#particularly in regard to the religious aspect

[syringavillosa]

It was common in the Middle Ages for the hearts and intestines of kings to be interred separately. This allowed them to be memorized and prayed for in multiple places, serving to attempt to solidify their legacies as well as to better help them along in the afterlife.

Richard I’s body is interred near Saumur, his intestines in Châlus, and his heart in Rouen.

Tbh I'm more surprised that King John and Richard ARE real

I thought all of it was stories

You can visit Richard’s tomb in France and John’s tomb in Worcestershire.

Also Richard’s heart was buried separately from him. Not sure why. They’ve done forensic analysis of it.

[washeduphazbin]

Adam NSFW Alphabet

Here ya go, ya filthy simps.

First time doing a nsfw alphabet so if it’s … bad I’m sorry. Lmk how to improve tho

--Minors DNI--

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

At the beginning of the relationship, I don't think this man knew what aftercare was; I mean, there's a reason Lilith left him. Let's be honest. It would take a learning curve and a lot of explaining from you about your needs after sex until he'd realize how important it really was.

Once he got the idea down, he'd be religious with it every time after sex, he'd ask, "What the fuck you needed to feel extra sexy."

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

What isn't his favorite body part? Toss up between Boobs, Ass, and Thighs, he loves them all. If you held a gun to his head, he'd say your boobs, big or small, he would NOT CARE. He wants them in his mouth.

Small boobie queens, he'd squeeze them like little stress balls when he's annoyed or anxious.

Big boobie queens, pillows. Need I say more. Calls them bazoingas unironically.

Type of guy to stand next to you talking to Lute and reach out and just squeeze your tits, letting out a HONK. Lute would roll her eyes with a snicker as you flushed, while Adam would look at you with the biggest shit-eating grin.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

This guy's cum is thick. milky and warm.

Beads at the tip when you turn him on and likes to cum deep inside you, filling you entirely or on your tits or ass.

Will stare hotly as both your cum spills out of you, as you whimper and whine, usually making him ready for round two.

When you suck him off, he enjoys watching it spill from your lips instead of you swallowing.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Adam has one main secret (idk if it qualifies as dirty) but enjoys genuine praise for things he feels proud of accomplishing. It's not like you praising him for exterminating sinners; it's just simple, innocent praise when he does something particularly sweet for you.

A big softie, but only in private and only to you.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

He's a fuckboy. Sorry, not sorry, he just is. HOWEVER, it doesn't mean he is a star at sex. He's decent at first, but there's a reason Lucifer stole two of his wives. His biggest gripe was he didn't want to reciprocate head, but you broke him off that relatively quick when you squeezed your thighs around his skull for the first time, practically double-killing him.

It was fuckin' hot.

You both have a lot to learn, but you learn together, and the sex is still angelic.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

He has two:

He enjoys cowboy/girl because he's lazy and likes to watch your tits bounce in front of his face.

He also enjoys doggy style, so he can see your ass bounce as he pounds into you, biting your ass cheeks as he goes and slapping.

G = Goofy (are they more severe in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Goofy. He does not shut his mouth; he always has something to say as he's getting intimate with you. It's safe to say he never stops talking, which means he's very vocal about moans, whines, and grunts. It's safe to say he has no filter regarding you.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Pretty basic, but the carpet matches the drapes. However, he could be better- groomed. It's safe to say he's definitely hairy, not just there but all over.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

Although Adam is definitely more goofy, as discussed earlier, I think sex is intimate and essential to him. While he can be silly, he works his ass and dick off to make sure it's the best sex you've ever had. Oddly enough, when he's alone with you and in a soft mood, he always romantically initiates sex.

Slow and sensual kisses lead to heated make-outs and biting before turning into more.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

I think Adam is on the more hypersexual side of the spectrum if you see sex as a spectrum like I tend to. So, if you're not around for some reason, he will probably be cranking one out sometimes more than once a day. Honestly, even if you are around and you're not feeling sex at the moment, he'll pout, but ultimately, go watch whatever heavens' equivalent to porn.

(or videos he's recorded of the two of you ;) )

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

I think Adam would have three main kinks:

Breeding - "All of humanity came from this dick."

Mommy Kink - need I explain more? Dominant women are such a significant turn-on for him; one look when you're in Dommy Mommy mode, and he's on his knees.

Role-Play- If you don't think he'd make you cosplay and act like Sinner who is trying to redeem themselves just for him to role play fucking redemption into you, your opinion is just incorrect. Sorry.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Anywhere and Everywhere. He doesn't care; if people see good let them know you're both hot as fuck. They're probably green with envy.

His favorite place, though, is on his desk in his office. The thrill of getting caught lights a fire in him that can't be snuffed out without burying himself in your cunt.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

I feel like we discussed this one a lot, but I can add a few more. When you're mad at something Hell did or another resident of Heaven. Also, when defending him, think of the "He asked for no pickles" meme, but it's you asking for Adam.

Oh, and of course, you are in any type of lingerie, punk rock, or revealing clothing.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

Piss, Poop, ya know the classics. He'd also never want to seriously hurt you, maybe a light slap here and there, maybe a little choking, but if he ever hurts you in the act, he's flaccid so quick and on you like a mother hen.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

As stated earlier, his preference is receiving; he loves the way you look between his thighs and his thick cock in your mouth. Drool and pre-cum leaking from your lips.

But he has gotten more open to giving and isn't...great, but you're teaching him how to work his tongue and fingers.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

He sets a fast and rough pace, hits you deep in your canal, and kisses your cervix, almost like he's trying to hit your womb. He's a feral beast honestly once he starts fucking you and it'd take an act of God to get him to stop.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

All the time though not super preferred, He likes to tease you as much as he can before letting you cum, but most of the time you have sex, it's out of the house. It's a constant struggle to keep your hands off one another and, more often than not, sneak off for a quick fuck somewhere before rejoining a meeting, hangout or if Adam needs immediate stress relief.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

So long as it's not on his list of hard no's, I feel like Adam will try anything once if you ask. He's for sure a risk taker and wants you to challenge him with something new, but in the end prefers classic sex.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

He can last only two rounds, but they usually last. A very long time because he likes to be a little shit.

T = Toys (do they own toys or use them on a partner or themselves?)

He does not own toys, and if you have them and use them, he will absolutely be jealous of them and attempt to make you trash them. But if you say no, he'll respect it. Just be extremely salty.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Oh, he's a brat. It is so unfair that it will test you pretty much through the entire process. He enjoys seeing how much he can overstimulate and edge you before he finally fucks you raw.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

So fucking loud. God bless your neighbors if you have any. His groans and moans could shake the entire house, and your whines, whimpers, and pleas for 'harder' aren't any better.

He also laughs a lot.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

I think he loves to mark you up to prove to everyone that you are his and his alone. I think it would start with a shit ton of hickies, then a joke from Lute saying he should just collar you until he actually does. It's classy and elegant, matches his angelic robes, and has spikes.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

So I absolutely headcanon him with a dad bod (sorry, not sorry); I think he also has significant arm and chest hair and a particularly drool-worthy happy trail. He's squishy and you love it even though he can be a little insecure about it at times, you just tell him you love him no matter his shape or size.

He is your Teddy Bear.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

HYPERSEXUAL. HIGH. THIS MAN WANTS SOME FUCK.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

Passes out quickly afterward and can't go more than two rounds max. Likes to sleep right after but has learned to check on you first before passing out on your tits or chest.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

More Words related to Mythology

to include in your next poem/story

Apathēs - Literally, “without suffering.” Concept frequently applied to God or the gods, who, being immutable, do not experience emotions, particularly anger.

Asebeia - “Impiety”; show of disrespect to religious images or rituals. Punishable by death in Athens in the 5th and 4th centuries C.E.

Daimōn - Greek word for god, sometimes synonymous with theos, at other times indicating lower divinities, or intermediaries between gods and mortals. Can be benign or malicious; note Christian treatment of daimōn as an evil being—whence “demon.”

Demiourgos - Plato’s term for the creator who first designed the cosmos according to the forms, then created a physical world that accords with the design.

Eleusinian Mysteries - Yearly ritual in honor of Demeter and Persephone. The ceremonies, involving initiation into the cult of the goddesses, were regarded as mysteries, and were supposed to be kept secret on pain of a charge of impiety.

Epistēmē - “Knowledge”; for Plato the objects of epistēmē were the ideas/ forms; the sensible world was not knowable in the true sense, as it was constantly changing.

Golden Age - Motif of an age at beginning of time when humans lived a life of ease and bliss.

Katabasis - Literally, “a going down, descent”; motif of the descent of a living hero into Hades.

Mimēsis - “Imitation, representation.” Process used in art and literature of rendering a subject as lifelike as possible.

Psychē - Greek for “soul.” In Homer psyche refers to the shades of the dead in Hades. In Greek philosophy, beginning with Heraclitus, psyche refers to soul of living person. Encompasses both mental and emotional aspects of the human makeup; often identified with the self.

From "The Anatomy of Myth: The Art of Interpretation from the Presocratics to the Church Fathers" by Michael Herren

Another List of Words related to Mythology ⚜ More: Word Lists

[rmstitanics]

* GENERAL OBSERVATIONS, PART THREE.

ASTEROIDS & CELESTIAL BODIES

ASTEROID ORPHEUS (3361) CONJUNCT CHIRON may represent one who looks to their past for creative inspiration. They’ll often use their preferred form of art in an attempt to understand traumatizing events or process any emotions that may still linger.

ASTEROID APOLLO (1862) in the 8H could signify an individual who enjoys creating or consuming media about controversial and dark topics.

