#i'm trying my hardest to elaborate but the words aren't coming

[just-someone-online]

Okay, I promise I'm not about to become the 'Ooh, what if x was a Terran?' guy, but I think it would be really interesting if Rubble and Gauge from IDW2 were brought back as Terrans.

[jplopsjournal]

Main World Understanding

Our worldview in the original Punch Out is EXTREMELY limited, restraining us to simple cutscenes so we can focus on the fights at hand. This is basically the same as putting all this unexplored world in my lap and saying "do whatever" so I ran with it. Important Punch Out: Expanded World Details: -Magic is, at its core, an ambiguous word. In theory, it is the raw spirit a human possesses, taking form and reacting with the material world. Obviously Great Tiger is using magic, but this rule also applies to things some may think aren't magic. Piston Hondo's uncanny speed and hyper-vigilance? Magic. Don Flamenco being able to punch a bull into the sky? Magic. Glass Joe's ability to miraculously come back after 99 straight losses? Magic. Sandman's raw ability itself? Besides hardcore training, it's MAGIC. It's SPIRIT. That's what empowers some, if not all of the boxers, and therefore all people. I will go into magic lore in a later post. -The timeline is ambiguous. This isn't for a real reason, I'm just bad at math. Like. So bad. A math skill so HORRID It would kill Albert Einstein himself. So sorry if some of the info I lay out is off, just know I'm trying my hardest </3 -In POE (or PO = E/PO:E, all acronyms for this fanwrite/au), Doc is Mac's adoptive father. I will elaborate more later, but for now I will just say that Doc found him when he was a baby, after a horrific accident that took the lives of both of his parents. Since then, Mac has been living in the Bronx with him, and as of the beginning of Punch Out Wii, is 18 years old. I aged him up just the year so he'd, y'know, be legally allowed to box.

I know, I know, "how is all that other crazy stuff legal", it's not. It's just slick movement depending on the boxer. Plus, the WVBA outlawed people under the age of 18 from participating ever since a couple incidents kinda put the sport in a bad light...

-Like people, boxing evolves over time throughout the years which pass. I...don't have many details on this yet. -SPO Aran and Wii Aran are NOT the same person. The former goes by the name of Andrew, and is the older brother to Aran, as well as the oldest of their four siblings. Or...was, the oldest. -Pizza Pasta is renamed Peter Zachelli (actual name) as well as Pete Zepasta (stage name), because I do NOT want him named Pizza Pasta. That's crazy for a name lmao -I take creative liberties on some of these character's personalities, just because those which both predate AND are not featured in the Wii version lack a significant amount of it. This especially applies to Kid Quick and Pizza Pasta. -All backstory stuff, living environments, and anything we don't directly see, is created by yours truly. PHEW that was a lot of typing but I'm glad I could jot this down

[silverlingthewitch]

Crystal Grid Masterpost

A grid can be defined so many ways. At the heart of its definitions however, it is a geometric pattern made of crystals; minerals and sometimes even herbs, flowers and other harvested flora; arranged with purpose and focused intent with the will to affect a change in our world.

***It's a magick mandala, folks.***

After they do a ritual act like a prayer, skit, meditation or chant, they ceremoniously destroy the work of beauty and art to symbolize impermanence and break material attachment.

Tibetan Buddhist Monks lay these elaborate, colored sand mandalas on a sacred surface. It takes days, sweat and an exceptional amount of stamina to pour that amount of energy into these mandalas. The end result is a gorgeous, aesthetically pleasing design of geometric shapes, patterns, symbols, words of intent and prayers.

***"Sounds fun! Let's go!"***

No. Hold your horses. This is the slow boring part but the good news is that all the time and energy you pour into preparing for the Crystal Grid, it counts! It only adds to solidifying your intent and building power for the ceremonious or ritual aspect of laying a grid. First things first, vision.

Crystal Gridding is a lot like this. You'll find a need, set your purpose, solidify your intent, select your crystals, assemble materials, prepare your materials, prepare your space, prepare yourself, arrange your crystals with intent, maybe add a bit of ceremony to it, activate your grid and after awhile, you'll destroy it.

What is your need? Guidance? Protection? Self Confidence? Prosperity? Okay, now we know. Try to clearly see this in your mind and work it down to one or two words for focus. Now is not the time to worry about details.

Good, now you have your need. It's going to become a purpose as you start to formulate your plan! Start thinking up things that correspond to your need, if it's prosperity we can surely think of a few things that represent money and gain! Pennies, currency symbols, basil is a common money herb, specific crystals and metals! Gold, copper, silver, etc. Oh, and squares have always been well know for prosperity as they symbolize buildings where business is done, dollar bills, service bills themselves! What about numerology? Four is a good money number, seven could be too but it doesn't match very well with a square, eight is awesome in a grid but doesn't really match the purpose so perhaps it would be better to stick with four?

So now we are focusing our intent by putting all these puzzle pieces together and drawing inspiration from those aligned influences or correspondences. This is the hardest part. It's the artistic part. This is where the details become more important and where everyone will "see" a different grid. Some may decide to add artistic flourishes, maybe add an appropriately colored candle or add the appropriate herbs to the layout. Maybe you'll go with a square grid. Perhaps round. Maybe asymmetrical! Could literally be in the shape of a currency symbol or laid into a runic shape. This is your grid, you makes the rules.

