I ask Tony. He sights and leaves the cup on the table.

“Not that I know. Bruce says she’s feeling better, but her body hasn’t had to deal with wounds for itself in a very long time, and the effort is draining her.” Tony squeezes his eyes shut and pulls his head back, the way he always does when he feels frustrated.

“Leastways, Lady Y/N is better. We owe to focus on the good news.” Thor tries to lift our spirits. But his voice has lost the imperious tone it used to have, he doesn’t speak like a shakespearean actor anymore, but rather like a normal person. An that just adds on to my feeling of desperation.

Just then Bucky irrupts on the room. Since Y/N’s accident, he’s turned into a living shadow. He seems to be surrounded by a black swirl of depression, and he’s never been more silent or less “there”. He doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t have to either. His eyes, that scream misery like lost souls begging for an escape, say more than he could ever express with words.

I reach over to confort him, but he eludes my look and drops himself on one of the back seats, away from everyone.

Time seems to go by painfully slow. “Does anyone know what this meeting is about?” Sam asks softly.

“No, but I think it was requested by Fury” answers Wanda, her sadness accentuating her eastern-european accent.

“A mission” Tony mumbles angrily, making clear that he couldn’t care less.

“You’re going, right?” Rhodey questions him. Tony shoots him a look that seems to say ‘Of course not.’ “Tony, you’ve been laying around like a soulless body for the past three weeks! You haven’t worn the suit even once! Guys, I know this is sad, but we have to get ahead of ourse-”

Rhodey is interrupted by Dr Banner, that enters the room in his white doctor coat. Immediately, we are all standing and surrounding him, asking more questions than what he can answer.

“Guys, guys, calm down!” he tries to regain control of the room with a serious expression, but on his lips I can distinguish a little smile of excitement. Good news. “Ok, I know you’re all feeling down, and worried, and all that. So I have a surprise for you!”

“How’s Y/N?” Tony ignores his little speech. His tone is hard, oblivious to his excited smile.

Bruce just sights and asks us to sit down. Then he turns towards the door. “You can come in.”

With shy and careful steps, someone enters the room, making it go silent in a second. A few moments pass by and no-one moves. And then, just as suddenly as the silence started, it is broken by Clint.

“Y/N!” the archer screams, hugging the weak figure of our beloved teammate. Everyone follows his lead and soon we are all surrounding Y/N in a group hug.

“Guys… Oxygen.” she laughs as we pull away. Her eyes examine all of us slowly, a heartwarming smile on her lips. “I’ve missed you all. How were this three weeks without me? Bet they were terrible.” she winks playfully.

“They were amazing! Finally some rest.” Tony brings the coffee cup to his lips, pretending to be indifferent to her arrival.

In response, Y/N punches his arm laughing “A cup of coffee at six pm? I think you missed me, Tony.”

He raises his arms, defeated, and we all laugh. The first laugh in three weeks. As if we needed any more prof of how important she is to us. She smiles at our happy faces, but her expression suddenly freezes with pain.

Bucky’s POV:

I don’t notice doctor Banner has entered the common room until everyone starts asking him questions. Gosh, they seem anxious to know how Y/N is. I shoot him a look, wondering if I should go hear what he has to say, but I don’t. I don’t think I can bear any more bad news, specially when everything that has happened is my fault. I ball my fists at the thought of it, remembering how selfish and stupid I was that night, leaving Y/N alone.

“… and worried, and all that. So I have a surprise for you!” I can sense Banner’s excitement, but can’t help but to roll my eyes. Really, Bruce? A surprise? What they want is to have Y/N back.

“How’s Y/N?” Tony doesn’t seem happy about it either, and for once, I agree with him.

“Sit down guys” Bruce sights and turns to the door. “You can come in”

I tense up, unable to believe it. Could the surprise possibly be…? No, no I can’t build up stupid expectations. I look angrily at the ground, lecturing myself about reality.