When I see ASTEROID PANDORA (55) in the 10H, I immediately wonder whether the individual with this placement has experienced some sort of chaos or crises regarding their public image. Maybe they’ve had traumatic experiences with their main circle of friends, or maybe they’ve even received some level of backlash on social media for a flawed interaction. Whatever these natives have endured, they probably yearn to control public perception of their character in an attempt to prevent misunderstandings.

Check which house ASTEROID ARISTOTELES (6123) is located in within your natal chart to find where you crave the most knowledge and wisdom! As an example, I have my Aristoteles asteroid in the 8H of transformative experiences, death, and “taboo” topics — and I’m now a practicing divination witch who enjoys paranormal investigation.

Due to difficulty with turning intuitive ideas into real achievements, 9H CHIRON individuals might find the process of outlining an essay or project to be particularly challenging. They’re the types of students who change their thesis a bunch of times before a paper’s due date.

PLANETS IN SIGNS & HOUSES

SATURN 1H placements might have people pleasing tendencies at some point in their lives due to a fear of never meeting others’ expectations.

SAGITTARIUS SATURNS likely grew up in households where one or both parents was strict and / or religious. The challenge awaiting these folks in life is to pursue exploration of knowledge outside of what was taught to them in their youth. They probably enjoy philosophy or history, and could possibly grow up to be spiritual but not religious.

LEO MERCURY placements, was your writing style ever described as “flowery” by your teachers or fellow students before? Because this placement TOTALLY gives me the vibes of a flowery and dramatic writing style.

One could theoretically use their JUPITER placement to discover two things: 1) The field of study where they have experienced the most growth throughout their academic career and / or 2) their best academic subject. To do this, look at Jupiter’s degrees and house. I have CANCER JUPITER placed in the 9TH HOUSE in my chart, and I absolutely adore law, history, and philosophy! However, I’ve had to undergo the most growth in Cancerian concepts such as life skills in the home and actively listening to others.

CAPRICORN JUPITERS are prone to having a “the end justifies the means��� philosophy when it comes to achieving their goals. They also might struggle with perspective taking / putting themselves in others’ shoes, particularly when they perceive the individual in question as someone outside of what they consider “normal”.

6H MOONS strike me as the type who love being around animals MUCH more than they love being around people, especially if the majority of their personal planets are in a water sign.

ASPECTS

SUN SQUARE URANUS indicates memorable students whose teachers / professors will remember them for many years to come.

Hard MERCURY-PLUTO aspects could struggle with maintaining a consistent routine for studying, especially if Mercury is in retrograde in the chart.

MERCURY TRINE JUPITER placements LOVE yapping in class, but it’ll either be with their peers while the teacher is talking or by frequent class participation. If you’re the class participation type, you’ve probably had a teacher say “does anyone OTHER than (your name) know the answer?” before 😭

Although this placement does make for great activists who are not afraid to call out injustice when they see it, LILITH CONJUNCT MERCURY folks NEED to prioritize being tactful due to a natural tendency to bluntly say whatever’s on their mind with no filter.

SATURN-NEPTUNE aspects need to practice intense discernment when it comes to politics — fact check everything and don’t just believe everything you see / hear on the internet or news without taking the time to research it for yourself!

Hard ASCENDANT-SUN aspects tend to be noticeably different people in public versus private spaces. Your first impression of them will likely be VERY different from the truth of the person that they are behind closed doors.

MIDHEAVEN OPPOSITE VENUS placements are amazingly creative individuals whose art may play a major role in their own identity, but they simultaneously might have a major fear of sharing that art with others. Peer review in class is an absolute NIGHTMARE for them.

[ms-taurusvenus]

Astro Notes

The naives have a RBF and features of a Scorpio rising would by having Ascendent-Pluto aspects. 

9H placements frequently create and attempt to locate the deeper meaning of even the most basic things.

Scorpio placements and those with aspects to Pluto tend to be accused of envy.

7H Venuses typically wed in private and detest the thought of a lavish ceremony. Their weddings also tend to be more understated, with the bride and groom dressing in more casual or straightforward apparel as opposed to how many other couples make a big deal out of what they wear. Examples include: Cardi B, Adrianna Lima, Bruno Mars, Kurt Cobian, Ryan Golsing, etc. When you search for these celebrities' weddings, you frequently find that they either have few to no photos from their ceremony or that it was a modest affair.

Scorpio, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Gemini men look fantastic with dyed or bleached hair.

Cancer, Taurus, Libra, and Virgo placements typically hug the best.Cancer placements frequently hold on until you release them from the hug.

Tips for arguing with a Virgo Mars 101: Prove. Them. Wrong. Even if you're in the wrong, attempt to pull something out of your ass and hope it works if you still want to win the debate.

9H Chiron may have religious trauma.

Sun in Capricorn x Fire Moon motivates the naive to work tirelessly and ambitiously toward their goals.

Aquarius and Leo placements (particularly Moon & Ascendent) are always significant and important in some way, whether they're famous or not.

People with Taurus and Cancer placements frequently find it quite easy to fall asleep.

People who have placements in the 7H, 8H, and 12H frequently generate envy in others.

A lot of well-known, successful football players have a weak Mars; this only goes to show that just because someone has a weak Mars doesn't mean they aren't driven, determined, or as strong as someone with a strong Mars. Examples include Diego Maradona (Cancer Mars), Lionel Messi (Cancer Mars), Pele (Libra Mars), and Kylian Mbappe (Libra Mars).

Ask a Gemini or someone with perdominate Gemini placements if you want recommendations for fantastic movies or TV shows.

Until you meet a Virgo Lilith, you don't understand what a perfectionist is. They put a lot of effort into making sure everything is done carefully and to the best of their ability.

Pisces placements nails are frequently quite attractive, long, and strong.

People with the Libra and Leo placements are sweethearts and are frequently regarded as loving and kind by others.

Many Aries Venuses wait until later in life to get married. They also tend to not want to get married until later in life as well.

Despite having better options, a toxic or unsuitable spouse, or being dissatisfied in a relationship, Pisces placements tend to only date those with whom they feel comfortable.

Uranus-Jupiter transits may indicate pregnancy.

Taurus Venuses are incredibly devoted to their lovers, but that doesn't mean they can't let go of their ex-partners and move on. In fact, many Taurus Venuses are able to and do do.

[guxciestone]

✧ CELEBRITY BIRTH CHART ANALYSIS ✧

— ariana grande.

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hii !! today, i am going to analyze ariana grande’s birth chart. this was recommended by an ask, and i’ve spent a long while making this post. so, i hope you enjoy and have a nice day !! 🌿✨‎ ‎ ‎

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Ariana Grande-Butera was born on June 26, 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida. She is an influential figure in contemporary popular music and has established herself as an ultimate pop icon, mostly known for her four-octave vocal range and whistle register. Ariana started as a theater kid, making her debut on Broadway in 2008 in Jason Robert Brown’s ‘13’. Over time, she begins to make her way as a Nickelodeon actor, primarily known for ‘Victorious’ (from 2010-13) and ‘Sam and Cat’ (2013-14)--a spin-off of the popular characters Cat Valentine and Sam Puckett from ‘iCarly’. Grande’s acting career gets put to a halt during the run of ‘Sam and Cat’ when she begins to focus on her music career and establishes herself as a certified music artist. Ariana’s first album “Yours Truly” came out on August 30, 2013. Ariana Grande’s most popular songs include “7 Rings”, “Thank U, Next”, “Side to Side”, “Dangerous Woman”, “Into You”, and “Positions”. She has achieved seven number one’s on the billboards and two grammy’s along with several other awards thus far.

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she identifies as:

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ a cancer sun, libra moon, and capricorn rising.

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❀ her personality ❀

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Sun square Moon indicates that Ariana has an internal struggle between her core values and emotional values. With her Sun in Cancer in the 6th, Grande is an individual who seeks comfortability and homeliness in her daily routines, responsibilities, and sense of duty. She has a nurturing, sweet, and soft-hearted nature. She could be particularly invested in family and friends and is more than likely always making efforts to be there for them at all times; however, with her Moon in Libra in the 9th house, Ariana also desires to achieve balance, tranquility, and pleasure in her life through learning new things, intaking more knowledge, and seeking new things in the world. She may be particularly spiritual and could be invested in the religious aspects in life more than others. Ariana Grande is always mentioning the law of attraction, and she even has multiple songs singing about he manifested her fame and fortune. Nonetheless, it seems like she seems to be struggling with integrating one of the two. This could particularly be about religious factors; perhaps she grew up in a religious family and she broke away from those doctrines and created her own sense of spirituality. Or perhaps she struggles to keep family close while also striving for spiritual and intellectual abundance and experiences. This aspect is also prominent in natives whose parents have separated.

Her ascendant ruler in the 2nd house immediately shows that Grande has a strong sense of self-worth and adequacy. She could hold herself to a high regard and have the ability to attract anything she wants with just a snap of a finger, because she easily attracts nice things when she begins to value herself just as much. Her capricorn ascendant shows she appears to have a mature, responsible, and respectable personality on the first impression. She has a petite figure, and she looks amazingly youthful for her age which is common amongst capricorn ascendants. Not to mention, she has a sarcastic yet humorous and charismatic nature that others seem to love about her with her venus trine ascendant. It is easier for Ariana to dress herself in a dominating yet attractive way to which others are pulled towards her, but also in awe of her glamor and prestige–she is able to maintain a signature while keeping it alluring, which I have also noticed in capricorn ascendant celebrities.

