#marma speaks

[marmalade004]

RATSWORLD!!!!!!

Edd used to be a housepet for a family in London. His owners lived in a big apartment, where Edd stayed in a cramped cage. From an outside perspective, his life could have been much better. One day, he wakes up to find his cage left in a nearby alleyway, with no idea how he ended up there, but assumes his owners left him there. He escapes the cage, which was left unlocked, and goes on to explore the city himself, meeting Tom later on.

Tom used to live in a pet shop, along with many other rats. Over the months, he watched other rats get taken home, but he was always left behind due to his eyes being unusually dark. Because of this, he often tried to escape the shop and find a life for himself. This led to him being declawed in hopes of preventing escapes. Eventually he gets a chance to run for it, afterwards wandering the streets to learn his way around. He meets Edd, and they continue exploring together.

Matt is extremely naive to the outside world. He was born and raised in the sewer system beneath the city. He tended to be curious of the “surface world”, but only ever left his home when he had to. During one of his rare outings, he takes a wrong turn (he’s pretty forgetful) and ends up lost on the streets. Afraid, he stays where he is, hoping someone will find him. He ends up being found by Tord.

Tord is a street rat. He grew up being an outsider, so he knows how to fend for himself. He spends most of his time scrounging for food in dumpsters. He has sharper teeth and claws than the others, which act as his only method of defense. He lives in a dumpster behind a pizza restaurant. During a day of hunting for leftover scraps, he finds Matt curled up beside his dumpster. Tord reluctantly agrees to help Matt find his way home, which is when they run into Tom and Edd.

Eventually, all of the rats are found by Laurel during an outing, who happens to have a soft spot for animals. She adopts them all, bringing them back to her apartment, giving them all baths, feeding them, and she provides them with their matching colored hoodies, to keep them warm in case they decide to go out again. After finding them, she gives them all names that she finds fitting (since she doesn’t know their previous names). She names Edd as Fluffy, Tom as Cotton, Matt as Sprinkles and Tord as Sunshine (whenever she plays the Sunshine Lollipops song, he runs around the room begging for her to turn it off, but she confuses his running for playing, which is why she names him after the song).

Edd adjusts to living with Laurel easily, since he was already used to living with humans. Tom finds comfort in the fact that he finally has a home to rely on, and also feels more comfortable now that he isn’t defenseless on the street anymore. Matt, who didn’t particularly care about is appearance before he left home, becomes VERY focused on how he looks and smells. When Laurel gives them baths, he is always the one to enjoy is the most. Tord, however, is resistant to befriending the others, let alone living with them. He prefers to be alone, and has survived on his own outside his whole life; mostly it’s his sense of pride that keeps him from staying with Laurel and the others.

Laurel has other pets besides the rats:

Eduardo is a mouse. He enjoys alone time despite living with his cagemates. Because of the close proximity, he tends to pick on the other mice as an outlet. The mice used to be Laurel’s favorite before the rats were adopted, which is where the rivalry between them starts. This rivalry is mostly just between Eduardo and Edd, though the others don’t particularly like each other either.

Jon was the second mouse to be adopted by Laurel. Up until he showed up, Eduardo was feeling comfortable in his new home. He saw Jon as a nuisance, taking up space that once belonged to him, which is why Jon is usually the target of Eduardo’s temper. Jon is rather sociable, but doesn’t have anyone besides Eduardo to interact with, so he tries to be as welcoming as he can.

Mark was the fourth mouse to be adopted (the third mouse was Todd, but he escaped; no one has seen him since). Mark’s arrival did not upset Eduardo as much as Jon’s did, but he still wasn’t pleased. Jon and Mark become friends and get along well for the most part.

———

That’s all I got for now, sorry for such a long read. If you feel like it pretty pleeeease ask any questions you have about this AU, it’s one of my favorites to draw and talk about!!!

[marmalade004]

to anyone seeing this, this is not Kas, block this account its fake

aaaand I'm back again ;u;

[theblackbookofarkera]

Majaad Marma

In the pantheon of the Ghazwhuli, Majaad Marma stands as the paramount deity, revered as the sovereign of the earth and the sentinel of the mountains. This deity is known for his unpredictable nature, often testing the devotion of his followers through trials and tribulations. His favor is not easily won; it requires constant homage and sacrifices to avert his wrath.

Majaad Marma is deeply rooted in the creation lore of the Ghazwhuli. According to their ancient tales, he is the savior who rescued their ancestors from the brink of extinction. The myth speaks of a tribe, lost and famished, stranded on an isle amidst a sea ablaze with flames. It was Majaad Marma who, with compassion and might, lifted them from their perilous plight and bestowed upon them a sanctuary within the mountain's embrace. In return, he asked for their unwavering fealty and obedience.

Artistic depictions of Majaad Marma portray him as a colossal figure, his skin the color of the earth from which he reigns. His beard is a cascade of molten lava, symbolizing his dominion over the fiery core of the planet. In his grasp, he wields a formidable hammer, forged from celestial blue meteoric iron, a testament to his power to shape the land and forge destinies.

[martmasake]

Ethan SAW my ART and it's in his NEWEST VIDEO and I am SHAKING and just FREAKING OUT

[marma-the-goblin]

Anot̛h͞er ҉in̴te̢res̨t́i̛ng͞ fo͘l̴lower.̷ A̢noţher ͡sơúl̶ ̛to ͢ma͠ke ̛my̢ p͘u̕ppe҉t̕.

Right back at you, anti.

[movewithevan]

Sajek Vally "The kingdom of Clouds & The Queen of Hill's"

Sajek Valley (Bengali: সাজেক উপত্যকা)

Sajek Valley is one of best & the most popular tourist spots in Bangladesh situated among the hills of the Kasalong range of mountains in Sajek .Sajek is a union at Baghaichari Upazila in Rangamati districts. Basically it is name of a river which separates Bangladesh from India. The river flows into the Karnafuli River in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Sajek Valley is situated in the North angle of Rangamati, near the Mizoram border boundary area. The valley is 2,000 feet high form sea lavel.