But then silence falls, and my curiosity gives in. I look up to see the pale and weak figure of Y/N standing on the doorframe, and all of a sudden I have no oxygen. Everyone stands up to hug her, but I don’t move. I can’t move. I can’t stand the thought of her being angry with me or being sacred of me again after what she remembered. Tears fill my eyes as I look away.

“Guys… Oxygen” her voice is warm and happy, but still weak. Guilt is eating me alive, but I can’t exit the room without being noticed.

As in a dream, Y/N jokes with Tony and the rest of the team, and their laughs fill the room again, after all this time. It seems incredible, all of it a soundless blur. What is happening to me? It doesn’t matter, I deserve it.

I feel a burning stare piercing through me. I suddenly realize the room is completely quiet, all the laughs have died down, and lift my head.

Y/N is looking at me, sadness filling her eyes and expression “Bucky…”

I can’t stand it. This is all my fault, and she probably hates me. Or pities me. Either one, I don’t want it. I stand up angrily and storm out of the room, but before I reach the door, a steady hand grabs my arm.

I turn around to find Steve face to face with me and Y/N supporting herself on Natasha and Wanda’s shoulder. “What are you doing?” I shove him away as I scream, anger filling me “What do you want? I have no place in this room, except to annoy everyone. Let me be and I will disappear, as you all want!”

I exit the room in a cloud of frustration and anger, not towards Steve, but towards myself. I hear talking, but pay no attention to it until a very particular voice makes me stop dead on my tracks.

“Bucky. Please, don’t run away. I can’t really run behind you right now.” Y/N leans against a wall, breathing heavily. “Oh, man, my ribs. Why do you avoid me?”

“You hate me.” I mumble, not really knowing what to say.

“I’m pretty sure I don’t.” she laughs. “It wasn’t your fault. You couldn’t have possibly know there were HYDRA agents in the forest. And I should have known better than to run through it at night.”

No, she can’t blame herself. This is in no way her fault. It just isn’t. “It’s not your fault, Y/N. It can’t possibly be. I was stupid and selfish…”

“And I was reckless and childish.” she similes sadly. I notice she has moved towards me, and now we are face to face. “The feeling you have that it can’t possibly be my fault… I have the same towards you, Barnes.” she whispers. “I don’t know how you can think it was your fault.”

“But you got hurt” I whisper back, my hand unconsciously stroking the bandage on her forehead.

“Yes, and I would have died if it wasn’t for you” she covers my hand with her hand.

“Yes but…” her eyes are mesmerizing, and it feels like they are piercing through me. I have to look away, and my gaze slowly find itself over her lips. She is not smiling anymore, but her lips look soft and sweet, slightly parted. Her breath falls into mines as I unconsciously lean in. Her eyes show insecurity and desire at the same time, and she draws in a sharp breath, her face feeling hot under my fingers. My hand drifts to her cheek and it seems to give her the confidence to slowly lean in as well…

“As much as I love that you two have reconciled, I would beg you, Sergeant, that you would allow Y/N to have a clear mind for today’s meeting.” The voice startles us, and we quickly step away from each other, blushing. In the other side of the corridor, stands none other than director Nick Fury, an undecipherable expression on his face. He greets us with a nod and then walks past us to the common room, gesturing us to go inside “It you will, today’s meeting is important.”

Part 11 - Coming soon!

A million thanks to @beccaanne814-blog  @annadier  @lilasiannerd  @obsessivegeekynerd @drinkfantasy @graysonmalfoy  @scoobertdoobert2  @violentlyfarts  @queenllamamama13  @agentraven007 @brutalwerewolf  @isaxhorror @katundeadd  @chrixa @i-am-mina  @musichowler @panic-at-the-camisado @chipilerendi  @thesalsafic @jennymagicalheart  @amrita31199  @crazyliraz  @psm2303  @s-eabasstian  @5secondsofonedirection222  @38leticia @accidentally-in-hell @namastay-in-bed-2002  @paulaamarieee  @ipaintmelodies @brokennoon @laughandwrite @the-strandedgypsy @nessy-bearxb  @the-witching-hours12-3  @ravenclaw-geek24 @cookies186 @mariah-notcarey17 @courtneychicken  @17marvelousfreak  @erinvanlyssel  @fanmrvlgirl @starannoballandocomedeglizingari  @pixierox101 @girlwith100names  @blushingunicorn101  @captain-bibi-universe   @beingsad-is-kindofrad @sebstanwassup @abbybills22 @miss-lumiere @lexisdisastrousstudies @beach--babe and all the amazing people who are with me on this adventure. Woah guys, we’ve grown!