With her Venus in Taurus in the 4th house, this indicates that Grande had a pleasurable, practical, and secure childhood. She did grow up with money. Her mother, Joan Grande, was a CEO of a manufacturing company; and her father, Edward Grande, owned a graphic design firm. With this placement correlating to her ascendant, it seems that anyone would take notice of this luxurious air about her even without the fame.

Sun square Jupiter gives Ms. Grande a flamboyant, humorous, and entertaining personality. She is a delight to be around and has a distinctive charm that attracts people from different corners. She is magnetic and not afraid to take up space in any room she lands in. This aspect often promises a great sense of confidence and self-assurance. She has a comforting yet fair personality that others are attracted by with the Libra and Cancer influence in this aspect. However, this aspect could indicate arrogance and an overly spontaneous character. Grande has a decent confidence in herself, but there may be times in which she takes quick risks due to her nature of knowing that things always go right for her. This could also point to an inflated ego and entitlement.

With Neptune conjunct ascendant, Ariana appears as a compassionate, kind, and giving individual on the first impression. Others are often mystified by her, and this aspect could also indicate glamorization and idolization from others. In extreme cases, individuals with strong Neptunian placement could attract copycats. Ariana Grande has endured many conveniences up to this day of multiple fans replicating her style, mannerisms, and singing. Additionally, Grande has undergone many subtle changes in her physical appearance and style over the years–and Uranus conjunct ascendant only magnifies that. Ariana has a unique style (such as the iconic signature ponytail, long sweaters that she wears over her hands, and the long boots) She has gone under the needle before, and she has abruptly changed her fashion many times over the years. In my opinion, she looks far different from when she first came into the limelight; that is the definition of neptune and uranus-ascendant energy.

Sun sextile Mars indicates that Grande has an unshakable determination, ambition, and courage. Considering that her sun is in cancer in the 6th house, she dedicates her core values to serving her duties, working, and being disciplined in her routine and obligations. She could dedicate her work to providing for her family or making her loved ones happy. Along with her mars in virgo in the 8th house, she also dedicates herself to her deepest and vulnerable desires. She strives for material possessions and merging herself with her earnings. This aspect could make her fairly materialistic, but that is what motivates her. Not to mention, Ariana has immense sex appeal, and her partners may find it attractive how hardworking and driven she is.

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❀ her relationships ❀

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With Chiron in Leo in the 7th house, Ariana could have a personal wound or trauma surrounding expressing her creativity, inner child, and authentic self in her interpersonal relationships. This placement is also prominent in individuals who are either entirely uncomfortable or unapologetic in bringing their personal connections to light or public attention–we are literally talking about a girl who made an extremely popular song about her roster of exes. However, Grande, when younger, may have struggled with finding herself in her romantic connections with her partners; over time, she may find that with each lover she figures out a new aspect of herself and her personal identity. She seems to be the type of individual who truly transforms and grows after being in a connection with someone, and we can see that in her relationships with other celebrities such as Mac Miller or Big Sean.

With Venus square Chiron, there is a deep wound surrounding love, self-esteem, and pleasure. With Venus in Taurus in the 4th house, the wound specifically indicates that Grande struggles with feeling secure or stable in her interpersonal connections. It may be that she is not entirely sure what she hopes to find in a long-term partner, someone who she feels comfortable being with for the long run. This could be due to the feeling as if she is not allowed to express herself properly or be her individualistic self. Considering that Grande has been in several relationships–on top of that, there are speculations that she has partaken in infidelity multiple times and left her ex-husband Dalton for another man–this isn’t surprising personally. Furthermore, there is also this itching feeling that nothing or no one is ever enough, or she isn’t enough.

Ariana is an imaginative, idealistic, compassionate, and creative lover with Venus trine Neptune. She seeks the magical and elusive side of romance, beauty, and art. With Neptune in her 1st house, Grande adores incorporating bedazzling, whimsical, and shimmering designs in her fashion and aesthetic. Furthermore, she is obviously musically and artistically talented as well. She may even like decorating her home in a dream-like and adorable way too because it makes her feel safe and sound with Venus in Taurus the 4th. She could more than likely attract musicians, artists, and friendly individuals (like herself) and for the worst, she may attract addicts or victimizing partners.

Grande is an electrifying, exciting, and spontaneous partner with Venus trine Uranus. She seeks thrill and unpredictability in her love life and in her partners too. She may be particularly interested in partners who are somewhat different from her or partners no one would expect her to be with. Uranus is the planet of the futuristic aesthetic, and I noticed that Ariana is fixated with planets, space, sleep, and that galactic type of style–especially in her songs such as NASA, R.E.M, and etc. Her makeup line also has a futuristic vibe to it as well; most of her makeup products are all very bright, metallic, and glittery colors.

Chiron square Pluto indicates that Grande has suffered major and long-term traumas and wounds, especially in regards to her interpersonal relationships and experiencing them in the public eye with Chiron in the 7th and Pluto in Scorpio in the 10th. She dealt with the death of her grandpa, her ex-boyfriend, and several fans in the Manchester bombing. These wounds are truly embellished in her image as a figure, but also in her identity because these events are integral to her and her character. This aspect could indicate someone who deals with extreme paranoia, anxiety, or depression. She allegedly suffered PTSD and anxiety from everything that happened; she also mentioned she has been put through therapy for years, and it saved her life multiple times.

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❀ her talents ❀

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With Ariana’s 5th house ruler trine Pluto, she has the ability to determine when people are genuine or superficial, especially when it comes to her career status and success with her Mercury in Cancer in the 7th house. She holds her loved ones and personal relationships close, and often has a small group of friends whom she can trust. She could stick to a certain group of people for an extremely long time. Her intuition is heightened, and it is easy for her to see who is good or bad for her, especially since she has already experienced several traumatic circumstances in her career such as stalkers, copycats, etc.

North node in Sagittarius in the 11th house indicates that Grande has been given the special ability to expand her horizons, learn more knowledge, and live life full of excitement through connecting and building with her community, pursuing her hopes and dreams, and advocating for liberation of her desires. Ariana may be particularly popular in this lifetime–easily being able to gain friendships, develop professional relationships, and meet unique kinds of people. Ariana needs to learn how to be open towards meeting different people than her usual circle and be willing to learn and expand her experiences through traveling, indulging in cultures, and much more.

Ariana has a water grand trine, occurring in her sun, midheaven, and saturn. This indicates that she has a notable ability in tuning into her emotions, inner world, and vulnerable spots to transform them into a creative talent and express them successfully to an audience and gain professional success and build a significant legacy throughout her life.

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❀ her legacy and image ❀

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With Pluto in Scorpio in the 10th house, Ariana is a powerful, intense, and ambitious individual. She would mostly find her transforming and changing abruptly through her public image, how she moves through her professional life, and her legacy/success. Furthermore, she could be particularly secretive, paranoid, and observant in the matters of the people and what she puts out there for others to see. This placement often indicates that her traumas and wounds could derive from her public image and career. With Venus in Taurus in the 4th opposition Pluto, Grande, at some point, may have felt as though her sense of comfort and security may have been threatened due to the harsh events surrounding her endeavors. Perhaps she may have thought her family or loved one’s safety may have been at risk. It makes complete sense because Grande had a long-time stalker that would break into her home; anyone would feel unsafe if that happened to them.

Ariana Grande appears to be a hardworking, assertive, and dominant individual in the public eye with her Mars in Virgo in the 8th house square Pluto. She is persistent and always will strive to work towards her goals and achievement despite anyone or anything that gets in her way. It is possible that at some point, or maybe even now, she is a huge workaholic. However, her strong desire to achieve could make her someone who is also incredibly domineering–wiping out anyone or anything that threatens her chance for success. She may even be this way with her partners, becoming clingy or possessive, struggling with letting them go. She has an entire song called “needy”. Additionally, her sexual image is quite unique. She is viewed as fairly sexually expressive, but she has a delicate and sweet way of expressing it–we can see that in her songs such as “34 + 35” and “nasty”.

Ariana is partially known for her interesting, yet tragic and well-publicized love life and relationships with her Chiron in Leo in the 7th house square Pluto. Others view her as someone who has endured the worst in losing a loved one through addiction, experiencing the horrible deaths of her fans firsthand, and dealing with the loss of a family member.

Saturn trine Midheaven indicates that Grande has a solid, secure, and successful career due to her persistent, ambitious work ethic and her creative and imaginative character with her Saturn in Pisces at the 0 degree. It shows that she truly used manifestation, her vision, spirituality, and her artistic nature to get to where she is today. Furthermore, there wouldn’t be a surprise if she was interested in meditation and journaling.

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❀ ariana’s fame degrees ❀

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— basing off of my fame degrees post

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Grande has multiple 20th degrees in her chart, placed in her uranus, neptune, and venus; the 20th degree is the degree of fame that is extremely unbelievable that the public eye may consider the native to be apart of witchcraft, the occult, illuminati, or any other spiritual practices to get their amount of fame and fortune.

She also has the 11th degree in her north node in sagittarius; the 11th degree is the degree of fame that is earned through humanitarianism, giving back, and doing selfless acts. Grande is huge on women empowerment, body positivity, and LGBTQ rights. Additionally, she has contributed to multiple charities and organizations in the past.

Ariana has a couple of 5th degrees in her chart, placed in her sun and jupiter; the 5th degree is the degree of viral or short-term fame, fame that lasts only for a hot minute.

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[serpentface]

Palo and Tigran standing casually in place to provide an outfit reference.