Many small rivers flow through the hills among them Kachalon and Machalong are famous. The main ethnic minorities on the valley are Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Pankua, Lushai and Sagma. The place is known as hill queen for its natural beauty and roof of Rangamati. Marishsha is a name of a place near Sajek Valley. Most of the houses are made with bamboo. There is another place near Sajek, it is Kanlak, and it is famous for its orange orchard.

Most attractions of the spot are sun set, rain, morning, evening, and night and aborigine people. Roads are like big snake spirals on the mountains. The native people of Sajek valley are ethnic minorities. Among them Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Pankua, Lushai and Sagma are mentionable. Women seem to be more involved in economic activities here. Tea stalls, food joints and roadside marketplaces are dominated by women. Tourists can buy indigenous peoples' products from haat (markets).

Picking fruits and vegetables early in the morning is a major trade here. Most of the people are Buddhist and others are Christian here. A new road has been built up to the Ruilui Para by the guidance of Bangladesh army. On the way traveler need to take permission from the army camp. Bangladesh Army is very helpful and cooperative and the People in general are gentle, welcoming and friendly. They are fluent in Bengali and the young population speak English confidently.

Tourism

Sajek was unexplored for a long time and recently it emerged as a tourist spot for its outstanding natural beauty. The place does not have modern tourist facilities but tourists mostly enjoy the nature and culture of the place. Though the valley is in Rangamati but tourists can reach there from Khagrachhari. The route is Khagrachhori – Dighinala Bazaar – Bagaihat Bazaar – Machalong Haat – then Sajek. It is 62 km from Khagrachhari. Dighinala to Sajek is 40 km.

Location

Sajek is a union located in north of Chittagong Hill Tracts.it From Khagrachhari town, it is situated 67 km north-east from Khagrachhari town and 95 km North-West from Rangamati city. The border of Bangladesh and Mizoram of India is 8 kilometers east from Sajek.

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[veryangryhedgehog]

“Valkyrie,” an Ede Valley story by Hedgehog.

Someone was singing. It was soft, calm, familiar. And a smell. Something was cooking, sizzling near her ears.

Lila opened her eyes, and immediately knew that she was no longer alive. This couldn’t be real. She was laying on the couch in the living room that she hadn’t seen since her mother had died. It had to be, there was the one piece of thread that she always picked at when she was bored, and when she turned her head to look at the TV, she saw a samurai bowing to an emperor in black and white.

This wasn’t happening, and yet it was. She sat up, looking the other way over the back of the couch, over to the kitchen. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest. Her mother was making pancakes, humming quietly to herself. Lila tried to open her mouth to say something, anything, but she found it glued firmly shut.

After a minute, her mother plopped the pancakes onto two plates and turned. She smiled as she saw Lila staring at her. “Oh, when did you wake up, Lili?”

“You’re not my mother, are you?” It was nearly a statement. The imitation was perfect: the long, tangled orange hair, the bags under her tired, worried eyes, even the nickname she used to call her. But there was something undeniably missing.

The woman dropped the smile, the harried, worried look faded. “No,” she said, a Celtic accent slipping through, “I am not.”

“And I’m dead.”

“Ai.”

“So you’re... death, then?”

The woman shrugged. “If you like. I’ve gone by so many names that it hardly matters anymore. Would you like a pancake? I fear they’ll soon be soggy.”

After a singular blink, Lila reached out to take a plate. Death sat down next to her on the couch, the springs creaking lightly. Not taking her eyes off of her, Lila took a bite, the taste of over-sugared Aunt Marma’s syrup tickling the taste buds on her tongue. Just like the ones her mother used to make before she died, before Lila had met the Borozovs and fallen into their world. Before Niko.

“Is Niko alright?” she asked.

“He’ll live,” Death nodded. “Though whether he’ll be ‘alright’ or not is entirely up to him.”

Lila frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

Smiling, Death looked to her kindly. “This realm, my realm, is outside of time. I could show you, if you like.”

Hesitating, Lila thought for a moment. The curiosity bit down on her, hard. But at the same time, did she really want to see what would happen to Niko? That was silly, of course she did. Not knowing and wondering about it was worse than any truth. “Yes.  I would like that.”

Death placed her plate down on the coffee table and smiled, before Lila blinked and she was gone. In fact, the whole room was gone, and Lila found herself out in the pouring rain. She herself, however, remained completely dry. It was as if she was watching a movie, able to see but unable to interact with anything in any meaningful way.

She glanced around, squinting through the wet. It was dark, maybe past midnight, but from what she could see she seemed to be in some sort of graveyard. Stone slabs of various shapes and sizes jutted out of the darkness like ghosts.

Lila tried to take a few steps forward, but found herself unable to move more than a few feet, as if tethered to something. She turned, and directly behind her was a very old, simple grave. Squinting, she tried to make out the name nearly corroded away and after a few moments she sat back. This was her grave, and it looked as if it had been here for a long time.

There was a thump behind her, and she turned, only to see an old man staring through her at the grave. He was short, and battered, but his one remaining golden eye still shone brightly.

“Niko...” the word was barely even a whisper. His face was wrinkled and scarred, his jaw hard and set, with no trace of its former humor. But it was him. She knew it.

She also knew that he could not see her, that he wasn’t even real, just a shadow of a thing that would be, but she reached out to touch his cheek regardless. He stayed perfectly still, just staring down at her grave, though she could have sworn that he leaned into her gesture.

Then, without a word, he pulled out his gun and shot himself in the head.