[corneliaslife]

Happiness comes from inside!

Lille was my last destination for this Erasmus experience and the first time I traveled all by myself. No friends in here, no people I know, no anyone. Just me. After 4 months of life changes, I needed a day just for me, somewhere far away from the places and people I know, to clearify my mind, to gather all my thoughts and put them back together. But most of all, I felt an excruciating desire of challenging myself. Will I be able to travel to a new country and city all alone? Nobody to tell and show me what to do and where to go… 

So, after 17 citys seen in 4 months, I decided to go for one more; bought the tickets, did a ,,what to visit” plan, charged my phone and went to one of the most interesting and proud of trips I’ve ever been to! Lille is a small, fairytale style french city, at just 1 hour and 40 minutes away from Brussels. My first destination was, of course La vieille Bource and Grand Place. Just getting there, I realised that I’ve chosen the best time of the year to visit Lille. Every angle of these places were decorated for Christmas time. I can’t describe the nicest atmosphere in there even during the daytime. Stright after this, I opened my bestfriend during the trips: google maps and started to follow the journey. That’s how I got back in time at the Musee Hospice Comtesse. After that, I admired the gothic design of the Cathedral Notre-Dame de la Treille, Eglise Sacre-Coeur and Eglise of Saint-Maurice. Not long after this, I decided to continue the nourishing of my soul at the Museum of Arts, that I found extremely impressive! After going to the Beffroi of Lille (that is so big), I checked the Citadel of Lille and Granvesteen, one of the oldest castles in France. I found all the places in Lille simple and cosy. I enjoyed every minute of this trip. Maybe I liked Lille so much, because of its small, colorful houses and tiny old-style streets…

Taveling alone is not boring at all (of course if your own presence is not boring to you :D) After buying the most delicious desserts in Lille from Meert, I found the place you see in the picture. It reminded me so much of the beautiful canals of Amsterdam… there was so silent and peaceful… I never felt so much relief and a confortable happiness in my heart as in that moment… tears started to run out on my face… tears of pure happiness...What did I do to deserve these 4 extremely different and life-changing months? I sat here for an hour, thinking about everything that has happened to me for the last 2 years… It was that moment I truly realised that happiness, the pure one, is not something you buy or find on the street. The real happiness comes from inside of us.

Maybe I shouldn’t have started my story with the last moments of it, but, I just wanted to remind myself and all of you, that despite the hard moments and shitty things that happen in your life, never give up on your dreams! Only by working hard and challenging yourself, they will become true!

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

Submitted: Modernizing the monarchy

It’s interesting to see how the princes are trying to modernize the monarchy in their own different ways.

On the one hand the Cambriges…

They dated ten years and lived together prior to the wedding which resulted in a lot of mockery for Kate. Even Charles said they played house long enough. But thinking of it it’s not her majesty’s time anymore when taking a vow meant something and it was truly for better for worse. People divorce for almost nothing now and get married for lust rather than love. His parents barely knew each other and look how it ended.

Kate wore black at a premiere during the night and it was a faboulous gown. She also wore jeggings on several occasions. Otherwise she pretty much conformed wearing mostly dresses or skirts and always colors. Her worst hairdo is letting her hair fly and when she puts it up it’s always elaborate even for a ponytail.

They chose to spent christmas with her family. It’s not that crazy. Overall people thought it was only fair. The kids need to know their whole family and once Will is King all christmas will be spent in Sandringham. 