They are wearing the most typical day to day clothing for Galenii monks. This consists of three main parts:

-A simple, ankle-length sleeveless robe (white in initiate monks and black in the fully initiated). -A dark woolen cloak, which doubles as a blanket. This cloak is the foundational item of clothing throughout much of Imperial Wardin as a whole, and worn by all social classes. They tend to be cut shorter and highly decorative in the upper classes, serving only the practical purpose of shielding the arms from the sun. Poor laborers may wear only the cloak and a loincloth and nothing else. In the case of Galenii monks, it is standardized, simple, and dark blue-gray. -The sash. This is a very long scarf that is the primary visual signifier of a Galenii monk. Its open ends drape down the front side of the body and are tied at the chest. It is slung over the shoulders and hangs in a loop around the back. These sashes are dyed an expensive royal blue, indicating the significance and relative esteemed status of this religious order.

Additional elements:

-The sign of the horns: a small iron pin used to fasten the cloak. This is the symbol of the Lunar Face Of God (the specific aspect to which the Galenii are devoted, which is primarily associated with fertility and the cycles of sacrifice and rebirth). This is very common among monks but not standardized wear. Galenii priests wear the sign of the triple horns (though more commonly as an amulet).

-Ear piercings: Galenii monks and priests wear thick earrings of dark meteoric iron and stretch their earlobes. One is added to each ear for each year of the initiatory process. Palo is a year in, and Tigran is fully initiated and has five bands per ear. Body modification is exceptionally rare in Imperial Wardi culture, largely in relation to taboos surrounding body integrity. The exception here is done with great significance and care- these earrings can be made only with true meteoric iron, considered to be the blood of God Itself. Permanently marking their bodies with this metal signifies this priesthood's integral connection to maintaining the continual cycle of sacrifice/rebirth that is believed to keep God's domain stable, and binds them to this role.

-Sandals: usually very simple in construction. Monks are often expected to go barefoot, but the cities are quite dirty so most prefer to avoid this if possible.

-Ceremonial dagger: a sign of a fully initiated monk. It is curved and its sheath is decorated with a tuft of lion's mane (a signal of the Galenii order's close connection to the Odonii order). Most of its uses are ceremonial, but it will be periodically used to perform animal sacrifices. A smaller razor blade is kept in the home for personal bloodletting.

-Hair: Fully initiated monks shave their heads, while those in the process of initiation have relative freedom with hair dressing. Palo is wearing his hair in a single braid tucked around the front. Broadly speaking, braiding the hair is associated with female beauty standards throughout much of Imperial Wardin (though generally in two braids). There is no cultural convention Against men doing so, but it is regarded as mildly effeminate (particularly in the south and southeast).

-Lore Friendly Sunglasses: Palo has photosensitive epilepsy. No effective treatments for epilepsy exist in the setting (most 'treatments' in Imperial Wardin are alchemical in nature, ie: ambiguously helpful at best or literal poison at worst), but understanding of the Nature of epilepsy as a neurological disorder is relatively accurate, and the concept of photosensitivity is loosely understood (though not with great accuracy, it's assumed to be caused by light in General). Palo had this pair of (VERY expensive) sunglasses commissioned as a youth, which Do slightly reduce the frequency of his seizures. Devastatingly stylish as they may be, his glasses do not offer much visual clarity so he only wears them in bright conditions.

[howtomuslim]

The Rights of Non-Muslims Under Sharia Law

Sharia law is often misunderstood, especially regarding its treatment of non-Muslims. However, the Sharia has a rich tradition of pluralism, allowing non-Muslims such as Christians and Jews to follow their own laws while living in Muslim-majority societies.

1. Pluralism Under Sharia: A Historical Perspective

Sharia law is not a monolithic system but rather a framework that has historically embraced justice. Within Islamic societies, non-Muslims, particularly “People of the Book” (Christians and Jews), were allowed to practice their religion freely and follow their own legal systems concerning personal matters like marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error.” (Quran 2:256)

This verse underscores that faith is a personal choice and that people should be allowed to practice their religion without coercion.

2. Dhimmi Status: Protection, Responsibilities, and Benefits

Non-Muslims living under Islamic rule were given the status of “dhimmi,” which granted them protection and certain rights in exchange for the payment of jizya, a tax levied on non-Muslim citizens. The jizya was not merely a tax but a means to ensure the safety and protection of non-Muslims in a Muslim-majority state. It also exempted them from military service, which was obligatory for able-bodied Muslim men.

A lesser-known aspect of the jizya is that it also contributed to providing pensions and other benefits to non-Muslims. This system ensured that non-Muslims were cared for in the state, particularly in old age or during times of need.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emphasised the sanctity of the protection given to non-Muslims:

“Whoever kills a mu’ahid (a person who is granted the pledge of protection by the Muslims) shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise…” (Sahih Bukhari 3166)

“If somebody harms a disbeliever that’s living under the protection of the Muslims, they have harmed me; if they have harmed me, they have harmed God.” — Prophet Muhammed, Peace be Upon him

Islamic law does not allow for double standards when it comes to justice. Non-Muslims have the right to seek justice if they are wronged by a Muslim. Historical examples show that even the highest leaders, like Caliph Ali and Caliph Umar ibn Abdulaziz, upheld the rights of non-Muslims, ensuring that justice was served when a non-Muslim was wronged.

For instance, during Caliph Ali’s time, a Muslim who killed a non-Muslim was brought to justice, and the non-Muslim’s family was given the choice to demand the death penalty or accept compensation. Islamic Governance made sure everyone was responsible for their actions and justice was served.

3. Legal Autonomy: Non-Muslims and Their Laws

One of the most remarkable aspects of the Sharia’s application is its respect for the legal autonomy of non-Muslim communities. Non-Muslims were allowed to maintain their religious laws and customs in matters of personal status. This legal pluralism was practiced in various Islamic states, where Christian, Jewish, and other religious communities had their courts and legal systems.

“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way…” (Quran 5:48)

4. The Role of Jizya in Social Welfare

Non-Muslims under Sharia law were required to pay a tax called jizya (often being lower than the 2.5% tax on the wealth of Muslims paid towards charity yearly). However, this tax was a system that provided benefits, including protection and exemption from military service and those who would be burdened to pay it were exempted from paying it. Furthermore, certain groups, such as Christian monks who dedicated their lives to worship, were even exempted from paying the jizya, showing the flexibility and fairness of the system.

In contrast to modern taxation, where everyone must contribute regardless of their role in society, Islamic law recognised the unique circumstances of different communities and adjusted its requirements accordingly.

The Jizya was used not only for the administration and protection of the state but also to provide pensions and social services and support for those in need, including the elderly and disabled non-Muslims. This practice ensured that non-Muslims were not only protected but also cared for, reflecting the Islamic commitment to justice.

“O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” (Quran 5:8)

The positive effects of this system can be seen during the time of Umar ibn Abd-Alaziz, poverty was wiped out, justice was deeply woven into the society and the animals were fed with the surplus food and wealth as they were seen as also a part of the responsibilities of the Caliph.

There are numerous historical examples of Islamic leaders advocating for the rights of non-Muslims. For instance, the scholar Taqi al-Din famously negotiated with the Tartar leaders to secure the release of both Muslim and non-Muslim prisoners of war, demonstrating that Islamic justice extends beyond the Muslim community.

To learn more about Islam visit: howtomuslim.org

[planet-gay-comic]

Male Relationships at the Court of the King of Dahomey Between Loyalty, Politics, and Intimacy

The King of Dahomey, a historical kingdom that existed from the 17th to the late 19th century in what is now Benin, was known for his centralized power and exceptional military organization, including the famous Dahomey Amazons. Within the cultural and social fabric of Dahomey, the king played a prominent role, not only as a political leader but also as the center of religious and social life. He was often revered as a deity of sorts, which further underscored his status. Within this context, there are reports and traditions regarding the special relationships between the king and his male courtiers or advisors.

Relationships at the Court of Dahomey

The court of Dahomey was not only a place of intense political interactions but also the cultural center of the kingdom. These interactions were characterized by strict hierarchies and complex networks of loyalties. Men who were particularly close to the king, whether relatives, high-ranking officials, military leaders, religious dignitaries, or important courtiers, often had access to the most intimate aspects of royal life. In some cases, these close relationships could also be personal or romantic in nature.

Indications of Close Personal Relationships

Although the specific details of such relationships are often sparsely documented, there are reports from European travelers and missionaries, as well as oral traditions and indigenous sources, that describe the close bond between the king and his male courtiers. These relationships were sometimes interpreted as expressions of loyalty and trust, but there are also indications that they might have had an intimate or even romantic dimension. Some of these courtiers could have been foreign advisors, traders, as well as slaves or prisoners of war who came close to the king due to their skills and knowledge. However, it is important to note that the interpretation of such relationships may be influenced by modern Western notions of sexuality and gender roles.

Cultural Context and Significance

In an era when personal bonds were often closely intertwined with political and economic interests, such relationships could also have included private or romantic aspects. It is important to note that in many African societies, the boundaries between different forms of affection, friendship, and love were perceived differently than in the modern Western world. Expressions of closeness and intimacy between men were often multifaceted and could have both spiritual and physical dimensions without necessarily fitting into the modern Western understanding of homosexuality.

In Dahomey, these relationships may also have played a role in ritual contexts. The king was often regarded as the embodiment of the state or even as divine, and close connections to him could have been seen as spiritually significant, but also as a means of strengthening one's own position or gaining spiritual favor. This could explain why such relationships were possibly not viewed as purely romantic or sexual, but as expressions of a deeper, ritualistic bond.

