#sacred-teachings

[thepersonalwords]

I have spent much of my adult life trying to figure out how to experience holiness, and now I know that the struggle to figure things out is antithetical to the experience. You simply relax into holiness the way you would a warm bath.

Victor Shamas, The Chanters Guide: Sacred Chanting as a Shamanic Practice

[waitineedaname]

reading the novel, i love how blatantly indulgent of the juniors lan wangji is. when he was their age, he was duelling wei wuxian over broken rules and lived his life by behaving as precisely as what was expected of him, and now as an adult, he's basically letting the juniors do whatever they want as long as it isn't unsafe and generally letting the kids act like kids

which leaves wei wuxian to have to be the one playing bad cop. wei "has never followed anyone else's rules in his life" "bane of lan qiren's existence" "public enemy number one" wuxian has to be the one being like "oh my god don't burn money on someone else's doorstep, don't you know that's rude. you kids need to focus on your studies more, why isn't anyone teaching you anything useful, do i have to do everything myself around here"

[sluterastede]

the way that after the teaser dropped every season 2 edward babygirl teach playlist suddenly had hozier on it

and everyone is right for that bc you know the kraken would have hozier’s entire discography on repeat

[deoidesign]

Are you slowly going insane over your OWN ocs?

No, I've been infected by brainworms the entire time. Nothing slow about it.

But honestly, no... It's not really about my characters to me. I love my characters, of course, and I love telling stories, and I hope to keep making art of my characters every day until I die.

But it's not about them! They're not REALLY what I love, what I love is people! And I hope I can leave the world with a hundred different love letters so my readers can feel how much I love them for even one day longer than I am here.

My characters are a conduit through which I can give that to people. I want nothing more than to make someone feel a little more loved, a little more seen, and a little less alone. And my characters are the best way I know how to do that.

So for that, they're incredibly important to me... But they're not for me. They're for you!

So I hope you enjoy them

and I hope you can feel that I love you through them.

[februarys-wednesday]

never understanding y'all who hate shakespeare or studying shakespeare because ONE shakespeare fucks very hard and TWO if you are in like middle school high school it is the easiest shit to study i mean the EASIEST if you don't like to read shakespeare you can go to YOUTUBE DOT COM and type in ANY OF SHAKESPEARES WORKS and you will find a FULL PRODUCTION OF IT for FREE you SHOULD follow along with your book but you don't HAVE TO because you're experiencing shakespeare in the WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE EXPERIENCED and you will ENJOY YOURSELF and you will LEARN SOMETHING and this is the ONE OPPORTUNITY YOU'LL EVER HAVE IN LIT/ENGLISH/WHATEVER TO WATCH THE "MOVIE" VERSION OF THE BOOK I CANNOT BELIEVE PEOPLE BITCH AND MOAN ABOUT HOW BORING AND DIFFICULT SHAKESPEARE IS!!!

[the-owl-tree]

It’s very obvious that the Erin’s are unwilling to actually write in the perspective of characters whose beliefs/values/customs/structure of life don’t conform to the status quo of the Clans. Or even value the different cultures/values in the same way, as evidenced by both the Sisters and the Tribe.

When we do get a perspective from the Sisters, it can’t be of someone who is immersed in the culture they grew up in and value it, no it has to be someone who views the culture as inherently wrong despite being raised in it. It makes no sense and just serves to say “wow the Clans really are so great and the pinnacle of cat society” without a hint of irony.

It’s just gross. And bad writing. And a bad way to view different cultures. Please they need to understand cultural relativism, like I get it’s fictional, but still. It wouldn’t be as bad if there was some sort of commentary on how the Clans are so intolerant to other ways of life but there isn’t. It’s without a hint of irony that they’re somehow superior.

^^ nail on the head

[nonconstories]

HEY GUYS so I'm working on STUFF and for context before it gets posted (whenever that'll be lol) we're doing a bit of a retcon with Pack Noctifer.