She did a photoshoot for vogue but no interview. Will edited a magasine. 

They keep their children out of the limelight and choose to stay with them while they are still small. Considering Will’s childhood and Kate’s it’s not that crazy. Will wants them to have a normal childhood like KAte’s rather than his own. They have a lifetime in the spotlight waiting for them anyway.

I’m not saying the Cambriges are perfect I could go on and on about everything they do wrong but the way they tried to modernize the monarchy makes sens to me and is not a threat to the wole institution.

On the other hand Harry,

Mariage with a divorce older than him after barely dating. I guess it is modern in a way but is it helpful ? Bringing in a woman who could not try to fight for her marriage after only two years ????

Meghan giving interviews when she was only a girlfriend ??? What will she do when she has the ring ? The monarchy is supposed to be mysterious, sacred. If you give it all people don’t dream anymore, don’t imagine. You put them on the same level as Hollywood. There is enough of that already. In the time of insta tumblr, youtube, snap, vine, facebook we need the royal family to remain dignified.

Invited to christmas before being married. Bringing the fiancee to the family for christmas is fine as long as the granny is not the Queen of Engand. Imagine the wedding does not happen she would have had access to their private lives and be free to spill the beans.

Wearing all black at engagements, blending in. A bun ???? I love buns but come on you are representing the royal family and you are making an effort to look invisible !?

And my favorite always always always holding hands. How is it modern ??? it looks desperate, ridicoulous even, for a 37 years old to not be able to walk by herself. And of course the day they stop people will start wondering what is going on.

I like how W and K never showed much PDA. When it happened people were all the more exited. Same with the Queen. Never held hands or anyhing but the way they looked at each other when they were younger. I’m sure it was hot under the sheets lol.

Now I feel that I’m either looking at a daddy guiding his daughter or a mother conforting her son (rubbing back). Does not make him look so manely.

Anyway sorry for the spelling and the ranting.

Thanks for the submission. LOL, I can’t complain about anyone’s ranting. That’s 99% of what I do on this blog.

I think Williams “modernizing” is more about injecting upper middle class values into the monarchy. There were several articles floating around in 2011 examining this phenomenon.

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/kate-middleton-s-family-and-the-upper-middleton-the-traits-of-britain-s-newest-potentially-most-10231287.html

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/07/suzanne-moore-royal-wedding-middletons

There was an element of self-promotion in there, but it was a very specific type of upper middle class self-promotion: pretty pictures, perfect families, tasteful surroundings, expensive grooming.

Harry’s “modernization” is more about embracing the values of the celebrity class--press coverage and monetization ûber alles. The pretty pictures are now an ongoing narrative complete with yoga trips and Erdem takeout runs, the perfect family becomes a Jerry Springer sideshow, the tasteful country house becomes an over-the-top castle. 

It’s a bit inaccurate to call it “modernization” because although the Kardashians popularized the reality show format, the world’s largest real-life soap operas--from the abdication, to Margaret’s doomed romance, to the War of the Wales--have always starred the Windsors. The Windsor soap operas have always included the same elements of fashion, drama, and members of the family playing to the press

http://theesotericcuriosa.blogspot.com/2011/03/esoteric-wordsmyth-for-enriching_25.html

Kate did not want the Diana Mantle. “Shifting units” is not a Middleton value. Kate wanted what most upper class British women want: a posh husband, a country house with at least one (but hopefully more) AGA stoves, a London Flat, vacations in Scotland and the Caribbean, and posh schools for her kids.

Many of the mags are waiting breathless for Kate to start leaking stories (Hello! asked for details about her birthday celebrations) and playing up to the crowds (Celebitchy is mad because she focused on the kids, who were, you know, her job). That’s not going to happen. 

Kate does not want to be Diana. Kate wants to be able to buy another navy coat with a slightly different button pattern in peace. Then she wants to buy the same coat in red and maybe also in dark green because she has Christmas and Irish Guards appearances.