Interpretations and Historical Accounts

While historical accounts of Dahomey were often written by European colonizers and missionaries, who were influenced by their own cultural biases, these reports nevertheless suggest the existence of close, possibly romantic relationships. African sources and oral traditions can also provide valuable information, although they may have been suppressed or ignored by European colonial powers. The exact nature of these relationships remains largely speculative, as the sources generally do not provide detailed insights into the personal lives of the king and his courtiers.

Conclusion

The reports of close personal relationships between the King of Dahomey and his male courtiers or foreign advisors suggest that such connections could have extended beyond purely professional ties. These relationships may have encompassed aspects of loyalty, friendship, political alliance, and possibly even romance or intimacy. In a cultural context where closeness and affection were expressed in various ways, such relationships could have played an important role in the social and political life of the Kingdom of Dahomey. Further research is necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of these relationships. However, they represent a fascinating example of the complexity and diversity of human relationships in a different cultural and historical context.

Text supported by GPT-4o and Gemini Sonnet

Image generated with SD1.5. Overworked with inpainting (SD1.5/SDXL) and composing.

[mychlapci]

bit of a set of weirder headcanons but i think the autobots are fucking freaks when it comes to sex. like the cons are all rough and tough with each other but kinky interfacing comes with a level of trust in your partner that only the autobots have with each other

i feel like public interfacing is relatively accepted among autobots. you go to get your morning fuel in the canteen and sunstreaker has bluestreak pinned against the bulkhead. average fucking tuesday. oh the medibay is having a slow day with few patients, ratchet has first aid warming his spike as he's going through datapads, keeping one servo firmly wrapped around aid's waist as he squirms helplessly. command meetings have like, a 50% chance to get derailed by prowl's chestplate accidentally popping open to reveal his fat tits and jazz just starts sucking on them and then ironhide smacks optimus' panels and oh god there's an orgy now

kink nights just being a common thing among the autobots. mechs can sign up to do scenes with certain partners or just sit on the sidelines and watch it all go down.

a few of the decepticons end up defecting and they get a weird sense of culture shock with how common it is to see interfacing since in con culture that's stupid slag that only softies participate in. actually i think the decepticons would have a completely separate culture regarding interfacing. i think they would be kinky, but they wouldn't consider the bonding/emotional effects of interfacing unless they're real sappy. like interfacing is to blow off steam after a battle, not for having fun with your comrades

drift joins the wreckers and hot rod gives him the best head of his life and then when they cuddle up next to each other drift just has to fucking sit there wondering why no one in the cons cuddled after fucking because this is actually really nice. he gets bent over a table the next morning by blurr and then kup shoves his spike into drift's intake and oh primus drift is having a religious experience now with how well he's getting pounded

i'm going to beam the image of ratchet walking around the ark with his tits fully out and a pair of pretty golden chains pierced through his nozzles and a few particularly handsy bots reach over and tug on them as he passes.

-burnt ice anon

YES. i've seen some instances of “public sex normalized in cybertronian society” and i am LIVING for it. I like the culture shock aspect of it being only autobots who are so open-minded.

A recently defected decepticon just trying to fit in and adapt to the new way of living and they were wholly unprepared to just walk in on people fucking all the time. They walk in on Prowl in his office chair with Jazz slowly grinding against his spike, the sound of his valve gushing is so loud and yet Prowl just keeps on typing away on his data-pad, only occasionally wincing in pleasure. They go to the med-bay next instead but Ratchet's got First Aid sitting on his spike, and it's still weird. They're sitting in the canteen and someone just starts melting right next to them, overloading silly around a remote control vibrator while their partner watches from across the table. Optimus regularly getting jerked off under the desk during high-command meetings, he's pretty sure his side of the desk is completely stained with transfluid from below. Also thank you so much for the image of Ratchet walking around with his titties out. I bet you everyone's sick that day, and absolutely need to be admitted to the medbay and see the doctor right now. He spends the day smacking away wandering hands, though he's only playing hard to get.

hrghhh kink nights with different themes. They get to vote on them weekly. Sometimes a volunteer gets chained and strung up and used repeatedly throughout the night, repeatedly checked up so they're sure he's alright. Sometimes there's pet-play, bots on leashes being told to “go play” with the other pets (i really want to see Sunstreaker for pet-play night… Sunny letting Bluestreak put a leash on him, gritting his teeth the entire time because he's being treated like a domesticated turbofox and it's humiliating and yet it feels so damn good… Sunstreaker rubbing his valve against someone else's, while his owner coos encouragement at him). Or you have simple orgy nights, where people can just blow off steam having sex with anyone. Glory holes in the bathroom that are frequented regularly. Wrecker orgies that shock Drift to the very core but they're fun and he can't complain. And the aftercare is peculiar. They never had anything like that back in the decepticon order. 

[cadere-art]

Ghøwout, as a word, speaks of both a nation and a culture. Though they are not the same, Ghøwout's culture is molded by its history as a nation and by its nostalgy for the nation's former glory. This, more than anything, brings together the many different traditions that call themselves Ghøwout, even within states that have cesseded from the once-great Empire.

Despites being a shadow of its former self, Ghøwout's is still the heart of politics south of the Kantishian range. Its historical and cultural weight keep it well centered in the minds of the many nations which surround it. This attention is not all undeserved: although no longer the most prosperous or powerful southern nation, Ghøwout remains the most technologically advanced, be it in terms of military armament, mining technology, or social engineering. In these aspects, Ghøwout still rivals with the rising stars of the Namitan Empire and Oumdashen Confederacy far to the North.

Even there Ghøwout's excellence is waning, as state paranoia mandates extreme secrecy and rejects foreign influences, preserving Ghøwout's technological advances at the cost of its allies' goodwill and knowledge.

Text from the images under the cut.

The Ghøwout live in the shadow of their former glory. Under the 4th Dinasty, Ghøwout held in its power all of the Southern Kantishian, and though its power has waxed and waned many times, it has never again reached this peak. In the current day, Ghøwout is much diminished and surrounded by kingdoms born of its losses. Nonetheless, Ghøwout remains a powerful nation, held together by a strong cultural identity. Perhaps as a reaction to its waning power, Ghøwout culture has grown to be insular and xenophobic, regarding strangers with extreme distrust.

Ghøwout is a strongly stratified society, weighted down by a large nobility and a stagnant peasant class. Nonetheless, its numbers and strong logistics allow it to support a large number of specialists, particularly artisans, professional soldiers, and religious specialists. Ghøwout's populace is both pious and prone to superstition. Though Ghøwout's state tends towards totalitarianism, it does not have centralized religion: it is home to many different regional sets of beliefs supported by local shamans and a few specialist clans of spiritualists and healers. These are highly respected by the populace and clad in beautifully dyed and ornamented textiles, precious stones, and bronze jewelry.

Ghøwout's artisans include some of the best chemists and metalworkers of Uanlikri, and the first to master steel. The use of steel weaponry has allowed Ghøwout's military to remain menacing even as Ghøwout's political power waned, brought low by internal power struggles. To counter its downfall, Ghøwout is always pursuing advances in war technology, fielding experimental weapons and financing scientific research, which it treats with utmost secrecy. Ironically, this drive is part of Ghøwout's downfall, as military spending has brought low the nation's coffers and the fear of spies has fostered a general climate of distrust and suspicion.

[metamatar]

[...] the bill, as it stands, "criminalises and regulates constitutionally acceptable behaviours" and introduces elements of moral policing. The representatives highlight concerns about autonomy and choice, particularly regarding adult consenting cohabitation, commonly referred to as "live-in relationships". They assert that the bill's provisions would erode the hard-won rights of women and undermine their struggles for equality within both domestic and public spheres.

Critics point out that while the bill claims to offer uniformity across religious lines, it disproportionately targets the Muslim minority community, criminalising aspects of their personal and marital practices without adequately incorporating positive and progressive elements from Muslim family law. The bill's focus on rectifying perceived defects in Muslim law while ignoring similar issues within Hindu family laws has raised concerns about bias and selective application. “Majorly, it seeks to introduce changes in the provisions that are perceived as defective in the Muslim law, such as unequal inheritance, polygamy and the practice of halala ( by which a person can only remarry his divorced spouse after she has married someone else, consummated the marriage and thereafter obtained a divorce). In one sense the Bill has terminated the application of Muslim family law and has further criminalised the Muslim man and woman. Ironically, the Bill has not incorporated positive and progressive aspects of Muslim law such as the compulsory payment of mehr by the husband to the wife which provides financial security of the wife, nikahnama (marriage contract) which allows for the spouses to add legally binding conditions that are mutually acceptable, and a 1/3 limit rule for willing away property. Had the intention of the Bill genuinely been to bring about gender justice, such provisions could have been extended to women of all communities,” an excerpt from the statement reads.

Furthermore, the bill's silence on critical issues such as custody, guardianship, and adoption of children, as well as the rights of queer and transgender persons within families, has been deemed unacceptable by the women's groups. They argue that the bill's failure to address these issues reflects a lack of inclusivity and consideration for marginalised communities. Of particular concern is the retention of archaic provisions, such as the restitution of conjugal rights, which has been challenged for its constitutional validity. Critics argue that such provisions perpetuate gender-based violence and undermine fundamental rights, including the right to live with dignity and freedom of choice. The groups also maintain that this law denies or takes away fundamental rights.

Even the existing provision of women's right to reside in their matrimonial homes has been taken away. “Thus rights to equality, right to live and livelihood and to live with dignity, right to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of conscience and right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion, have become casualties under this Bill,” the statement reads.