A word of caution here, just because you can do anything with your crystals doesn't necessarily mean you should do anything with your crystals. I'm all for individuality but there is a reason things have always been done certain ways. Do the runic shape, use a random herb you were called to use. Add that strange avocado shaped candle. Do what you have to do but if you're doing it, know why. The more your grid elements "tie in" to each other and purpose, the easier it will be for your intent and energy to flow through them.

Yup. I said it.

Now you have this awesome vision for a Crystal Grid, you've researched correspondences and squished them all together with the purpose of forming a power packed intention. Time to select your crystals.

Just because Jade and Green Aventurine are both linked to prosperity doesn't mean that they should appear in the same grid. Check your crystal definitions well and try to make them "tell a story" make them mean something by putting them next to each other. For example, I might use Green Aventurine to symbolize my wealth but pair it with Imperial Topaz for Manifestation of Will and Desires. Create a relationship between your crystals.

There are nearly endless possibilities here.

Like with your materials, correspondences and vision, you'll want to make sure your crystals are all aligned with your intent.

Furthermore, you'll want to make sure that your crystals are all aligned with each other.

Now we know what, why and which so now let's focus on the how.

I like to start from the bottom up with my grids, so lets talk grid mats. Some folks use them, some don't. It all depends on your preference, really. As for me, I find that one design, like a Flower of Life grid mat, doesn't really suit all of my grid intentions! I like to wing it on a bare surface. Which leads me to my next point, if you are not using a grid mat, try to find a small table, box top, slab of wood, stone, etc. to devote as your grid surface. As luck would have it, I found a pretty pie crust side table while walking through a flea market one day and for $10 it was my new grid table! I have also used grid mats, scarfs, swaths of fabric, a slice of oak and a sheet of slate. When selecting your surface, try to correspond it with your intent! For example, a grid for protection would do really well on a slice of oak with it's strong, earthy, protective vibes but a grid for increased focus and production would probably do best on a uniformed, clearly lined grid mat.

Now to prepare your space, materials and yourself for a gridding session! How exciting!

There are a fair number of ways you can do this, I usually go for two of the easiest and quickest ways. Sage smudge smoke or a bell. With the smudge smoke, you'll gently waft it's smoke around your gridding room or area, waft it over the materials, surface, anything that has to do with your grid... then waft the smoke over you! Like a waterfall of burning herbal smoke-water, let the sage cleanse your auric field and wash away any negative energy. You can also use a bell, which is excellent if you aren't able to use smoke, in which case you would ring the bell around the area, you and over the materials, visualizing it's sound waves vibrating and dissipating any negative energy.

Wow, that's a lot of work. We haven't even laid the grid yet and we have already done so much! Don't worry, you're almost through it!

1.) Clockwise directions represent opening or increasing energy. Counterclockwise directions represent closing or decreasing energy.

2.) Outwards directions represent sending out of energy. Inwards directions represent the drawing in of energy.

Why not rope that in to a Crystal Grid working? Now I don't make the rules, you do, but I really, really, really recommend laying your crystal grid down, center to edge, clockwise direction.

So start with the center stone. Some people like to use a candle here, or place a paper with the intention written under the center stone. Whatever floats your boat, the sky is the limit. But the very next stone should be the next layer OUTWARDS in the EASTERN side of your grid, the third stone should be a clockwise progression from the east. Think about how a spiral looks!

Now you've done all that work, your crystals are all laid out, everything is in place, now what? Seems strange to just walk away! Well, we won't do that then. Now we are going to activate our grids!

Wait, what energy?

So we are going to draw energy from one of two things. Either the cosmos or the earth. This is another thing that you should correspond with your intent! A grid for spiritual progress would be better activated by cosmos energy from the universe. An earthy need grid for prosperity would be better activated by the earth energy.

Here comes the fun bit! Laying the grid!

Now, there are a few things I have come to know about magick.

3.) East is a really nice direction to start any project in. As the sun rises there and sets in the west. What a lovely natural rhythm to tune into.

4.) The more thought and ceremony that goes into a magickal working, the more "oomph" you get out of it whether it is literal strength of power or quickness of it's influence.

Don't stress if you get excited and skip over one, gently refocus without selfjudgement, go back, do the thing and keep going. I usually take a moment to readjust my grid layers as I finish each full circle.

Either way, go out into the stars or down into the earth to pull down or up on the energy you find there. See it flowing from the center stone, down the paths, through your crystals and into your environment. Take as much time with this visualization, try to make it as strong in your mind as possible.

You may be a little dizzy or faint after pulling energy like this and working with the stones. Don't forget to eat something to ground you and rehydrate! If you have trouble grounding and centering after crystal gridding, try sitting or laying on the floor or earth. Send that extra energy into the earth.

A lot of people will tell you that you need a wand to activate a grid but that just isn't true. You can use your pointer finger or use your open palms to send the energy into the grid.

How long do I leave a Crystal Grid up?

This is at your discretion. Some people leave it up until their intention manifests. Some people take it down as soon as a curious cat compromises the energy flow (lol) and even still, others leave it up for 24-48 hours and deconstruct it.

How do I take down my Crystal Grid?

Very easily! Just the opposite as how it went up! So instead of going from the inside to the outside in a clockwise fashion starting in the east; start with the last stone you laid down and go counterclockwise from the east, outside to the inside, ending with picking up the center stone. It's nice to say a little thank you as you're doing this and any herbs or biodegradable materials used in your grid should be returned to the earth.

Thank you so much for reading through this tutorial, remember that it isn't a set in stone, only one way, thing. Play with my technique, create your own techniques, experiment, learn, enjoy!

Love n Light!

-Silverling