#systems that only serve one instance of a soul

[greasersinpoodleskirts4cumshots]

No more corpse puppets

Stop CYMEK wannabes and supposedly respected associates of cymeks (!) technologies claiming their owners aren't overloaded with static in perceptions and thoughts and impersonating others in similar circumstances who are still apparently walking around, and apparently thinking and apparently communicating

Sparking robot systems and those that serve only one owner often mask defeat towards such aims

[lustlovehart]

Cease The Blaze

A/n: Takes place a little after “Scarlet In Black”.

Summary: [Yandere] Blade isn’t so sure anymore whether or not you are safe anymore, not even from yourself. It brings a question to his mind, should he try to save you? Or should he watch as you crumble by your own hand? He already knows the answer, and it’s definitely not the latter.

Warnings: Reader is wounded, Possessiveness on Blades part, Burning, Implied Imprisonment, Kinda angsty, Blade desperately wants to protect reader but doesn’t know how anymore

Blades eyes stare the deepest holes into your soul, his fingers wrapping the once pristine white bandages around your chest, his fingers grazing against bare skin, leaving a tingly feeling through your nerves.

"You really didn't have to do this Blade, I could've-" His fingers tighten significantly, though you don’t think he was trying to hurt you. “Gh..! I could’ve wrapped myself up…”

“No, you don’t need too. I’m doing it.” You don’t reply to him, only looking down at his hands as they worked, you didn’t dare to look into his eyes, they’d just serve as a further means to shrink down in embarrassment. When he finally finishes bandaging your wounds back up, he sits right next to you on the rock he made you rest on.

It was night where you were rested, the fire that laid in front of you burning a brilliant flame, it’s too bad you should never touch it.

“So, I thought you were in another solar system… Do you have some sort of third sense for me specifically?” Your eyes finally make contact with his own, smiling a little in hopes of lightening the tense mood with a joke.

Majority of the time he just looks at you, but there are a few instances where you can notice a tiny little quirk in his lips. You guess that isn’t one of those times though, with the way he replies in his usual straight face.

“If that’s what you wanna call it.”

“So you’re admitting to just magically knowing when i’m in danger?”

He lets out a firm ‘mm’ sound to the question. You assume he’s only agreeing to stop you from asking anymore, but even then it makes you laugh a tiny bit.

“Don’t know whether or should be creeped out or thankful? Kinda comforting knowing i’ll have you come rescue me whenever I need it.” For a moment you notice Blades eyebrows furrow, the moment once more going back to a stifling aura.

In his own mind, he finally thought about it, he had been too preoccupied with the feeling left in his chest to notice it himself, what happens when he can’t come to your aide? What if someone else caused harm to you and he couldn’t stop it. No, perhaps even worse, what if you cause your own demise?

After he had finally found something in his eternal damnation he enjoyed, is he really willing to let it go that easily?

“Not always. Don’t be so naive with your thinking. I’m not an aeon who will be the back of a chair you can easily lean on. What happens to you when you lay back and there is nothing to keep you from falling?”

“Wha…? What are you talking about…?”

“You fall [Name]. You fall and get hurt.”

You’re not too sure on how to reply to him, so you go back to gazing at the sparks of the blaze. A few minutes pass by, no maybe not even a few, half an hour had went on, neither of you speaking a word.

The inferno dimmed slightly, yet the fire felt even hotter than it did before. Your palms reach out without even thinking, finally feeling the burn before Blade bandaged had firmly grabbed onto your wrist.

“Do not touch that.”

“I wasn’t going to…”

The two of you don’t say anything else, your eyes only making contact with the inferno again. It was no longer as pretty as it once was, in fact, all it did was burn your eyes. Not Blades though, he wasn’t looking at the fire, he was only looking at you. Hesitantly, his hand grabs onto your shoulder pulling you in. His movements were stiff, yet you let him.

“I don’t want you to suffer.”

“What? Like-” you only stop yourself before talking more. ‘Like you?’ It was messed up, but you were starting to get sick of the vagueness in his words.

“Last time I saw you, you were covered in blood, not even a speck of your regular clothes could be seen. You shouldn’t worry about me being the one who’s ‘suffering’.”

“It’s blurred together, everything. The only thing that isn��t fogged by scarlet in my memories is my past.”

“Why don’t you revisit that past then?”

“That it is no longer there for me to revisit.”

Hot. The fire is burning you again. You blink a couple of times looking back at the man, no, the weapon perhaps?

“I have something else in front of me that isn’t tattered in bloodshed, I’m not willing to loose that.” He pulls out a red ribbon from his side, taking care in wrapping it around your wrist, the color reminds you off his eyes, and it smelled faintly of strawberries. When he finishes it up, he had shaped it into a tiny bow on your wrist, it’s kinda cute.