[thatpodcastkid]

Magnus Archives Relisten 20, MAG 20 Desecrated Host

Father Pruitt from Midnight Mass but if he was still an old man. You agree, reblog.

My MAG 20 analysis, spoilers ahead!

Facts: Continuation of the statement of Father Edwin Burroughs regarding his claimed demonic possession. Statement given May 30, 2011.

Statement Notes: A hallucination sequence is one of the best modes of horror. The inability to distinguish between the real and unreal aspects of the vision combined with the symbolic imagery and attempts to determine the cause of the hallucination itself often means the audience experiences the same level of fear and confusion the character does. However, I very rarely see them done well in non-visual mediums. The best example I can think of is the dream of Percival Glyde in The Woman In White. But this episode is really effective in that. You don't understand anything that is happening, you're just stuck on the ride with no hope of getting off, and Father Burroughs is in the seat next to you. If you know of any other really good dream or hallucination sequences in horror narratives, tell me about it in the notes.

I also noted how whatever was possessing Burroughs really reveled in his guilt. I discussed this in the Part I analysis, but the conflation of guilt and fear as two sides of the same coin is an incredible choice, especially in a religious story. You are guilty because you are afraid of your own actions, you are afraid because you did something you should be guilty for. You are afraid of being found guilty, you are afraid of punishment, you are afraid you will never stop feeling guilty.

Entity Alignment: This is another mixed bag episode. This definitely seems like a lot of effort to make Burroughs afraid and/or just to kill two people. I briefly wondered if Burroughs could be involved in some kind of ritual, but the overall events of the episode don't feel directed or focused enough. If there was goal aside from torturing Burroughs and his victims, I couldn't determine it.

The line from Genesis "Behold, thou hast driven me out" obviously invokes some Eye imagery. I did note how much of religion, particularly Catholicism, centers around viewing and reveling in the majesty and horror of God/a god. Religion's ability to unwittingly turn people into voyeurs of their messiah connotes it with the Eye. Furthermore, the previously mentioned focus on guilt and the horror's apparent delight in Burroughs suffering associates with the Eye as well.

Burroughs isolation heightening his fear does tie in elements of the Lonely, while the smiling imagery is reminiscent of the Stranger. Of course, the hallucinations and loss of control of one's mind associates Burroughs with the Spiral, and the cannibalism associates him with the Flesh. But if I had to pick a true second to the Eye as the main entity associated with this episode, I would have to go with the Web. Burroughs is incapable of making any choices. The demon controls his actions, eliminating his independence and manipulating him. Even if it is not really a possession but some other manipulation of his psyche, it prevents Burroughs from acting independently.

Character Notes: Breekon & Hope mention! In spite of my earlier doubts, their involvement does signal some kind of ritual. Usually, they're only involved in deliveries associated with high level entity action, such as the coffin or Jon's lighter. I don't recall this stole being mentioned in any other episode, but if Breekon & Hope delivered it, it must be relevant somehow.

Another reason this episode might be affiliated with a ritual is that Gertrude was apparently the last person to read it. In her final days, she was primarily focused on stopping rituals, which indicated this case was particularly important.

When will my Martin return home from the war.

[fireflysummers]

Final Thoughts on GO S2

I'm probably gonna pull back on discussing S2, at least publicly, after this. I did actually like a lot of the season, but it's triggering some of my religious trauma and also the fandom is already stressing me out. So here, let's have some final thoughts.

First and foremost: I am not a Gaiman simp. I've read a decent amount of his work: comics, short stories, essays, and novels. Aside from Good Omens, I've liked Coraline and The Graveyard Book the best by far, whereas American Gods just. Did Not Connect with me, even though it's should have, given the stuff I tend to enjoy.

However. Regardless of whether I like a given work (or even like how he adapted it, a la parts of The Sandman TV series), he is a veteran writer who has proven that he does, actually, know how to write a story with consistent characters.

Beyond that, I do actually believe that he's trying to do right by Pratchett, and loves and respects the story and characters they created together. He's generally shown up as an ally to a variety of social causes, and directly and respectfully responds to fans on Tumblr. While no saint, I feel that there is cause to give the benefit of the doubt that things will resolve satisfyingly in S3, and that there is Intention about some of the things in S2.

This, of course, does not absolve it of being "bad," but even here I think we need to articulate better the different types of "bad" that people are reacting to. There seems to roughly be three camps here: 1) People who thought it was "bad" because of how it ended, with the breakup and a lot of unresolved plot threads; 2) People who thought it was "bad" because it struggled on a technical level with its set, lighting, directorial choices, editing, etc; 3) People who thought it was "bad" because they felt the characterization was significantly off and that the internal logic of the series had been violated.

With regards to Point One, the only solution is to Wait and See. Judgement should be reserved until the story is properly finished--easier said than done, especially considering the current media landscape, and the number of series or franchises that fail to live up to their promises.

Point Two isn't something I understand well enough to contribute meaningfully, except that I suspect the pandemic affected this aspect the most and am willing to give it a bit more mercy. That aside, I for the most part I don't find it bad so much as not as good as S1. Except for the parts with epilepsy warnings, surely there could've been a better way to do that.

Point Three... that's the stumbling block for me, and I find it interesting that most of the folks who struggle with this point in particular are long time fans of the book.

I trust that instinct.

There are two different directions to go from here. The first is the assumption that these problems are a result of ego, carelessness, or lack of skill from the showrunners/writers/director. It's cynical but not unjustified. The second is the belief that the breaks in lore or characterization were intentional, building towards a much grander conspiracy. Of course, even in this case I don't think it forgives the lack of signposting that would indicate that this is a choice rather than an accident. It just makes it feel clumsy and poorly constructed, a major risk on a show that hasn't had its third season confirmed.*

However, regardless, it still feels salvageable. I've enjoyed reading a lot of meta on all this, and I've pulled some things from others (particularly That Theory by @ariaste), but I don't really want to put forth a single, defined theory myself. Instead, here's some questions I've got, why those questions are important (to me, at least). Actual theorizing comes after, and anybody who snidely mentions Sherlock in the comments or tags is going to get auto-blocked. Like seriously, I'm aware that some stuff is a stretch, but it's fun??? To theorize????? And I'm here for me and my peace of mind rather than trying to argue a point.

*I have some suspicions here, particularly with Gaiman stating that the decision from Amazon would come much faster than The Sandman's second season (which was four months). I don't know enough though to say if that's actually significant.

Questions

Who the fuck is telling this story?

This is the most important piece, in my opinion. There's this assumption when reading books (or research papers, newspapers, etc...) that the narrator who is writing the words is a non-presence, Neutral and objective. That's not the case, and an important part of literature critique is figuring out who the narrator is, and what their goals are. Oftentimes, the narrator and the author are the same person, but with Pratchett's work, particularly on Good Omens and Discworld, the Narrator was its own unique character.

This is why people struggle adapting Discworld to live action--that medium requires a Reason for having a Narrator, and especially in the age of method acting that's often considered immersion-breaking. Good Omens worked so well because they not only kept the Narrator, but they made Her God.

This added some really interesting new dimensions, such as the scene where Crowley speaks to God about his fall and the destruction of humanity. He doesn't receive an answer, but we're watching from God's perspective, so we as the audience know that She's listening.

Another advantage of making God the Narrator is that it justifies all the goofy little asides we get into the lives of minor characters (i.e. Leslie the Mailman), without losing focus. It helps the world feel like it’s full of people, rather than characters and plot contrivances, and the theme that individual people and their choices are important. The Narrator is such a central character of Good Omens that without it, the story struggles to stay focused.

It also highlights a key difference in the writing styles of the two authors. Pratchett’s work tends to introduce four or five totally unique plot threads that feel completely disjointed until the last act (if not even later), when it turns into a Chekhov’s Firing Squad. Plot twists around secret identities and backstabbing and schemes are relatively rare, as the omniscient Narrator doesn’t lie about the intentions of people or their actions.

Gaiman’s writing is typically not like that, to my knowledge. He buries characters in misdirection and hints, and you never know the true identity or motives until all the chips are down. It’s a perfectly valid way to approach storytelling, but it makes it jarring to see it in S2. The lack of a Narrator is a huge reason why S2 doesn’t feel like Good Omens to some folks.

My gut feeling is that the decision to shift from the original Narrator was highly intentional. It helps to obscure the thoughts and intentions of people, and it also muddles the insights that we’re supposed to take away. (I would have loved hearing God monologue about what’s going on in Jim’s head. I think it’d do a lot to make him seem less.... obnoxiously stupid.)

More than that, it brings up a reasonable potential plot point of: Where did God go? Why isn’t She present in the story? Even in her early appearance in the Job flashback, she doesn’t sound like the narrator for last season. After the first part of her speech (which Gabriel later quotes), her tone turns casual and condescending, which might line up with her being a bit of an asshole, it doesn’t line up with the whole “dealer of a mysterious card game who is always smiling”).

Also, I don’t think it’s safe to assume that nobody is telling the story either. Just because they’re not making their presence known doesn’t mean they aren’t there, and in a story like Good Omens, that’s concerning.

Wait, where's Satan?

Another person I saw while scrolling the tags pointed out that Satan is nowhere to be seen this season. He's really only mentioned in reference to a bet God made in Job, but then Crowley is the one on the ground causing mischief. There's no Hail Satan among demons (like Hastur and Ligur did at the start of S1).

That's might be because the writers didn't want us to think it was important (a la Hastur), but that feels off. Given that Satan speaks directly through the radio to Crowley in S1, complimenting him on his work, it's safe to say that he was at least aware of and involved in the goings-on in Hell. The fact that he wasn't even an worry for Beelzebub in abandoning their post? Feels weird.