Lila stood, frozen, as blood splattered her tombstone as his body fell through her towards the ground. A small noise escaped her throat unbidden, the closest to a scream of anguish that she was capable of.

For the longest time, she couldn’t stop staring at the lifeless body of the old man, unable to even think let alone process what she had just seen.

There was a small cough next to her ear. Death leaned on her grave.

“Why would you show me that?” Lila asked, eyes still fixed on the body.

“Because it’s the truth. Nine times out of ten, in most timelines imaginable, this is what will happen.”

Lila shook her head. “What could possibly lead him to do this?”

“Go back further, maybe you’ll see.” And with those words, Death disappeared.

“Go back?” Lila asked the air. “What does that—?”

But she didn’t finish her sentence, because with nary a sound the world began spinning backwards. The sun shot from west to east, then the moon, faster and faster until they became a blur.

And then it stopped. It was nighttime again, though this one was considerably more cold and less rainy. Lila felt a presence, and turned to see that someone was leaning on her grave. She couldn’t see their face, as it was covered by a large fedora pulled low over the eyes. They seemed to be waiting for something.

A minute later, they got it. He didn’t look quite as old this time, his hair still had a few flecks of blond and his wrinkles weren’t quite as deep. He looked angry.

There were no greetings. He simply opened his mouth and began to speak directly. “How dare you,” he croaked, his voice hoarse from too many cigarettes. “You take my son, and then you make me beg for his soul over her grave?”

“A fitting sort of irony, wouldn’t you say?” the man chuckled. “Considering that they both saved your pathetic life.”

Niko drew his gun and cocked it, but the man just kept talking. “Think about it: what has your life really been worth? When was the last time you were truly happy? Before her death, right?”

“You’re a sick bastard, Bailey.”

“Face it, Nikolai Borozov, you son is the only thing of value you’ve left on this earth, and isn’t it just a cruel twist of fate that you’re going to outlive him?”

“That was the last thing you’re ever going to say, cocksucker. Hope you’re pleased with it.”

He drew back his arm to connect with the man’s face, and Lila caught a split second glimpse of white hair under the hat before the world began to spin again.

It didn’t last long this time. Maybe only a day, maybe two. The sun was setting, casting red fingers over the graveyard. This time it was Nikolai in front of the stone, staring down at it, his hand on the top. She felt a warmth on her shoulder, as if that’s where his hand was, and not on the grave at all.

“Alright!” said a voice. “I’m ready to rumble.”

A boy, he couldn’t have been older than eighteen, was approaching Niko with a spring in his step. He was taller and thinner than him, but he had the same, golden eyes.

“What’s the passphrase?” Nikolai asked without looking up.

The kid rolled his eyes. “Aw, come on, dad. Do you really need me to say that crap?”

“I need to know it’s you, and not some daemon.”

“Lila,” he sighed. “There, I said it. Can we get going now?”

“Alright,” Nikolai nodded, beginning to walk away from the grave. “But promise me you’ll be careful out there tonight. I hear Bailey’s back in town. And when he’s involved, there’s always trouble.”

Lila wanted to step forward, to stop them, but she couldn’t move beyond her grave, much less get them to hear her. There was nothing she could do to stop the inevitable from happening.

And then everything was flying away once again. Backwards, backwards, how many days, how many nights?

It was raining again, the sky a muted shade of grey. Somewhere across the graveyard was a funeral, people in black huddled around an open grave, umbrellas. And yet here came Nikolai, middle-aged, his scars and misery fresher. He stood there, once again staring down at her grave.

“Niko…” she muttered, and to her surprise, he pricked up his ears. But then a second later, a young boy, his son again, Lila assumed, approached him.

“Daddy,” he asked, “when is Mommy coming back?”

Nikolai sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He glanced once more at Lila’s grave. “She’s not, kid. She’s dead. Once you’re dead you don’t get to come back.”

Eyes widening, Lila understood. This was his wife’s funeral. This was his wife’s funeral and here he was at Lila’s grave instead.

Further, go back further. Now it was a cool spring day, the leaves rustling in the trees. And there was Niko, her Niko, maybe only a few years older than how she remembered him, sitting in front of her, staring at the ground as if unable to look at her.

“I got married today,” he said finally, in such a tone that should never fit with those words. “She’s a Mirelli. Who would’a thunk, right? Finally the family feud has come to an end.”

He shook his head and sighed. “I don’t feel anything for her, and I seriously doubt she could say differently.”

After another minute, he looked up at her. “But the whole time, when she was walkin’ down the aisle, when we were sayin’ our vows, I kept… I kept thinking she was you, like she would lift up her veil and it would be you smiling at me instead. Crazy idea, right?” he laughed. “I couldn’t help being a bit disappointed when it wasn’t.”

Even if she could have said something, Lila’s mouth was frozen shut. All she could do was shake her head and try to hold back the tears. She failed.

And so she cried for him. She cried for the boy she knew who the world had beaten down until he was nearly unrecognizable. She cried for all the pain and hurt that he didn’t know he would have to endure. And she cried for her inability to do anything about it.

When she next looked up, she was someplace else entirely. A hospital room, the beep of the heart monitor. Her sword was against the wall. And again, she found herself unable to move away from it.

Niko was standing, trying to get his torn shirt on, though he was still clearly in pain from the slash across her chest.

“I tried,” he was saying to himself. “I tried, and I failed.”

“What did you try?” she asked him, even though she knew he couldn’t hear her.

He seemed to respond anyway. “I thought I could make it on my own, I thought I was clever.”

“You are.”

“I’m not clever. I never was.”

He sighed.

“So what are you going to do now?”

“It’s time to go home.” He shook his head. “I can’t do this on my own.”

And there it was, the decision that would make all of the things she had seen happen. She didn’t know how she knew, she could simply feel the future diverging right at this moment. “No!” she shouted before she could stop herself. “Don’t go, you idiot! There are people who care for you here! People who will help you!”