“What did you mean by ‘not willing to loose that?’ By the way? Is it another one of your cryptic sayings?”

“No. I mean it truly this time.”

For once in the moment, he doesn’t look at you, while all you did was look at him, confusion littered around you face.

After than neither of you spoke a word, until you dozed off, the last thing in your vision being the way the fire had went out, as if it had never been there, the only remains of it being the ashes it left in its wake. Blades calloused hands were still on your body, like before, he feared if he let go for even a moment you would be gone too.

Carefully he lifts you up, carrying you through the plain of nature that had surrounded you. In moments like this, he would always return you to the comfort of your bed, never leaving a trace of him behind for you to find.

“So Bladie, are you finally gonna bring them along with us? It has been a thought of yours for awhile has it not?” Her voice was undoubtedly the most recognizable thing about her, that and her blank eyes that always seemed to hold no fear. “The night I was waiting for you two, I expected you to bring them along right then. Why now hmmm?”

“They’re not safe. That won’t work.”

“I thought it would be their choice whether or not that was okay.”

“No. I want them to stay. If it means keeping them away from themself even, i’ll do it.”

His footsteps clank against the steel floor of the Stellaron Hunters ship, Kafka following close behind.

“Is that enough for you Bladie?” Her tone is of the usual, a bit condescending and playful, yet it makes him pause, if even for just a brief moment.

“If it means even a minutes escape from my suffrage.” She smiles at him, closing her eyes as they continue strolling through.

She knows what he said isn’t true. It won’t take long before his greed for you takes over, craving for more of your warmth as he starves for whatever you can give him. Maybe if he had taken you sooner it wouldn’t hurt so bad to watch you reach for home in front of him.

When you wake all you’ll remember is the way the fire had felt, the final feeling of the outside you can ever feel for yourself. In your last moments, you wished you had touched that flame, even if it meant being burnt.

———

Gonna be completely honest, I actually don’t enjoy the way this came out, but i wanted to highlight the softer side Blade has for Reader? While also showing how much he wants to keep them in his life. It definitely could’ve been better, but if it’s that bad, i’ll just rewrite it another time.

[the-sword-lesbian]

Hello Locked Tomb fans!!

Today we’re going to talk about the ways in which Mercymorn is a walking domestic abuse/systemic domestic abuse allegory.

For a more comprehensive breakdown of some of themes of abuse in HtN you can check out this amazing post by Sophelstien

A lot of the glimpses of Mercy’s backstory have some pretty clear indicators of her perpetual abuse by John and her behaviors, especially towards Harrow and Ianthe just perpetuate the same abuse she suffered for years as she turns a mostly blind eye to what John is doing with them.

So let’s get started with all the things straight out of the domestic abuse playbook.

1. Isolation from loved ones:

In this instance he did this to all the Lyctors, not just Mercy. The OG Lyctors were already dependent on proximity to John for their very survival. But with the deaths of their Cavaliers they’ve now experienced a horrifying trauma that cemented that bond further. Their loved ones were gone, the ones they cared for the most, who supported them above all else. They were cone and never coming back. But it’s a good thing John was there for them. Good ole John would always be there for them, right?

You can(and probably will) argue that John himself didn’t do the isolating here(except in the case of Samael whom he definitely admits to killing). Especially in the case of Cristabel and Alfred. But John set up the system. The religious, fatherly but always your pal John at the top. And what better way to serve him, to help him, to be with him. Then to annihilate your support system.

So Cristabel is dead, Mercy’s brotherly icon in the form of Augustine has now become a perpetual antagonist towards her for something she didn’t do, and the only person she can seemingly lean on for comfort and support, is John.

2: Pressure to conform to uncomfortable situations and further self-isolation

Mercy always hated the sexy parties. This one should seem pretty self explanatory but there are other ways we can look at it as well.

So Mercy, now in a perpetually grieving state and entirely reliant on John and her fellow lyctors(who are also dealing with their own grief and trauma) is being pushed to attend what seems to be implied to be quite raucous events put on by her brothers and sisters. I’m sure a great many of them are also just doing it to cope with their own problems in the form of excess. Except John, who is the instigator of most of their traumas, who’s probably having a fantastic time.

Furthermore we see how this has long term shaped Mercy’s general attitude, and personality. She’s bitter, closed off, and a pretty significant shut in. She hardly ever leaves Mithraeum these days. She goes to collect John(and her new baby sister’s/children) from the Erebus and bring them home, to Mithraeum. And that whole scene is just dripping with imagery of a desperate wife/daughter pleading to get her husband/father to come home from the bar, overlooks his probable dalliances(Sarpedon) and his obsessive attention towards a younger subject(Harrow), and just begs him to come back.