(Also if you know where that post is, I'll happy credit + link)

What is Maggie?

Look, I love cute lesbians in love as much as the next queer, but I don't like Maggie. I don’t think she’s a person. Contextually, she’s a plot device, but I agree with That Essay that she might be an actual Plot Device.

Her characterization is simple and relatively shallow—a bit of an airhead, ray of sunshine that’s supposed to remind you of Aziraphale. When she describes her past to Nina, it’s almost robotic (also, her story implies it was Mr. Fell who first rented to her ancestor, not Mr. Fell’s great-grandfather like Nina implied). Her emotions are over-dramatic and seem to be turned on and off at random (scenes with her crying to Aziraphale about her woes had my “manipulator” senses going off for some reason).

When asked about a song, she not only IDs the song, its singer, and its year, but how and on what it was distributed. (Honestly thought this would’ve been something interesting, because she’s been pretty ditzy so far, it’d be interesting if she had like... an insane memory for music history.) And then she’s the one that sets Aziraphale on his little investigation by giving him the transformed records, while also planting the seed about her love troubles with Nina. Later, her advice to Crowley is... not awful, but feels insincere and a bit too forward, given her own self-proclaimed lack of relationship experience.

I don’t know what she is (a demon, hastur with amnesia in disguise, a literal plot device inserted by the current storyteller, etc...), but there’s something not right with her.

(Also the joke of “who listens to records anymore, it’s so old fashioned” just doesn’t land, lots of people buy records, and I’m saying this as somebody who has worked at a record store before.)

What's going on with Aziraphale?

There’s something Off about Aziraphale, and it’s not his choices at the end of the season. That makes total sense if you read him as somebody with severe religious trauma getting dragged back into the abusive system because other people need him and he’s been promised the ability to change things.

But I do think something is happening to his memory. Nearly all the flashbacks are from Aziraphale’s point of view and retelling, which means that they’re less reliable than God’s version of events in the previous season. Many of them don’t make logistical sense (post-church scene in 1941), depict Crowley as meaner or more sinister than we know he is, or frame events... weirdly. The scene with him trying food for the first time feels Really Bad, especially when the series has previously established that he’s a) prim and proper and b) his interest in food is one of the beautiful things that connect him to humanity, not some kind of gluttonous sin. Also he turns down alcohol.

Their meet-cute at the  start of the universe also doesn’t line up with their reactions to each other in Eden, or the fact that knowing each other Before has never come up or been hinted at anywhere ever. I don’t know what’s causing this to happen, only that Aziraphale repeatedly looks pensive when coming out of flashbacks, and Crowley is never there afterwards to corroborate said memories.

His actions also seem pretty inconsistent with what we know of him—i.e. I refuse to believe he would ever mistreat his books, even if they’re just old encyclopedias. Also, he feels a bit too...forceful in trying to get Nina and Maggie to fall in love? I mean, he didn’t exert that much direct influence on even Warlock, when he was actively hoping that the boy would turn out angelic rather than neutral.

I don’t think this removes his agency in that last decision, so much as explains how he was in such a vulnerable place at all. He still needs to apologize and fix things, because he messed up, and even if he hadn’t he still seriously hurt Crowley.

What's going on with Crowley?

There’s something Off about Crowley. The most obvious thing, of course, is his memories. At multiple points in the present day, characters state that they remember him or have met him before, only to be met with confusion. This is especially concerning given that he has a nigh photographic memory for faces (something mentioned in the book when he immediately IDs Mary Loquacious, 11 years after a 30 second conversation).

Overall, he seems to be better known by other supernatural entities this season, in ways that often tie him back to his angelic identity (i.e. saying they fought together in the war, Aziraphale stating he knew the angel he used to be, etc...). This doesn’t feel right, because S1 we see that Hell is largely apathetic towards his schemes, and definitely does not defer to him at any point in any capacity.

Then there’s the issue of his power level. It’s always been speculated that Crowley was a powerful angel prior to falling, when he mentions in S1 his involvement with star making, his seemingly unique ability to freeze time, and creating a pocket universe for Adam before the confrontation with Satan. He also has a tendency of breathing life into inanimate objects, like his plants or car. He also has the regular demonic skillset: miracles that can adjust physical appearance; the ability to change inanimate objects (like paintball guns into real guns); the ability to manifest clothing and similar items; and summon hellfire to his fingertips. This, plus the way he monologues to God with a degree of familiarity rather than reverence seems to indicate that he was Somebody Powerful and Important Before.

But in S2, his skills are significantly expanded upon. The miracle he and Aziraphale summon sets off alarms in heaven and hell, and it’s powerful enough to mask Gabriel from the Archangels. He summons a miniature sun to rain fire on Job, which is way bigger and flashier than anything we’ve seen him summon in S1. (If he needs fire, he alters the course of a dropping bomb, without creating one himself.)

Yet he’s able to cloak his presence so well he goes wholly unnoticed in heaven, or in front of heavenly agents on earth (i.e. the Job flashback). Muriel can’t clock him as a demon, or even as another supernatural being, despite their auras usually being pretty significant, such Aziraphale immediately sensing the archangels when they arrive.  He’s able to interfere with files that Muriel claimed required clearance (although I feel like that might just be a snark about Obeying Without Thinking? I would really need a Narrator to know.)

I might be misremembering, but I don’t think we’ve seen angels or demons transmogrify living beings before either. In the book, Crowley brings Aziraphale’s dove back to life after the failed magic show, and occasionally sinks ducks, but he doesn’t alter them? Not even Adam demonstrates that skill in S1. But he has no trouble turning Job’s children into lizards, however temporarily. Boy that would’ve been convenient during the flood. Or when the guard stopped then from getting to the air strip.

I might be misremembering, but I don’t think we’ve seen angels or demons transmogrify living beings before either. In the book, Crowley brings Aziraphale’s dove back to life after the failed magic show, and occasionally sinks ducks, but he doesn’t alter them? Not even Adam demonstrates that skill in S1. But he has no trouble turning Job’s children into lizards, however temporarily. Boy that would’ve been convenient during the flood. Or when the guard stopped then from getting to the air strip.

I don’t have any real issues with his characterization in the present day parts of S2, but there’s something weird happening with Crowley.

Where's all the people?

I really like a lot of the new characters, but how were there only like, 2.5 new humans named in the present day? Flashbacks don’t count bc the humans are all dead and can’t affect the story.

As much as I like Nina, she and Maggie don’t drive the story beyond being an occasional and awkwardly inserted plot contrivance? Both are actively robbed of their agency at several points, forced into situations that they could not have avoided or escaped. I’m not really sure what growth they’re expected to experience other than deciding not to date each other after everything. I literally can’t tell you anything about Nina other than that she remembers her regular’s orders, runs a coffee shop, and has a textbook abusive partner we never see. The only meaningful interactions they have are between those two, or in conversation with Aziraphale and Crowley.

Compare that to S1, where Anathema gets hit by Aziraphale and Crowley, but her primary relationships are with Newt, Adam, and Agnes Nutter (I think that counts as a relationship). We know that she’s got a wealthy family back in Puerto Rico, and that she was literally raised to save the world, and that she isn’t happy under all that pressure. Newt on the other hand is connected to not just Anathema, but Shadwell and Madame Tracy. He never even directly interacts with Aziraphale and Crowley. We know about his hobbies, his struggle to hold down a job, and his almost supernatural ability to destroy any electronics he touches. I don’t necessarily like how their relationship came together, but they were both very, very well fleshed out characters with unique backstories and goals. They weren’t just... waiting around to give Aziraphale and Crowley a new questline.

And while there’s no requirement to include a large cast of human characters that are exerting influence over the story, the lack of it is another aspect that makes this season feel not like Good Omens.

Also, it's just. Really weird to me that the events of S1 aren't really referenced at all? Like, Adam isn't mentioned, nor is Warlock. I don't expect them to keep track of the humans they met on the airfield for 20 minutes, but none of it is ever specifically referenced as far as I can tell, beyond Crowley threatening Gabriel. Like, I get that it's been a few years, but the pair caused a big enough disturbance that you'd expect some kind of ripples in their supernatural communities.

Promised by the Narrative (Obvious Chekhov's guns that I will be legitimately upset over if they do not go off)

A sincere apology from Aziraphale to Crowley that doesn't come with the expectation that Crowley will come back to him, but because he deserves an apology, even if the choices Aziraphale made were done with good intentions. Aziraphale does not expect forgiveness, and is shocked when Crowley grants it without hesitation.

A clear declaration of love from Aziraphale, which can't be rationalized away by either of them.

An "I'm Sorry" dance between Aziraphale and Crowley, but with greater sincerity and gravity. The most important piece is that they end up dancing together, which signifies a mutual apology and dedication to come together.

Since kissing is on the table, I expect an actual joyful, mutual kiss between these two assholes.

A shared cottage in South Downs.

Predictions/Theories (just some fun thoughts I've had)

When Adam declared that Satan was not his father, he didn't make himself not the antichrist, but accidentally crowned his human dad the King of Hell. Nobody knows this, because Adam doesn't have a good measure for "normal" supernatural situations, and Mr. Young because he's so "normal" that he explains away all the magical bullshit that's started going down.