But Harry and Meghan do want it. They want to the The Most Famous Couple in the World. That’s why they are holding hands and sticking their tongue’s out and blowing kisses at the photographers and leaving messages about Meghan’s squeaky hamster presents on the Daily Star voicemail. They want this more than anything in the world.

But it’s not “modernizing the monarchy.” It’s going back to the 1920s when Harry great-uncle (I may be missing a “great” there) decided that posing for Vogue with his glamorous American girlfriend was more fun than weary a crown. 

That’s why this is so fascinating.

I think William really is interested in modernizing the monarchy, in the upper class sense of the word, which really means presenting an attractive front, valuing family and tradition, and quietly building social capital. Harry is a devolution back into the scandal years when people flew to France to pout and sat on benches looking sad.

 LOL, now how’s that for a rant?

[muslimthirdspaces-blog]

The statistics from the previous post give us a little insight on why Muslim women may not feel part of the mosque. However, this is not limited only to Muslim women. The 2011 Pew report presented that 19% of American Muslims would consider themselves not part of any mosque community and never attend mosques, thus being “unmosqued”[1]. This is a community issue Muslims are attempting to address through different community programming such as devotional practices within community centers, book clubs, artist and writer’s collectives such as the Muslim Writers’ Collective, a group that wishes to create safe spaces for Muslims to express their identity and their art and even online communities through chat sites, social media and blogs where one can connect with people, but also attain religious knowledge and advice.[2]

Mosques tend to be seen as the authority figures that represent Muslim voices, but it may be beneficial to look to these organizations as insight into the subtleties of Muslims. An article in The Medium by Ailya Vajid,the Director of Research as MIIM Designs, wrote about how at a conference on Women and the American Mosque, one of the speakers, Dr. Sarah Sayeed stated that ““Without the women present, the children are not present, and without the children building a home at the mosque, the next generation will be lost from faith.[3]” Sayeed insisted on the importance of creating religious spaces that include women, for when mosques lose the participation of women, they also lose the youth and the continuation of spirituality.

Now, not everyone wants to create third spaces to supplement the mosque. Sayeed and other organizations want to revamp the mosque, and to make it a place where one can find all the services and community that one needs. Sayeed explains this will have to start with dialogue and education that shows the place of women being within the fabric of Mosque is a right given by God, just as it was given to men[4]. To bring people back to the mosque and not leave to third spaces, the mosque needs to start addressing its communities’ needs ranging from religious to educational to therapeutic. It must also create proper worship space for women and youth, for sermons to address current issues that all members of the congregation can relate to. There also has to be distancing from the intense focus on policing the clothing of women, and the spaces they hold, and bring the uncomfortable conversations happening outside of the mosque such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, poverty, sexual fluidity, safe-sex and abortion, issues of gender and even substance abuse to the inside. There has to be a hard look at what does it mean to be a Muslim woman today[5].

Organizations such as Make Space work outside of the mosque structure but use the Quran and verses to legitimize their agenda, ideology and organization as a whole. They officiate marriages, incorporate female scholarship and their board has an equal number of men and women assisting[6]. They wish to emulate the community of the Prophet where women’s voices and scholarship were honoured. But, as Makhdoom states, his “mosque” isn’t quite only a mosque but a third space in which “separating Islam from the mosque can lead to a more authentic Islam”, which will allow congregation members, women and men alike to be “faithful to the spirit and values of Islam.[7]” That can be seen in the unorthodox manner Makhdoom and his wife Fatimah conduct traditional programming: Friday prayers are conducted in a restaurant, their mosque exists without a building, dome or minaret, and so is able to move to where the people are. This also means no barrier between men and women[8]. Even in their ladies knowledge circle, women feel empowered and part of the community and so feel confortable to voice their opinion in this safe space. What these third spaces also allows for are the chance were “men and women are encouraged to pray side by side, or where women are even told they do not need to cover their heads during prayer.[9]” Volunteers within the community, men and women, draft his Friday sermons, which is not the traditional norm. For MakeSpace, Makhdoom still wishes for their third space to be considered also a mosque; it is both not meant to replace the other.