And while we’re on the subject

3: Unhealthy attachment and willingness to overlook red flags.

Mercy loves John, and yes, a lot of that can be chalked up to soul permeability and Cristabel. But Mercy loves for him and cares about him as deeply as she can. We can see this in the resurrection beast meeting. Everyone deserves to die for mocking her. But John? John just needs to be locked up for a bit. It will do him some good. He is good, he just needs to learn. Surely there’s goodness inside of him. Surely she hasn’t just spent ten thousand years in service to a man who’s done nothing but torment her with a smile and a false family dynamic. She thinks about this often.

And speaking of overlooking red flags, Mercy’s barest protection of Harrow, only enough to survive. Because that’s what you do in this family. You survive. She doesn’t stop John from what he’s doing to Harrow, she knows what he’s doing surely. But she leaves Harrow to largely fend for herself. Because John isn’t bad, surely. She just needs to learn. Like Mercy did.

4: Plotting escape and the relief when it’s achieved

Mercy, with the help of others, has spent centuries planning John’s downfall. She and Augustine have tailored an incredibly long game plan to open the tomb and bring about John’s end. They got outside help to do it. They didn’t want it to come back at them. They didn’t want to face John’s consequences themselves. And really this couldn’t more obviously be an example of hiring someone to kill your abuser for you.

But the plan falls through, and that’s okay because Mercymorn, has a backup. She devoted thousands of years to a skill that Augustine flat out says would only be good for killing those like themselves. Those with power, and invisibility.

And the relief when it happens. The sheer joy and sadness and desperate exhaustion when she’s done it, and they’re finally free.

5: Retaliation

Mercy and Augustine were right to try and do it all as secretly as they could. They were right to fear a reprisal. Because the very second John comes back, he kills Mercymorn the first. He then attempts to use this display of violence as an intimidation tactic to try and sway the others.

“She made me do it, I had no choice. surely you all believe me? Surely you wouldn’t betray me all the same?”

How many thousands upon thousands of stories have there been throughout history, of abuse victims escaping, or attempting escape, only to be killed or maimed for their efforts.

She was free. They were all free. She’d saved everyone from him. They were safe. She was safe.

And then she wasn’t.

[talonabraxas]

The Kundalini – Serpents And Dragons

The Kundalini refers to the dormant power or energy present in every human being, and lying like a coiled serpent in the etheric body at the base of the spine. This coiled serpent has been biding its time for ages, waiting for the day when the soul would begin to take charge of its rightful domain—the personality, or the combination of the physical, astral and mental bodies.

This ‘spiritual’ force, while still asleep, is the static form of creative energy which serves to vitalise the whole body. When awakened and beginning to ‘uncoil’, this electric, fiery force proves to be of a spiral nature, and hence the symbolic description of ‘serpent power’.

As the Kundalini force is aroused, it will steadily increase the vibratory action of the etheric centres and consequently also that of the physical, astral and mental bodies through which the vital body finds expression. This animating activity will have a dual effect, firstly by eliminating all that is coarse and unsuitable from the lower vehicles, and secondly by absorbing into its sphere of influence those lofty qualities which will serve to raise the energy content of the vital body of the evolving individual.

One of the objects of activating the spiral fire and its progress up the spine to the head, is to awaken the pineal gland, which again results in the opening of the third eye and the consequent revelation of the subtler planes of spiritual life. By sustaining meditation, by study, disciplined living and selfless service to humanity, the entire system will step by step be aroused, bringing the lower man under the influence of the soul; this will ensure a simultaneous and parallel awakening of the etheric force centres and the dormant forces at the base of the spine. When this process is carried forward with care and under suitable direction, the awakening will take its course gradually and normally, and without incurring any danger.

Should attempts be made, however, to accelerate the natural unfoldment unduly by various exercises or other artificial means, then the aspirant is letting himself in for trouble. Breathing exercises should, for instance, never be undertaken without expert guidance, and then only after years of spiritual application, devotion and service. Concentration upon the etheric centres with the object of activating them, should also be avoided, as this will only lead to over-stimulation and the opening of doors on to the astral plane-once opened these doors are difficult to close again. Students are also specifically and strongly warned against following intensive meditation programs lasting for hours, or against practices which aim at arousing any particular centre or the Kundalini fire. The average student is already stimulated to such an extent by present day life activities, that excessive meditation to such an extent by present day life activities, that excessive meditation, breathing exercises, a fanatical diet, curtailment of sleep, and undue interest and emphasis upon psychic experiences, will be included to upset his mental balance and may cause irreparable damage. The raising of the Kundalini force, if brought about ignorantly and prematurely, may lead to serious nervous trouble, inflammation of the tissues, spinal disease, and brain trouble, but if allowed to proceed progressively and naturally through disciplined living, it will finally serve to open the gates to higher realms. [From the works of AAB and Master DK.] Kundalini Serpent by Talon Abraxas