But without a second glance, he grabbed her katana and was out the door, into the yawning night beyond.

After that, the world faded, and Lila was left in darkness. She sank to her knees. This was all her fault. If she hadn’t died, if she had found a way to get them all out alive, then Niko might have had a chance. A chance at a different future.

“It’s not fair,” she whispered to the darkness. “He doesn’t deserve this.”

“Is that your judgement?” asked a voice. It took her a minute to realize that there was no one else here. The words had come out of her own mouth.

“What—?” she began.

“Is that your judgement?” the voice asked through her again. “You find his life unjust?”

“Yes. Yes I do.”

“Then why not do something about it?”

“What could I possibly do?”

“Try.”

And she found herself in the hospital room again. Again Niko was pulling his shirt on. Again he was talking to himself. “I tried. I tried and I failed.”

“Then all you can do it try again,” said the voice from her mouth. She had to stop him, she had to do something. But what?

“I thought I could make it on my own.”

“You still can.”

Lila approached the mirror above the sink. Desperately, she breathed on it, and much to her surprise, it clouded. She nearly cried out in joy. But what could she write? What would let him know that she was still here, that she was still watching and he couldn’t give up yet? She smiled and began to write.

A minute later, Niko approached the sink and froze as he saw the word written there. He stumbled backwards and sat back down on the hospital bed. Putting his face in his hands, his shoulders shook. Was he crying? No, for a second later he tilted his head back in laughter.

“Well, I guess you want me to stay, huh Lila?” he looked over at her sword. “Well, alright then. If you insist. You always did prefer the hard road, huh?”

Lila smiled, and nodded. She faded away just as the word “Pancakes” on the mirror faded as well.

She found herself again in the darkness, but this time she wasn’t alone. Death smiled at her.

“What is this place?” Lila asked.

“It is uncertainty,” said Death. “There are many possible futures for that boy now.”

“I helped him,” Lila said. “I want to keep helping him. How can I do that?”

“You can remember.”

“Remember what?”

“That voice that you hear? The one using your mouth to speak. It’s your true voice. Welcome back, Valkyrie.”

[comaremena]

Tuscan Dialect

Here’s a list of some words from Tuscany you might hear. Keep in mind that dialects can change even between adjacent villages, so I am basing this post on my experience.

Il Lapis: In tuscany we distinguish between the pencil you use to draw (Lapis) and the pencil you use to colour (Matita), while the rest of italy uses the word “Matita” for both of them. As a consequence, people from other regions either don’t understand what it is or ask us why we’re suddenly speaking spanish.

L’Appuntalapis: Pencil sharpener.

La Cannella: Faucet, tap.

Il Cocomero e il Popone: Watermelon and Muskmelon, called “Anguria” and “Melone” in stadard Italian.

Diaccio Marma(t)o: “Diaccio” means “cold” (Ghiaccio), and “Marmato” means “made of marble/like marble”. So when something is really cold, we say it’s cold like marble. “L’acqua in piscina era diaccia marmata” = The swimming pool water was cold like marble.

Il Cencio = A “Cencio” is a cloth, usually old and torn, used for cleaning. We also refer to “Mop the floor” as “Passare il Cencio”.

Nino/Nini = Nino is a name, but also means “thing”. When you are mad at someone you can address them with “Nino” to let them know you can’t even bother remembering their name. “Oh Nino, stai calmo” = Hey Nino, calm down.

Collo!: Literally means “neck”. It’s difficult to translate, but it means somehting like “It’s too much!” A: “I have a math test, an English test and a science test tomorrow, and a Literature oral test on Friday” B: “Collo!”

Cittino/Citto = Kid.

Mettersi a Cecce = To sit down. “Cecce” also mean “butt”.

Dodo = When someon’s very cuddly, you can say they are a “Dodo” (no, this has nothing to do with the bird)

La Passata = Either “tomato sauce” or “hairband”.

Maremma Maiala! = An exclamation which can be used in many ways. It can mean “wow” but also mean “fuck it”. “La Maremma” is a large area on the coastline of southern Tuscany. “Maiala” is the female of the pig. La Vacca e il Ciuco: Cow and Donkey.

[marmalade004]

Love it when Toms design has no mouth. Just a creetur. Makes any ship fun too because they go in for a kiss and just ‘…wait. tf am I supposed to do here?’

for reals. Tom is just a little critter!!

heres how tobi imagined it would go <3 (NOEL DREW IT THO!!)

[drkgowthaman-blog]

Marma Point to improve Large Intestine Health / Neurologically Healthy! Acupuncture Point : #LargeIntestineLI4 Chinese Name: #Hegu (English translation: Joining Valley) Location: On the dorsum of the hand, between the 1st and 2nd metacarpal bones, in the middle of the 2nd metacarpal bone on the radial side. Classification: Yuan-Source point of the Large Intestine Meridian Command Point of the head and face Indications: Diseases of the head and face: i.e. external pathogenic #headache and #bodyache, #dizziness, #congestion, swelling and pain of the eye, #nasosinusitis, epistaxis (nosebleed), toothache in the lower jaw, trismus (lockjaw), deafness, mumps, swelling of the face, facial paralysis, facial tic, swelling of the pharnyx and aphonia (inability to speak). Aversion to cold, fever, febrile disease, anhidrosis (no sweating), hidrosis. Dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, dystocia (difficult or abnormal labor/childbirth). Gastric pain, abdominal pain, #constipation, diarrhea, dysentery. #Hemiplegia, finger spasm, pain in the arm, infantile convulsion, manic psychosis and irritability. Malignant sore, urticaria, scabies. Every type pf pain and psychogenic tense. Use in conjunction with LIV 3 (the Four Gates) to strongly move the qi and blood in the body in order to remove stagnation and alleviate pain. Needling: Perpendicular insertion .5 - 1.0 cun. Do not needle during pregnancy. www.shreevarma.org www.drgowthaman.com (at Shree Varma Ayurveda Hospital, Kodambakkam Branch) https://www.instagram.com/p/CVwQq_ePu_7/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ayurvedainitiative-blog]

What is Ayurveda?