When Adam declared that Satan was not his father, he erased Satan altogether. However, this left a vacuum in both power and reality. The defection of both Gabriel and Beelzebub only widens that crack. In an attempt to Fix things, reality is warping the story. Crowley has become leagues more powerful between S1 and S2, as the narrative is trying to force him into the role of his previous boss. Aziraphale is unknowingly being pulled into a similar version on the Other Side, perhaps to replace Gabriel or perhaps to replace God herself, who has been fairly absent in all this. The alterations to their memories or past have come about to keep the narrative running smoothly.

When the Metatron asks Nina whether anybody has ever asked for death, he was actually referring to Death, the sole remaining rider of the apocalypse.

If Maggie is indeed a Plot Device, it would be a fascinating exploration of Free Will to see her become aware of this (cue existential crisis), and then fall in love with Nina on her own terms, rather than because she was written that way.

Hastur will be back. Somehow.

The reason why S2 focuses so much on the supernatural characters is because S3 will be about how the events in S1 have changed the political landscape of heaven and hell. Angels are questioning their roles, demons are yearning for something more. It's scaring upper administration, and then the two most reliable folks in employment run away to alpha centauri. Recruiting Aziraphale and getting him back in line prevents him from becoming a martyr, control the range of his influence. The series reasserts its theme of choice and agency by highlighting that Aziraphale and Crowley aren't that special, they've just had the chance to live and grow, and that the others have free will too, if they want it.

The reason why they wanted to separate Aziraphale and Crowley, is not to get Aziraphale on his own, but to get Crowley on his own. He literally stopped time and made a pocket universe in front of Satan last season. He's powerful and dangerous and somebody wants to see that reigned in.

Wishlist (stuff I desperately want to see)

Crowley getting an audience with God and an opportunity to ask his questions, only to refuse to do so because he's found his own Answers and he no longer needs hers

Aziraphale and Crowley growing more into their book incarnations. Aziraphale becomes confident in his sense of morality, which he developed the hard way through millennia on earth besides humanity. He slowly learns what it means to be loved, unconditionally, but also is better at asserting and maintaining his boundaries. Crowley, still anxious and unwinding, works through his fear of abandonment, providing him opportunities to be kind and gentle and nurturing--all traits that he's aggressively hid since being a demon.

Hand holding. I know that Gaiman was referring to Ineffable Bureaucracy, but I still feel like we'd benefit from meaningful hand holding, especially since that got cut from the adaptation of the book.

Shifted focus away from the supernatural shenanigans, and back onto the humans that actually drive the story.

Cameos from S1 characters (if not a more substantial appearance).

The Four Other Riders of the Apocalypse.

Cursed Thoughts (why I shouldn't be allowed a social platform)

Ineffable Bureaucracy turns up in season 3 because Beelzebub got Gabriel pregnant somehow.

[astrojulia]

PAC - Messages to improve your Summer/Winter Season

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DISCLAIMER. These general free readings are made in good faith for entertainment purpose. This reading was done in mind with Summer for people in the Northern Hemisphere and Winter for the Southern Hemisphere.

How to pick a pile

When you have different cards to choose from in pile 1,2,3… look at each of those cards. Wait until someone reminds you of a memory. Perhaps a character’s outfit resembles one of your own. It is this pile that has its message. What if they all remind me of something? Go for the one with the strongest memory, one might look like her earring but another might be the favorite candy you got from your grandma when you vacationed at her house. But what if none reminds me of something? Take a deep breath and wait a little longer, without charging yourself or creating worries. Relax, some will awaken some memory in you, I promise! ..

Pile 1 - Kuromi

(Eight of Coins - Ships - 10 of Wands - Moon - The Moon - Lillies - Nightingale)

What you've been working on since the beginning of the year has been your work and your career, and that's why you've already made great progress in this regard. You've completed many plans and projects because I see here a person who engages in independent and primarily artistic work (if this doesn't apply to you, skip this part). You've already made significant changes to the way you approach your projects, perfecting them and improving their efficiency in terms of time and cost.

Your strength today lies primarily with women and the female audience. It seems that you make their work much easier by delivering practically everything ready. So far, this description has been quite general, but let me delve deeper. You have the ability to take sketches and text that people create and turn them into highly detailed images. You can deliver exactly what they want, even when they don't fully understand their own desires.

In the remainder of the year, you need to focus on enhancing your creativity, intuition, and subconscious. It appears that you have concentrated on improving the theoretical and logical aspects of your art, such as techniques. However, now it's time to reestablish your focus on the practical and emotional dimensions of your craft. Understand the messages behind your work without needing explanations or logical reasoning, as there are certain aspects that are purely emotional and not rational.

Pile 2 -My Melody

(The Fool - Mices - Two of Cups - Tree - The Hierophant - Whip - Turkey)

What you've been working on since the beginning of the year is exploring the possibilities at your disposal. You haven't limited yourself to a single plan or envisioned a fixed future; instead, you've been experimenting and getting to know a little bit of everything. You have conducted extensive research, seeking out both the purest and darkest aspects of each subject. During this period, you haven't settled for anything less—you have immersed yourself in the topic and then moved on. This research and exploration are closely connected to the magical, religious, and alchemical aspects of things.

Your strength lies in your ability to transform situations like turning water into wine. You have a knack for converting adversity into productivity and fruitful outcomes. For you, there is no such thing as a bad time. This ability is particularly evident when it comes to your parents and ancestors—you have a way of making their influence more adaptable.

In the remaining part of the year, it is important to focus and commit to a specific area. Although you have conducted extensive research, it's time to concentrate on a particular subject to delve deeper and produce something that can benefit you in the long-term future. You need to create a ritual, something you can talk about and engage with every day, starting from the moment you wake up in the morning.

Pile 3 - Hello Kitty

(Ace of Pentacles - Child - The Chariot - Bear - Four of Pentacles - Dog - Skunk)

You have been focusing on personal growth and the experiences that money can afford you. You have been meeting your child's wants and basic needs to a certain extent. For instance, if you can buy a snack, you go ahead and purchase it without holding back. However, you have imposed significant restrictions on yourself, and now you are starting to loosen up a bit. Additionally, you have been rediscovering and utilizing skills from your childhood that were once set aside due to financial constraints, but now you have the means to pursue them.

Your greatest strength today lies in your audacity and courage. Nothing and no one can stand in your way. You are also deeply connected to spirituality, particularly embracing a feminine and motherly energy. Your inner light and unwavering faith that everything will eventually fall into place are your sources of strength.

As you move forward in the remaining part of the year, it is important to focus on your economy and practice saving. Cultivate a greater appreciation and care for the possessions you already have. Lately, you have been driven by instinct, and it would be beneficial to incorporate a bit more rationality into your decision-making for the remainder of the year.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

[gaiuskamilah]

Hi, I got a weird question. I always thought you had wonderful insights regarding Nia, especially about her relationship with faith and bodily autonomy (or lack thereof). I’m writing a book series and one of the main characters has Nia as her inspirations/references. I was wondering if you had more insights regarding this aspect of Nia because my character’s arc also centers around faith and bodily autonomy. One of your posts actually gave me the idea to have this character also be referred to as a “lamb”, much like Nia is 😊

haha thank you, i'm glad you like my ideas on nia! also sorry it took me forever to get to this ask 😭 i wanted to make it Really Good then got scared that i wasn't and stopped working on it. conquering that fear 2day

i think nia is an interesting case because she reflects how, despite how so many people are wronged the people in power within religious institutions, the faith can still mean so much to them, so much so that they will reinterpret the meanings and create new theology. this is reflected in christian liberation theology - many historical anti-colonial movements also had an ecclesiastical factor, particularly in ex-iberian colonies, where they reinterpreted the story of christ as aligned with the oppressed peoples instead of the typical theology espoused by colonial leaders. i see the parallels in nia with how she works to reform the temple of light and the religion of the light itself. she was raised in the temple, and with the temple still such a strong societal force, she chooses to stay and help in the way that she knows she can. it's also affected her as a person and it's tied to who she is. after three books, she is still "the priestess".

a little bit of a spoiler - in b3, nia says that ever since she found the truth about nifara and how she actually is, she's felt "closer to the light, to whatever the light truly is." i feel like that's symbolic of how nia's arc has played so far: she started out as a rule-abiding fellow, following the temple without hesitation, then she grew and had her faith tested, had her worth questioned by the temple and its teachings, and she found a better, more nuanced understanding of the world and of herself in the process. and that process allowed her to lead a newer understanding of the light away from nifara's leadership. she's still a priestess of the light, but a priestess who rejects the imperialist and oppressive foundations of nifara's light and who forges her own theology of it.

as for autonomy - this question was brought up as early as b1, where she's faced with the draining qualities of the light. then it's questioned again in b2 with her feeling frustrated that she's constantly babied and fussed over by the rest of the group. she's inexperienced compared to the rest of them, yes, but at some point it can feel condescending and overbearing and that's what she hates. her body's been used by the temple, then violated and used by the dreadlord, then she hides the fact that she goes shadow from the rest of group because of exactly the overbearing reaction she expected from the rest of the group. out of everyone in the group, it's nia who knows bodily exploitation the most, and yet some of their immediate reactions was to still police her use of magic after she had become more informed of the nature of magic. this has become rambly lol but her story of bodily autonomy is directly linked to finding the nature of magic, which is also tied to her understanding of her religion. a newer understanding of her religion, a new religion of the light in and of itself -> a newer understanding of her body and her bodily autonomy.

side note: aside from nia, valax's story in particular is very much tied to the idea of bodily autonomy, perhaps even more than nia with how overtly a theme it is wrt her transformations. they're quite similar!

i feel like a lot of this is Rambly Stuff so feel free to send in another ask/reply for anything in specifics; i love nia a lot <3