[mogcubed]

i’ve been thinking about the logistics of undertale a little too much. biologically, what are monsters? like hypothetically what biological phyla would they fit under?

is this too niche of a question?

if it’s two races: humans vs. monsters, then there has to be a genetic difference in between the two sentient species. humans are mammals, descending from apes and the like, suggesting that monsters are inherently different from mammals entirely. however, we see monsters that heavily represent a lot of mammal species (dogs, goats, deer, etc) as well as a plethora of other animal-inspired characters (undyne having fish like qualities, alphys with lizard-like qualities).

do humans and monsters share the same common ancestor and just have adopted similar animalistic traits through convergent evolution, or are monsters something else entirely?

if the latter is true, i’m wondering if monster biology could be considered as something completely different than how we understand life. if we take into account that mr toby fox based the world of undertale on the scientific principles of our own (minus the whole concept of SOULs), given that monsters behave in a completely different nature than most living species, how exactly did they come to exist on earth?

basically, what if the monsters represented a seventh kingdom of life?

organisms are typically classified under six distinct kingdoms of life (Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia). the first three kingdoms are basically microscopic, single celled organisms. the last three are probably the most familiar, being fungi, plants, and animals (with animals in this argument representing us, humanity, humans). monsters clearly don’t seem to fit into any of these categories

i mean, for one they (mainly) don’t bleed, instead decomposing into dust following the death of their physical bodies. like all other organisms, they run off energy, but this energy seems to be exuded outwards from a central point (their SOUL) rather than equally made and distributed throughout the cells of an organism like we see in all of the other six kingdoms.

essentially for us, yknow, mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. but i’m wondering if, for monsters, their SOUL serves as their mitochondria, in a way. it’s how they live and breathe. their food, too, is noted in undertale to be different than “food from the surface” or human food. it seems to completely rejuvenate their energy, instead of the traditional way that we as humans eat (by digesting other organisms). it seems that they don’t consume other organisms at all. instead their food is completely different and only MODELED after surface food (because yknow, they don’t exactly have digestive systems. take sans and papyrus for instance. real human food would just fall right through them probably).

ANYWAYS just some ramblings i could probably write a whole essay on this

TLDR: sans undertale is the secret seventh kingdom of life

[bleachbleachbleach]

Been thinking about Shinji and Momo and specifically abt them in relations to the system or the ideal of the system that kind of screwed them over. With Shinji being unjustly thrown out and no one rlly fully unpacking how much of an HR concern was Aizen’s weird boundaries with Momo. You once mentioned in one of ur posts abt Shinji that the Vizards for sure do not come back with full trust in the soul society again and have their own agendas. This makes me wonder how Shinji and Momo navigate that system together now that both of them have made the decision to continue to serve under it? Momo, herself does come across as duty bound but has shown instances of acting against it when she feels the need to for the sake of the greater good (like disobeying orders to save hisagi, or admitting that not all laws are good laws even if she’s technically quoting Aizen) Sorry for the rambling! These two just fascinate me cuz I feel like aside from the whole Aizen thing, they’re like two diff flavors of being back on the job after being screwed over. The somewhat jaded mentor and the eager beaver who got the rug thrown under her.

We joke about Gotei HR all the time, but honestly in the context of their own world and worldviews would Aizen and Hinamori come across to anyone as having weird boundaries? I’m not saying it didn’t get weird but I kind of feel like part of the nature of the thing is that it’d be hard for anyone in Soul Society to point to anything Aizen did that was notably weirder than anything else everyone else does. I’m not saying it wouldn’t be an HR violation somewhere (I just completed my state-mandated sexual harassment training three days ago, so it’s all nice and fresh, LOL) but even if the Gotei had HR I doubt it would have helped in Aizen and Hinamori’s case.

I know there are people who get very deep into canonicity debates about whether Aizen and Hinamori ever slept with each other, but I’m not personally all that interested in the genre as a whole—like, the nailing down of what is or isn’t canon. In fanfic, I figure anything goes if you can make it work for you in your story. For my part, I think Aizen would take pride in not having to have sex with Hinamori in order to make his plans work. Like an *everyone* does sexual manipulation but he doesn’t even *have* to and that’s the *beauty* of the game kind of deal.

But to the question itself!