“Traditionally speaking, Ayurveda is a system of natural medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda has been long revered for its long-lasting results and its focus on curing the root causes of skin and wellness issues rather than merely the symptoms. It’s one of the most ancient systems of natural healing, with an emphasis on detoxification and the mind-body connection. Ayurveda leverages a variety of core components, including use of herbs and natural compounds, yoga, and lifestyle modifications, to prevent and heal modern-day ailments.

“To me, Ayurveda is simply an integrated approach and lifestyle that lays emphasis on the interconnectivity of the mind, body, and environment to deliver the results you seek. It’s truly listening to your body to devise your own health protocols and honoring that your wellness journey looks different from another’s. It’s the emphasis on better sleep for glowing skin and balancing your hormone triggers to battle acne. It is awareness of self, releasing of judgment, and the pursuit of balance. To me, Ayurveda is highly simple and highly intuitive.”

We understand your family has been practicing Ayurveda for over 800 years. Are there any aspects of Ayurveda that feel particularly special to your family?

“Indeed, my family has been the Ayurvedic family physicians to the Indian royal family dating back to the 1200s, which allowed us to create thousands of formulations and truly perfect our craft through the privilege of healing so many individuals over the years.

“I also believe that in our generational practice with Ayurveda, we have a deep understanding and respect for how scientific, fact-driven, and result-based it is, which is why we lead with so much education around its core principles. I feel that it’s a core responsibility to create that foundation of knowledge—and [to] do so in a completely non-commercial fashion—so everyone can learn from and heal from Ayurveda, whether or not they use an UMA product or not. Ayurveda belongs to everyone. I truly believe that we were all born with an Ayurvedic voice inside of us that helps keep our bodies thriving; some of us just have to get in the habit of listening closer.”

We’re fascinated by the concept of the daily routine in Ayurveda. Can you share what yours looks like?

“I’ve learned that the most important aspect about maintaining my Ayurvedic routine is approaching it with a sense of moderation. There are things I practice every day and have grown comfortable with respecting that my schedule only allows for others to happen a few times a week, sometimes even less.

“For example, I do have a quick ‘daily detox’ practice: I always use a tongue cleaner after brushing, start most days with warm water and lemon, and practice a two- to three-minute Abhyanga (Ayurvedic self-massage) before showering. When I have more time, I’m able to add in dry brushing, oil pulling, and sun salutations in the morning.

“I’ve always had a difficult time with traditional meditations, so I practice transcendental meditation, giving myself permission to practice it when I can and not be stressed about times I can’t. Fortunately, I could squeeze in 15 minutes in an Uber ride or an airplane, but I’m able to do more now that I have more time on my hands.

“While my routine responds to expectations from ‘modern’ schedules (like morning meetings or evening drinks), I’ve learned to bring in Ayurvedic practices that are fairly ‘traditional’ (in that their practice has not been altered in any way). I think the balancing act has been more around how many of them I’m able to practice every day—and I’m of the mindset that whether it’s two things or twenty things, all our Ayurvedic practices are sacred and impactful.”

“Kansa—the Hindi/Sanskrit term for bronze—is derived primarily from copper, a metal very celebrated in Ayurveda for detox and kapha-alleviating properties. Metals are traditionally used in Ayurveda as healers to negate toxicity within organs. Copper is revered in Ayurvedic medicine for helping restore better lymphatic function and drainage (a better-working lymphatic system can help the body naturally detox, preventing many ailments and disease), and you see it used in a wide variety of ways: as a vessel for water storage to enhance the healing abilities of drinking water, or as a wand for better circulation.

“A marma point is effectively an energy center in the body, and marma-point therapy is believed to bring doshas and chakras into balance; marma therapies typically focus on stimulation of a subset of 107 of these marma points based on results you’re trying to achieve, from alleviation of back pain to an all-natural face-lift. Kansa wands are used extensively in marma-point treatments. Within skin-care and beauty rituals in particular, a kansa wand can help enhance the stimulation of marma points in the face, leading to greater stress release and lymphatic detox—which in turn will result in a more rested complexion, a lifted, firmer skin appearance, and fewer inflammations.

“Kansa tools are used within marma chikitsa, and you see them applied either just as therapy, or as part of a broader ritual such as a massage or facial. An expert will use the tool to enhance the application of pressure, or skillful massage, to alleviate the tension in muscles and improve energy flow within marma points. Copper is also a very conductive metal and is a great ‘cofactor’ in the presence of an enzymatic antioxidant to neutralize free-radical damage to the skin. Simply put, a kansa wand will even enhance the function of an antioxidant serum you may be applying to your skin, even outside of its amazing marma-therapy benefits.

“The key differences between a gua sha tool and the wand would be the use of the bronze metal, which has specific properties, and the massage philosophy/technique. [With kansa wands], you’re focusing on different muscle groups. Dry brushing is not recommended on the face, but kansa wands are also used for the body, on specific pressure points.

“I do consider many of these rituals complementary—I personally use all these tools!”

[feferily]

DID stuff/Alter stuff!

Timothy recently fronted again and had a long and clear conversation with my partner and my closest friend. It was wild and I still am a little in shock over it but I’m so glad that he’s gotten more of an actual presence? And that they actually enjoyed his company! They managed to assure me that he’s good and is the later that’s been trying to keep me from getting even more hurt and it’s just.. !!!