Kase is trans now. (Yes, someday I'll be re-writing Teeth and Karma to make this well and truly canon). Most of the other pieces won't need to be AS re-written, because I'm seizing this retcon as an opportunity to work in a new piece of canonical Werewolf Magic: RiverSkin*.

RiverSkin is an ability that certain werewolves have/can learn (it is very hard to TEACH and many/most wolves straight up cannot do it). It boils down to a very fluid and easy ability to shift between human and werewolf form that eventually evolves into an ability to alter human features (hair color, sex characteristics, age, size, etc etc) at will and sometimes even take on other animal shapes. As of right now, Kase is the ONLY character who can do it in the current cast. Jasper can do it a teeny bit, to keep humans from noticing his healing factor (he's an amateur boxer for extra cash, he's gotta fake somehow). Caelum has a very "easy" shift between his forms, but he cannot alter his human form at will (side note, Caelum is the only member of the "cast" who's eye color does not change at all between forms).

Why did I do this, you ask? Because I answer to no one.

And also there's a mild...allegory in Pack Noc that's much more blatant and COMPLETE if I make this one change. AKA born werewolves being Cis and Bitten ones being trans. This is, for now, only going to extend to Pack Noc. They are, themselves, an overlapping allegory for...well, gosh, my internalized fears and bitterness about masculinity as a gay, disabled, severely mentally trans guy, if we wanna be UP FRONT with ourselves here! So, this ANOTHER allegory (or, no, they just become the same allegory, then? i'm UNTRAINED) works best for THEM.

Pack Animus exists more as a way to A)expand werewolf lore B) contrast Pack Noc with less toxic dynamics and C) provide more ingredients for my smut gumbo. THEY GET THEIR OWN ALLEGORIES.

*RiverSkin is an English translation of the British Isles American werewolf language. Other languages use different names or words to invoke high degrees of fluidity in form: some use words for 'snow' or 'grass' or 'pine needles' or even invoke the moon themself; others do not reference the skin, and instead call the gift A-Body-Like-Water or Blood-Weaving or The Actor's Trance, to name a few unique examples.

[sparklyslug]

But hear me out: maybe it ISNT immature to block someone just because they were condescending to me in reblog tags about pumping gas

[pathofregeneration]

Gilbert Williams, The Vortex (1982)

* * *

The Teachings of the Adepts, part II

“There is an invisible universe within the visible one, a world of causes within the world of effects. There is force within matter, and the two are one, and are dependent for their existence on a third, which is the mysterious cause of their existence. There is a world of soul within a world of matter, and the two are one, and caused by the world of spirit. And within these worlds are other worlds, visible and invisible ones. Some are known to modern science, of others she does not even know that they exist; for, as the material worlds of suns and planets and stars, the worlds of animate and inanimate beings, from man the lord of creation down to the microscopic world with its countless inhabitants, can only be seen by him who is in the possession of the powers necessary for their perception, likewise the world of the soul and the realms of the spirit can only be known to him whose inner senses are awakened to life. The things of the body are seen through the instrumentality of the body, but the things of the soul require the power of spiritual perception.

This power of spiritual perception, potentially contained in every man, but developed in few, is almost unknown to the guardians of science in our modern civilization, because learning is often separated from wisdom, and the calculating intellect seeking for worms in the dark caverns of the earth cannot see the genius that floats towards the light and it cannot realize his existence. And yet this ancient science, which the moderns ignore, is perhaps as old as the world. It was known to the ancient prophets, to the Arhats and Rishis of the East, to initiated Brahmins, Egyptians, and Greeks. Its fundamental doctrines are found in the Vedas as well as in the Bible. Upon these doctrines rest the fundaments of the religions of the world. They formed the essence of the secrets that were revealed only to the initiated in the inner temple where the ancient mysteries were taught, and whose disclosure to the vulgar was forbidden under the penalty of torture and death. They were the secrets known to the ancient sages and to the Adepts and Rosicrucians of the Middle Ages, and upon a partial understanding of their truths rests the system of modern Freemasonry.”