My take on Shinji is that he is, of course, very well aware of the ways the Gotei fucked him and the rest of the Vizard, and has no illusions about that. But he’s not someone who simmers in that in the same way that Hiyori does.

Honestly, maybe a good comparison might be that Shinji treats the Gotei the way he treated Aizen as a vice-captain. According to Aizen, that was a mistake, but Shinji knows the Gotei better than he ever knew Aizen. Arguably, the Gotei is more knowable than Aizen. Shinji has a certain savvy about him with respect to the Gotei as an institution, and if you now how it works, then there are degrees to which it can be managed, and perhaps even made to work for you. And if you want that to happen, the only place you can do that work is inside it, as one of its Captains. Shinji’s known that since even before TBTP, probably since before he was even himself a Captain the first time around.

But I think another key element here is that Shinji is very, very good at separating the work from the institution from the people. He can engage his octopus brain and hold the meaning of what shinigami effect in the world separate from the ethical and bureaucratic conundrums posed by the Gotei, separate from the personalities that make it up (which are the problem and the best part about the Gotei in turns). He reminds me of this guy who’s been in my toxic-ass profession for AGES but still has a ton of energy and capacity for wonder and enthusiasm and being smart in ways that make everyone smarter, and he manages this by being absolutely ruthless about not getting all sopped up by departmental drama or overly precious about ~the profession~ and making very intentional decisions about what matters and what absolutely doesn’t. I think having that as a model was incredibly useful for Hinamori, as someone with a propensity to care deeply for and about everything.

I mentioned in the tags of another post that I envisioned Hinamori as having a healing justice orientation to the world, part of which is about locating “evil” outside of individuals. It is not inherent, but made. While this does not absolve Aizen of his actions or their supporting worldviews, a path to forgiveness is at least partly about recognizing the bigger picture that produced the conditions for the fomenting of these views/plans. (And that’s before the many ways the system failed them in ways that didn’t come directly through Aizen.) Which means that moving past Aizen is also about moving past the Gotei/Soul Society, while also continuing to work for it—in a major, responsible way.

Like, Hinamori is not clocking in to sweep the floors and then leave to her wife and kids. She’s leading the thing. So what’s the journey there? We see her reclaim her role as 5th Division Vice-Captain in the Winter War (as distinct from being Aizen’s Vice-Captain—ymmv on this, like Matsumoto’s does). In that role, Hinamori has not seemed to have much of a problem with challenging authority when she felt it just to do so, even in moments of more even temper (shouting at Byakuya over Renji’s unconscious body lol). Which I feel like lends credence to the idea that Aizen’s betrayal was probably not her introduction to the world being often an unjust and deeply painful place, or even to the Gotei being these things. Like, I think she understood that. Maybe Aizen even talked to her about that, and part of why she liked him so much was the opportunity to have these long, intellectual conversations about philosophy and governance. And what do you do at the end of these conversations? You can be bitter and angry about it; you can be angry and want to burn it down; you can drink the Kool-Aid and become complicit in it; you can naively deny it and either become complicit in it or get destroyed by it; or you can—

Do what Shinji and Hinamori do about it together, which is to resolve to be the energy they wish to see in the world, which in their interpretation also requires some complicity—being officers in Gotei—and, having made that choice, periodically needing to process that. I mean, I think that’s part and parcel of being involved in any kind of institution (I know I think about it allllll the fucking time), but I imagine the experience is further magnified by the particular histories Shinji and Hinamori have with the Gotei.

I imagine sometimes—a rough week at the office, or in the aftermath of a Blood War they wonder if they aren’t being too complicit. Or, conversely, if they aren’t echoing Aizen too much, in their resolution to craft a world of their own devising. But they were different people, both from each other and very much from Aizen; their devices and visions are different, too. And so the fear falls away.

It will come back. It will probably never leave. But sometimes it’s better to be haunted than not, and ghosts can be welcome reminders.

[eldritch-spouse]

The Princes

After a deal is established between Krulu and Miara, the idea of creating offspring becomes slightly less abhorrent to Krulu, for a multitude of reasons, some of which he's not keen to admit.

Miara will tell him a lot of truths he needs to hear, a couple of these being particularly pleasing, such as:

Siadar have vastly stopped watching Earth. This means the banished is not in as much danger as he believes himself to be. There's no need to be as subtle as he currently is being, because ever since Earth became the equivalent of a "no-go" zone, he's in little to no danger of being found. He's in an isolated, abandoned instance, inside a system vastly abandoned by siadar. Mother is only there because she's a deviant looking for her fragment;

He has her protection. In the very unlikely scenario that something did go wrong and both of them would be found, Miara volunteers herself to not only protect, but also sacrifice herself for the offspring and possibly buy all of them enough time to escape. This is not being done for Krulu specifically, but rather for Admin, the shard. Miara wants to proportion nothing but the best for you and is driven with all her being to ensure that you live the most fulfilled life. Does Krulu like that having Mother's protection soothes him? No, fuck no. But he can't deny that it makes the idea of heirs more feasible, tangible, less stressful.