Also the fact that our mannerism/way of speaking/voice are completely different just... !!! It’s very new and sorta scary but also very good. He’s very much like a big brother and he’s apparently pretty funny in a dry way and just.. Mhhh! 

He even brushed our teeth and tried getting us ready for bed which is a wild change from Marma (our child alter) whose still afraid of walking and ruining the hardwork put into our surgery. 

[openmydiary]

Just Pinned to Admission Test: Sajek Valley Tour Resorts &Travel Guide Sajek Valley is one of the top tourist destinations of Bangladesh. No other place in Bangladesh is available like Sajek. It is the place where green Scenic beauty of hills wilderness playing with cloud will surely fill your mind with joy. For the natural beauty of Sajek valley it attracts the tourist. Every day thousands of people visit Sajek Valley to enjoy the beauty of nature. To facilitate the tourists Different Sajek Resorts are made there. Here we have described the tour guide of Sajek Valley Sajek Valley Location and Description Sajek Valley is situated in Sajek Union of Rangamati District. Sajek Valley is named after the name of Sajek River. Sajek river differentiates the Bangladesh and India. It is almost 2000 feet above the sea level and 80 Km away from the Khagrachari town. Beauty of Sajek Valley Road View of Sajek Valley There is no word which describes the beauty of Sajek Valley. The Dense forest mountains grasslands hilly areas have created an undefined beauty. When you are in the top picks Sajek Valley you will see the clouds are flying near you. You can touch it! This awesome moment will make you feel the view of heaven on the earth. The excitement of this cant be written. While traveling the Sajek you will see the thrilling beauty of nature. The roads pass like a snake. There are many small rivers on the way of the journey. The weather of Sajek changed frequently from Sunny moment to dense rain. People & Security Issue in Sajek Valley Standing in the Helipad Above the Cloud The people of Sajek are very friendly and welcoming manner.most of the people are Chakma Marma by religious beliefs. The families are maternal. women are engaged in economic activities. From agriculture to business households to outside women rules there. These hilly resident people are not fluent in Bangla language. But Youngs are capable of speaking English fluently. From the starting of the journey Bangladesh Army provides protection to the tourist. There are two resorts which are maintained by Bangladesh. So there is absolutely no problem with the security. How to go Sajek Valley from Dhaka Cloud In Sajek You can Touch Though Sajek Situate in Rangamati people love to travel via Khagrachari. Traveling via Khagrachari is the easiest way to visit Sajek.Several Bus Service available from Dhaka to Khagrachori. Bus rent starts from 500 BDT 1200 BDT depending on the service. If you want to visit directly through Dighinala then you have to choose Shanti Paribahan. There are many other buses like BRTC bus services Shanti Paribahan etc which drops you in Dighinala. After reaching the Khagrachari You have to visit Dighinala through CNG driven Vehicle or Four wheeler. It is wise to reserve the Vehicle because there is a scarcity of Vehicle. Sajek Valley Tour Cost From Dhaka Bangladesh Army Ensures the Security in Sajek To Reach from Dhaka Bus station to Sajek Valley it will cost around 1000-1200 BDT which is minimal. If you travel in a group it will save the cost. The food and accommodation are very cheap there. So if you want travel Sajek in Relax mood you should take 3000-4000 BDT for one-day tour plan . Food Cost and accommodation cost will be added if you stay more than one day. Sajek Valley Resort Cost Sajek Valley Resorts There are several resorts available in Sajek Valley. These resorts are governed by Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Border Guard. The minimal cost of Sajek Valley is about 700-1300 BDT per night. if you want luxurious facilities it will cost 10000 BDT to 15000 BDT double with all modern amenities. You can convince the villagers they will arrange you the accommodation with a small amount of money. Food of Sajek Local People of Sajek To take food you have to order before one or two hours before the .meal. All types of Bengali Cuisine are available there. It will cost around 120 BDT to 600 BDT according to the menu you have chosen. Recommendation to Sajek Travel Tour Some of the tourists suggest about the malaria prevention system while visiting Sajek. At night the temperature falls down to 20-22 degree Celsius. Sajak is not connected to the national grid system. Generator and Solar Electricity are available there. Bangladesh mobile operator Robi and Teletalk have the network there. So it is wise to take those sims if you want to communicate. Last words about Sajak Valley tour If you want to see the beauty of nature heavenly beauty on earth you have to visit Sajek Valley. Happy Tour to Sajek http://bit.ly/2UzmYi9

[citizentruth-blog]

Myanmar Officials Visit Muslim Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Amid Talks of Repatriation to Myanmar - ASIA/PACIFIC

New Post has been published on https://citizentruth.org/myanmar-muslim-rohingya-refugees-bangladesh/

Myanmar Officials Visit Muslim Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Amid Talks of Repatriation to Myanmar

Since August of 2017, over 700,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees have fled Myanmar and settled in refugee camps in Bangladesh. The Myanmar government just visited the refugee camps in an apparent effort to repatriate the refugees.

After a delayed process of Muslim Rohingya refugee repatriation, the Myanmar government sent officials to Bangladesh on Wednesday, posed to consult and encourage the return of hundreds of thousands to their home state.

Myanmar Minister for Social Welfare Win Myat Aye spent the first day of his visit at the Kutupalong refugee camp, speaking with families and Bangladesh officials, who turned over a list of 8,000 names who elected to return to their homeland.

The Bangladesh foreign affairs and home affairs ministries will use their time with Myat Aye to discuss the roadblocks and delays that led the Myanmar government to approve less than 500 of those applicants for repatriation, according to Myint Thu, permanent secretary of Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Aerial view of a burned Rohingya village in Rakhine state, Myanmar – September 2017

Why are Muslim Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar?

Since August 2017, about 700,000 individuals have left the northern Rakhine State and fled to Bangladesh. This exodus was spurred by a wave of persecution against the Muslim faith minority group in a majority Buddhist nation.