— Franz Hartmann, The Life of Paracelsus

[hyper-voice]

@skullkxd said: BE GAY DO CRIME!!!!! FUCK YEAH!!!!!! KICKS OVER A TRASH CAN!!!!!!!!

"Gotta pass our sacred teachings on to the new generation."

[blueheartbookclub]

"The Initiates of the Flame: Illuminating the Path to Esoteric Wisdom"

In "The Initiates of the Flame," Manly P. Hall takes readers on a captivating journey into the profound realms of esoteric knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. Hall's meticulous exploration of ancient mystical teachings serves as a beacon, guiding readers through the intricate tapestry of secret wisdom. With eloquence and depth, the author unravels the symbolic language of the initiates, revealing timeless truths that resonate with seekers of spiritual understanding.

Hall's narrative is a tapestry woven with threads of mystery, unveiling the sacred rites, hidden symbols, and spiritual allegories passed down through the ages. The book becomes a key unlocking the doors to higher consciousness, inviting readers to contemplate the esoteric principles that underpin the universe. As Hall delves into the teachings of the initiates, he sheds light on the transformative journey one must undertake to unlock the secrets of the flame—the eternal source of spiritual illumination.

The Initiates of the Flame is not merely a book; it is a profound meditation on the esoteric traditions that have shaped humanity's quest for spiritual enlightenment. Hall's insights are a testament to his deep understanding of the ancient mysteries, offering readers a glimpse into the hidden dimensions of existence. This work is a must-read for those who seek to unravel the mysteries of the flame and embark on a transformative journey toward higher knowledge and self-realization.

"The Initiates of the Flame," Manly P. Hall is available in Amazon in paperback 10.99$ and hardcover 18.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 167

Language: English

Rating: 9/10                                           

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

[icelogged]

same as it ever was.

credits: 1 [a, b] 2 [a, b] 3 [d, b] 4 [e, b]

[isawthismeme]

[shortguyswag]

current thought for a video essay: The future is atheist (but we'll still celebrate christmas?)

[sacredwilderness]

He was a god amongst us

Alan Watts- letting go

[waffliesinyoface]

i think its extremely funny in naruto fanfiction whenever the author decides* to include a scene with hidan proselytizing, or extolling the virtues of jashinism. i love when he stops mid-rampage to try and explain his close and personal relationship with his god to his unfortunate captive audience.

*by "decides," i of course mean "they put hidan in the scene and were unable to prevent him from stealing the show"

"We have no reason to stay here. We fulfilled the client's request," Kakuzu ground out, the vein in his forehead throbbing angrily. "Stop messing around. Time is money-"

"Yeah, yeah, shut up with that horseshit. If you wanna report to Leader so bad, you can head back without me. I'm fucking teaching here, asshole! These heathen shits don't know their ass from their elbows, what kind of priest would I be if I didn't offer them moral guidance?"

Kakuzu grunted in response, then gestured to the few remaining civilian stragglers. "And what, exactly, are you attempting to teach them. They're clearly already terrified. Just get on with it so we can leave."

Hidan stared at Kakuzu incredulously. "...the fuck? What kind of shitty ass school did you go to? They don't cover fear in ethics class," he scoffed.

Kakuzu stared at Hidan, his darkened and skull-patterned skin slick with blood, and watched as he began to slowly disembowel himself. "Ethics class." He paused, letting the unspoken question hanging in the air.

Nearby, the last of the village elders continued to bleed out, his screams having long since dissolved into pained gasps.

"Yeah, ethics class!" Hidan agreed, his eyes wild. Satisfied, he yanked the kunai out, and placed the tip directly on top of his sternum, above his heart. "After all," he said, grunting with exertion, "one of the core tenets of Jashinism is empathy."