Why is Miara so keen on kids?

Simple, she's a fertility goddess. As a former matemaker, and a creator, she can't help but encourage procreation amongst those she cares for. You (Admin) yourself are extremely family-oriented (if you weren't before, you sure are now) as one of your longest lasting wishes to be impregnated by Krulu and bring his heirs into the world. This desire is in direct correlation with your soul's link to Miara.

Other than that, she's also very excited to see a possible new generation of monsters be created, as she's come to adore the "heretical" diversity of this planet.

Why is Krulu so against kids?

Tl;dr: Trauma.

The last thing he wants is to be found again, to have the few things he's relearned to love be ripped from his grasp, decimated anew. He wouldn't survive that, he'd enter such a nauseating level of hysteria, of mania, that his mental faculties would never recover and he'd scorch everything alive. This planet, his kind, himself. Just thinking about actually going through with it causes him grief and panic deep enough to make his chest ache. Naturally, as his vessel, this saddens you to no end.

Putting that major mental block aside, Krulu is also saddened by the possibility of passing on his wounds and "blemishes" onto the offspring, which is likely, since the extended period of time inside The Null altered his core, his genetics.

The "test run"

Belo is the first who gets to put a baby in you.

For several reasons, mainly that Krulu isn't ready to do it until much later, but this test run with Belo only serves to sway him in that direction. The idea is implanted in your head first by none other than Miara, who is very good at coming up with mildly creative, kinda bullshit solutions to a lot of problems. If Krulu won't grant you offspring just yet, why not coax him with the image of you swollen by Belo's child?

This is beneficial for a lot of reasons, mostly that there's little to no danger involved for Krulu or you. Plus, it's something the higher finds himself very aroused by. The pregnancy will be smoother, and everyone gets a chance to orient themselves towards a more familial dynamic. Belo himself is extremely honored to have this chance, and exists in shock for a great deal of its duration.

After the angel hybrid child is born, your recovery is given priority, as soon enough, you'll be welcoming Krulu's heir. This pregnancy is already vastly different, and a touch more risky. (I've detailed the basic gist of it before.)

The offspring

Put simply, the siblings are as follows:

Adelo (Prince of Eden) -> Belo and Admin's child. An angel hybrid with some odd shapes here and there. Little about them is humanoid, mostly because angels are some of the most untampered types of creations genetically speaking, it would take a lot of successive breeding with lessers to make extremely humanoid angels. A very playful person, masculine-presenting, hermaphroditic. This little bozo originally simply wanted to goof off and was content only having to perform small errands for his parents, the clergymen and so forth. Upon teenhood, he's told about some plans for Eden, and how Krulu wishes Adelo would become its ruler within time. Ever since then, he has strived to make his parents' vision become reality, no matter what.

Adrul (Prince of Perdition) -> Krulu and Admin's child. Retains a lot of his father's visage, though with the odd feature of a centipede-like lower body. Has been somewhat quiet and serious since childhood, in great contrast to his brother, though he's not incapable of humor. The hybrid didn't like to feel useless and would take on any role necessary, no matter how foreign it felt. He takes his mission to heart and swears to convert every demon, or kill them where they stand shall they refuse to honor Krulu. Although he may outwardly come off as intimidating and heartless, Adrul has a lot more empathy than his brother.

As princes, it's safe to assume both monsters suffer from some degree of loneliness and stress, imposed on them by the missions they have been encumbered with. If only there was someone who caught their eye, made life more bearable...

[santoschristos]

Kundalini

Dragons and the Serpents

The Kundalini refers to the dormant power or energy present in every human being, and lying like a coiled serpent in the etheric body at the base of the spine. This coiled serpent has been biding its time for ages, waiting for the day when the soul would begin to take charge of its rightful domain—the personality, or the combination of the physical, astral and mental bodies.

This ‘spiritual’ force, while still asleep, is the static form of creative energy which serves to vitalise the whole body. When awakened and beginning to ‘uncoil’, this electric, fiery force proves to be of a spiral nature, and hence the symbolic description of ‘serpent power’.

As the Kundalini force is aroused, it will steadily increase the vibratory action of the etheric centres and consequently also that of the physical, astral and mental bodies through which the vital body finds expression. This animating activity will have a dual effect, firstly by eliminating all that is coarse and unsuitable from the lower vehicles, and secondly by absorbing into its sphere of influence those lofty qualities which will serve to raise the energy content of the vital body of the evolving individual.