The Myanmar military publicly labels the persecution as a counterinsurgency, reactive and defensive in response to attacks on Buddhist police officers carried out by Rohingya Muslim rebels.

However, the fleeing families have shared stories of persistent rape, massacre, looting and complete destruction of the villages they called home.

Officially, Myanmar has denied most narrative accounts. In a rare event, the army announced on Tuesday that seven soldiers were sentenced to 10 years in jail for participating in the execution of 10 Rohingya Muslim men in September. This massacre was made public by a story published by Reuters, which resulted in the arrest of two Reuters Yangon-based journalists.

The majority of refugees who reached Bangladesh have moved into the Kutupalong refugee camp located along the coastal region bordering Myanmar, an area known as Cox’s Bazar.

A panoramic view of Cox’s Bazaar, where Rohingya refugees are now located. By John Owens (VOA) – SourceSource article, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58873776

Can Myanmar repatriate all 700,000 Muslim Rohingya refugees?

“The most important thing is to the start the repatriation process as soon as possible,” Myat Aye said when visiting Rohingya representatives at Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday. “We can overcome all of the difficulties.”

Bangladesh and Myanmar officials signed a bilateral agreement to work to repatriate the over half-million refugees months ago, and not one has successfully returned to Myanmar as of April.

Win Myat Aye credits the delays to logistical flaws in the repatriation application forms of the Muslim Rohingya Refugees.

“It didn’t turn out the way we expected it to,” Myat Aye said. “If the refugees had filled out the forms according to the agreement, the process would be faster than it is right now.”

New infrastructure and refugee processing centers have been constructed in the Rakhine State to house those returning, but there are also additional military bases on site, according to a report published by Amnesty International.

Some local councilors also suggested that there are Buddhist and Christian families from the ethnic Marma and Mro tribes being recruited from Bangladesh and paid to settle in the Rakhine state, in exchange for land and food provisions.

“They are going there to fill up the land vacated by the Rohingya who have left Burma (Myanmar),” local councilor Muing Swi Thwee told AFP news agency on April 2.

On Thursday, minister Myat Aye will travel to Dhaka and continue to discuss repatriation plans with the Bangladesh minister of foreign affairs.

  New Reports Argue the 2016 EU Turkey Refugee Deal Is A Failure

[marma-the-goblin]

I brought the fact up that i think that the fact they gave toothless a love intrest in httyd 3 was stupid to my roommates, and they both countered with things like, "He's an animal! He has instincts to find his mate!" And, "it's neen a running theme feom the first movie to find another nightfury!"

That's not the point? Movies have been pushing this lind of shit for so long. It's not the point that yeah, he's an animal and sure, he could have instincts to find a lady mate; it's that big companies like that like to push this hetoronormative nonsense onto kids. Why not make the next found nightfury his brother? Or sister? Or just flat out another one of his kind?

It's just... Annoying that they have to take the movies in this direction.

[reseau-actu]

Rights groups accuse Bangladesh army of covering up sex assault

Dhaka, Bangladesh - Rights groups as well as ordinary people have staged protests in Bangladesh to demand justice for the alleged rape of two teenaged girls belonging to the Marma ethnic minority group.

Hundreds of demonstrators descended recently on the streets of the Bangaldeshi capital, Dhaka, and in Rangamati - a small town in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region in country's southeast, where the Marma sisters, aged 19 and 14, were allegedly raped by members of security forces.

The reported assault on Yan Yan, a prominent female member of the country's persecuted Chakma population based in CHT, has further angered people.

Yan Yan, who holds the ceremonial title of Queen of the Chakma Circle, has been vocal aganst the sexual assault against the sisters.

A courtroom custody battle culminated in what local witnesses describe as the "forced abduction" of both sisters by the armed forces on February 15 on the orders of the High Court in Dhaka.

In response to the outcry, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Bangladesh has created a three-member probe committee that is planning to visit Rangamati soon to investigate the allegations.

Low-intensity conflict

The CHT shares borders with India and Myanmar, and has been the site, for decades now, of a low-intensity conflict between the region's 13 ethnic minorities on the one hand and Bangladesh's armed forces on the other hand.

The CHT, by virtue of its nominal autonomy within Muslim-majority Bangladesh, has a total of three circles, each headed by a ceremonial king - Yan Yan's husband Devashis Roy, a UK-trained lawyer who practices at the Bangladesh High Court, being one of them.

The alleged incident of alleged rape and sexual harassment of the Marma sisters occurred on January 22, several local residents and rights activists have told Al Jazeera.

A day later, they were admitted to the Rangamati District Hospital and were reportedly kept there under tight security and surveillance by the armed forces until their alleged abduction on February 15.

According to both Yan Yan and Roy, after the sisters were admitted to hospital, Yan Yan talked to them and the sisters told her they feared for their security and, thus, did not want to return to their home.

Instead they apparently appealed to the couple to take them under their protection.

Separately, the Marma sisters, whose parents cannot communicate in the Bengali language, also filed a police petition asking for their father to be given custody of them.

Multiple local residents and rights activists told Al Jazeera that on February 15, members of the police and armed forces stormed into the hospital and removed the two teenagers by force.

Yan Yan, who was present in the hospital that night with another volunteer when the police action occurred, told Al Jazeera that members of the armed forces and police - some in uniform and some in plain clothes - entered the room where the sisters were staying and, for all practical purposes, abducted them.

"When I protested, they threw me down on to the floor and started kicking me. At one point, the power line of the whole area was cut and they took away the girls in the dark," said Yan Yan, who has been fighting for the rights of ethnic minorities.

Missing Marma family

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Sayed Tariqul Hasan, Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Rangamati district, denied the accusations and insisted that the two teenagers went along willingly with the law-enforcement personnel.