Other ways people wish to reimagine the role of women in mosques is through a blog called sideentrance.tumblr.com in which numerous women around the world share the good, the bad and the ugly of mosques. Women are able to share their experiences within mosque structures, how the space itself either incorporates or excludes women from the congregation, and what ways they wish mosques would include them: through programming, authority or at the very least, be able to exist in the space without it being in the back-room closet.

Dr. Sayeed closed her panel with an important message to those in attendance on how third spaces will continue to exist and take over the needs of the community as members continue to become unmosqued: “this is not a women’s issue; it is a community issue. Daughters will leave if they don’t feel at home in a spiritual setting.[10]”

I think daughters and sons will continue to leave if their voices are silenced. Personally, we believe third spaces allow people to at the very least have a connection to their religion that they may never find in the mosque. This will be very clear when we examine the four case studies next, especially Queer Muslims who had to reimagine what a healthy Muslim community looked like when they were included in the narrative.

[1] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-un-mosquing-of-american-muslims/411103/

[2] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-un-mosquing-of-american-muslims/411103/

[3] https://medium.com/i-m-h-o/sacred-space-transformations-from-within-3b1e1f01d739

[4] https://medium.com/i-m-h-o/sacred-space-transformations-from-within-3b1e1f01d739

[5] http://www.patheos.com/blogs/altmuslim/2014/08/unmosqued-bringing-back-relevancy-to-the-mosque/

[6] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-un-mosquing-of-american-muslims/411103/

[7] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-un-mosquing-of-american-muslims/411103/

[8] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-un-mosquing-of-american-muslims/411103/

[9] https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/the-un-mosquing-of-american-muslims/411103/

[10] https://medium.com/i-m-h-o/sacred-space-transformations-from-within-3b1e1f01d739

[teamstrongstroke]

A random thought on my journey of self discovery

I realized that in every relationship, encounter, situation, experience, you leave a part of you in that moment, in that relationship, in that situation. That's why a certain song triggers thoughts of them, or certain phrases or nicknames remain sacred even if it didn't last, or certain topics flash you back to that experience you don't talk about with most people. You're connected to that place because it is part of you. It doesn't define you but it can steer you to views of yourself that don't fall in line with your core values. And so you look up one day asking who the hell is this person. Or how do I always end up back in these same situations. What am I doing wrong?.....healing, learning, forgiveness and release. Heal.. . Acknowledge that yes this fucking hurt. It caused you to cry, it broke your heart. It made you feel like it will always end this way, so why bother seeking that which was once worthwhile. Learn, there are 3 sides to a situation. Yours, there's, and the truth. It's not always there fault. It's not always your fault, and at this point it's not about fault. It's about recognizing where improvement of self can be made, and make that shit. Which leads to growing. It's a continuous process that never ends. It's non-linear and there are no templates or shortcuts. There will be obstacles and setbacks, bad days where you feel like the world crumbles around you. But there will be good days, great days, times that take your breath away, that give you a glimpse of the greatness in you, and that show you tangibly that you're going in the right direction. Part of that growth comes forgiveness. Of yourself, of them (even if they aren't sorry, even if they didn't technically do something wrong but you feel wronged). Your forgiveness is not conditional to the actions of others. Because it is not for them. It is for you. And once you have achieved that, release. Let it go, remove it from your space....or it will just take up space. I speak on this because this is my full unadulterated truth. It is my goal, my hope, my struggle and my journey. It is part of me, the part of me I work to better, so I can better. But in the mean time. I am worthy of love, I am loved, because I love myself first and foremost. I surround myself with love and I am choose to love others. Love is real, and pure and true. It conforts, guides and protects. It sacrifices. It is all that we dreamed and more. Love is love, and love is me. I love you guys. Truly. 💙