One of the objects of activating the spiral fire and its progress up the spine to the head, is to awaken the pineal gland, which again results in the opening of the third eye and the consequent revelation of the subtler planes of spiritual life. By sustaining meditation, by study, disciplined living and selfless service to humanity, the entire system will step by step be aroused, bringing the lower man under the influence of the soul; this will ensure a simultaneous and parallel awakening of the etheric force centres and the dormant forces at the base of the spine. When this process is carried forward with care and under suitable direction, the awakening will take its course gradually and normally, and without incurring any danger.

Should attempts be made, however, to accelerate the natural unfoldment unduly by various exercises or other artificial means, then the aspirant is letting himself in for trouble. Breathing exercises should, for instance, never be undertaken without expert guidance, and then only after years of spiritual application, devotion and service. Concentration upon the etheric centres with the object of activating them, should also be avoided, as this will only lead to over-stimulation and the opening of doors on to the astral plane-once opened these doors are difficult to close again. Students are also specifically and strongly warned against following intensive meditation programs lasting for hours, or against practices which aim at arousing any particular centre or the Kundalini fire. The average student is already stimulated to such an extent by present day life activities, that excessive meditation to such an extent by present day life activities, that excessive meditation, breathing exercises, a fanatical diet, curtailment of sleep, and undue interest and emphasis upon psychic experiences, will be included to upset his mental balance and may cause irreparable damage. The raising of the Kundalini force, if brought about ignorantly and prematurely, may lead to serious nervous trouble, inflammation of the tissues, spinal disease, and brain trouble, but if allowed to proceed progressively and naturally through disciplined living, it will finally serve to open the gates to higher realms. (From the works of AAB and Master DK.)

[dateamonster]

working on refining my idea of how demons and angels present in Other School lore feel free to ignore

demons originated as a pretty garden variety subsect of trickster spirit who fed off human misery. as both human and demon populations began to grow, it became harder to rattle humans with just a little mischief and destruction, while at the same time the increased number of demons were becoming more and more aggressively competitive and territorial. at some point they would start taking a page out of the faeries book and simply abduct humans back to the infernal realm to torment and feed off them indefinitely. mortal existence already being such a fragile thing, angels were dispatched from the celestial realm to curb demon activity.

the ensuing war was the inciting incident for pretty much all future angel/demon hostility. the demons were at a categorical disadvantage, but still managed to do some real damage to the angels numbers after one of their highest ranking angels defected and took a big chunk of his men with him. this was the first instance of fallen angels and really shook up a lot of angel society.

eventually treaty lines were drawn and angels and demons were bound to a pact that prevented them from directly harming one another. demons freedom of movement in the mortal realm was also pretty strongly limited, but as compromise they were still allowed claim over humans that went to them willingly, those who forfeited their souls to feed their own greed or lust for power, and only after death, since as long as they were alive there was still a chance for redemption. likewise, angels could not interfere with a humans fate if that was the path they chose.

this worked out well enough for the demons for a while. while they couldnt force a mark into selling their soul they quickly learned there were plenty of little ways to stack the odds in their favor not strictly forbidden by the terms of the treaty, and a number of them returned to the old ways of killing crops and causing poor sleep and little miseries like that to tide them over until some bigger target beefed it and ended up fair game for them to torment eternally.

but demons were still a competitive and greedy bunch by nature, and the cleverer of them continued searching for new ways to navigate around the rules and get higher numbers of souls in their possession. eventually someone realized that once they owned a human soul, they didnt strictly speaking have to just torture them, they could make them do other stuff, including acting as a middle man. so they began drafting up a deal for the humans they lured, a contract you might say, which offered them freedom from the agonies inflicted on them in exchange for meeting a certain quota of souls claimed and evil done. they even sweetened the deal by allowing them to extend this offer to any humans they corrupted themself, creating a tidy chain of command. demons claiming human souls, turning them into demons, and sending them out to repeat the process, feeding infinitly off the flow of ambient misery this naturally produced. hells first pyramid scheme baby!!

over the course of centuries demonic society shifted from a chaotic free-for-all of violent internal and external power struggles to a grand, horrible, corporate machine, whose influence would eventually seep out and form the basis for a lot of the worst structures in the mortal realm as well.

demons are still demons however so even within this more ordered system there's still plenty of double crossing, spying, demons serving two rival masters without their knowing, demons killing their higher ups and taking their place, things like that. the level of self destruction innate to this kind of environment keeps all powers in check and prevents humankind from being fully subsumed into hell to a point where the angels would need to break the fragile peace theyve maintained for eons and intervene again. but still they are keeping an eye on them..

its allllll good lol

[gag-magazine]

Protecting Your Peace, or Being a Pussy?