He said the sisters were handed over to their parents on Thursday night (February 15).

According to local residents in Rangamati, however, the family members have yet to return home, adding that there was no trace of the Marma family so far.

Hasan, the police officer, said the family members were being kept in the house of Avilash Tanchangya, ex-chairman of the Farua Union Parishad (FUP), a local community leader in CHT.

The village where the sisters live is under the FUP.

"They are in safe hands now," said Hasan.

Minorities have been angered by the case of the Marma sisters [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]

Rohul Amin Sikder, additional superintendent of police (ASP), in charge of the District Special Branch (DSB), also confirmed the family is with Tanchangya.

However, Al Jazeera could not talk to Tanchangya to confirm the police accounts as he did not take phone calls and his house was heavily guarded by the police.

Sikder said police had cordoned Tanchangya's home under the instructions of the Bangladesh High Court, but when asked why the Marma family were not being allowed to go back to their own home, he replied: "I have no answer to that."

Human rights activists and friends of the Marma family say the parents have been "threatened by members of the armed forces" and that the entire family faces "grave danger now".

What is clear is that there is an information blackout on the case by law enforcement agencies.

As mentioned earlier, Yan Yan was one of the few people who were able to talk to the Marma sisters inside the heavily guarded Rangamati District Hospital on January 23.

The sisters were apparently able to give an account of their ordeal to Yan Yan in the Marma language, which the mostly Bengali law-enforcement officers could not understand.

Account of raid

Yan Yan later gave an interview to The Daily Star, the leading English language daily of Bangladesh, disclosing what the sisters had told her at the hospital.

Talking to Al Jazeera, Yan Yan said four men from the security forces entered the Marma family's home during a dawn raid on January 22.

Two of them entered the house where the two sisters and their seven-year-old brother were sleeping, Yan Yan said, put a gun to the girl's heads, and asked them not to make any sounds while they blindfolded them.

According to Yan Yan, the men took turns in raping the elder sister and sexually molesting the younger one, but when one of them attempted to rape the latter, she started screaming despite being warned to remain silent.

Al Jazeera spoke to a number of locals and learned that the parents and the elders of their village were called to the Farua army camp the next morning where they were asked not to discuss the matter in public.

However, the girls were taken to the Rangamati District Hospital on January 23 as the condition of the elder sister had deteriorated.

On the same day, members of the armed forces put the entire hospital under surveillance and barred outsiders from entering it.

Two days later, a local politician of Bangladesh's ruling Awami League named Russel Marma, held a press conference at Rangamati Press Club, where the parents and the brother of the two sisters spoke.

In a written statement, Russel Marma confirmed that a Bangladeshi army team was in operation in the area in question on January 22 and they heard the screams of a girl.

They saw a member of a village security force known as Ansar emerging from the Marma family's home.

A written statement issued at the end of the press conference did not use the Bengali term for rape but "nirjaton", which means torture.

The statement also said the Ansar force member was later caught by the armed forces and was handed over for departmental action.

Lieutenant colonel Mohammad Rashidul Hasan, Director of Inter Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR) - the authorised office for media communication for the Bangladesh armed forces - told Al Jazeera that the Ansar member in question is currently facing departmental action.

Hasan also said no member of armed forces was involved in the sexual assault on Marma sisters.

Ansar 'investigating'

Md Abdual Awal, Rangamati district commandant of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party, said "that particular Ansar member" has been withdrawn [from service] and an investigation is ongoing.

The police, for their part, said they were "investigating" the incident but did not elaborate.

Interestingly, the little brother present in the press conference said in Marma language that "not one, but two men, entered the room", and that the men were "wearing armed forces' uniform".

Several local rights activists, who did not want their names to be published, told Al Jazeera they believe the press conference was staged as a diversionary tactic.

Amnesty International, the international rights-advocacy group, has said that the Marma sisters' parents were picked up by uniformed men from the Farua army camp early on January 24, and that they have been under joint police-military custody ever since.

The press conference organised by Russel Marma was staged on the instructions of the army camp, it said.

Amnesty International is also in possession of a letter signed by the elder Marma sister, in which they both express their desire to be released [from the Rangamati District Hospital] into the custody of Roy, rather than to their family, because "her family have been subjected to intimidation by the army, and her home is the place where the rape took place".

On February 8, a petition was filed before Judge Jubair Rahman Chowdhury of the Bangladesh High Court by several human-rights activists demanding to know why the two sisters were not being released from the custody of the government.

On February 12, another petition was filed before a High Court bench headed by Justice Naima Haider Chowdhury to transfer the sisters to the custody of their father under police protection.

Validity questioned

Justice Haider Chowdhury has ordered that the Marma sisters be placed under the custody of their father under police protection.

However, an appeal has been made to the Court questioning the validity of Justice Haider Chowdhury's ruling on a petition while the hearing of the first petition was pending.

The Court decided to hold its hearing on the appeal on February 18.

Meanwhile, it issued a directive to the Rangamati District Hospital management; Hasan, the police SP; and the deputy commissioner (DC) of Rangamati district not to remove the Marma sisters from their current location [hospital].

However, in apparent violation of that order, the sisters were removed from the Rangamati District Hospital to another location on the night of February 15, sources told Al Jazeera.

Hasan denies there has been any violation of the Chamber Judge's order, telling Al Jazeera: "We had the High Court directive in our favour. The girls are with their parents now."

Following the February 15 incident, human right activist Sultana Kamal filed another petition with the Supreme Court seeking stay on the High Court order.

The Supreme Court on February 22 asked the High Court to hear and settle off the rule by six weeks regarding the confinement of two sisters.

Article complet: Al Jazeera English — https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/02/bangladesh-minorities-bid-cover-army-sex-assault-180217110336276.html