By Yellen Art by Raneem Iftekhar

Putting male comedians on a pedestal for so many years of my life was horrid for my mental health. I love their Jester’s privilege. Their pursuit of truth. Their ability to point out the negative realities people don't wish to acknowledge. True catalysts for justice. 

Comedy insidiously slips in revolutionary critique in an extremely palatable manner, due to the very nature of its entertainment. The jokes, these necessary reality checks, hold immense power in reframing thought, twisting taboo into norm. If it’s funny, it’s funny. Audience laughter is visceral. uncontrollable. reflects an acceptance of the underlying principle of the bit. The beginning of a somewhat unconscious questioning—a shift in ingrained ideology, although potentially initially uncomfortable.

I wanted to be like them, but I just grew into a menace, playing my favorite sadistic game whenever possible. This favorite pastime involved going out of my way to make my moral adversaries as uncomfortable as possible, verbalizing the unappetizing elephant in the room. I know what you did last summer. No care for pleasantries: let’s let the dirt rise to the surface. I won’t let this blow over. Cunt. You aren’t hidden. As long as I’m here. I will corner you. Trap you into confession. 

I was always searching for something or someone to trigger me so I can simulate judge and jury, desperately grasping to feel any sort of power or agency in guaranteeing justice. To instigate some revelation about their lacking morality. To catalyze their own self-reflection and potentially inspire real change. You don’t want to let them off hook, allow them to enjoy the party, same as you, living peacefully with what they’ve done. It feels so deeply wrong to settle with your own discomfort as perpetrators go free. Would you let Harvey Weinstein enjoy his meal at the table next to yours? 

But it’s a flawed strategy. On par with cancel culture’s delusion that it actually serves justice. The only one being punished is yourself as you deep dive into a black tar pit. Stuck. bogged down by their darkness. All you are doing is fucking up your nervous system, extending the timeline of your own anger, letting it cramp in your gut. P.S. Comedians are infamously known to be such happy people! Maybe comedy has always been a medium to complain about the things outside our control…to poke fun at our powerlessness. Maybe it’s not this revolutionary instrument of social change you think it is, but merely reaffirms people’s values. You just romanticize being a dick because that’s all you know. 

Protecting your peace isn’t overrated.  Karma will get them. Remind yourself that real change comes from a place of love. You didn’t even make it funny. You just put them in defense mode, clutching their comfort zone and validating their own worth as their humanity is attacked. The opposite of your “intentions.” Self-disillusionment, the process of confronting the violence of your own automatic assumptions and reframing them comes from within…But your anger is righteous and what’s the alternative? Ambivalence? Complacency? It’s a difficult balance.

I’m on a painstaking journey to deconstruct my perfectionism and shift my judgmental lens in the name of self love. I’m typically the biggest victim and the most common target of my seething hatred. In attempting to free my soul from this negativity, I try to remind myself that firstly, it’s ok to fuck up. And secondly, not every moment is a defining moment…But is it, though? Life has this magic essence to it, this circular mirroring of sorts, in which specific microcosms reflect greater patterns. Life is full of fractal reflections between small and large instances: no matter how deep you dig, you arrive on a fraction of the same thing. I usually collect people’s words like trinkets to add to a comprehensive psychological file I reserve in my brain. I’m addicted to retrieving more data to fill in my mental picture. Yes, that data says something. But not everything is a part of a greater pattern. Remember that they are so much more than what you see or hear. You aren’t engaging in critical thought, you are just critical. Keep telling yourself it was always about them and not some grand overcompensation for your own self-hatred. Everything is a mirror, after all. Stop projecting. 

Today it dawned on me how much I’ve really changed. I’ve been making an excruciating effort to be kinder to myself. But in turn, I’ve become a straight up pussy. Now we have arrived at the extremely stupid reason I wrote this piece: because of two petty instances of girls disrespecting me last week. One of them involved some frigid bitch rolling her eyes at me and then ignoring me when I introduced myself. I humbly asked for her name and ignored her cuntiness. The other involved some alt chick cutting me in line. I said under my breath with my head down, “Don’t you hate when people cut?” and the bitch really hit me back with a loud “Ya I fucking hate when people cut” as she cuts. Now, I just said nothing. I’ve never felt like such a narc loser in my entire adult life, even though the concept of a fucking line has to be one of the most basic forms of common curtosy to ever exist. But She won. Hands down. Honestly I can’t even blame her. I have to respect her and I kind of want an enemies to lovers arch for us. 

But anywho, my past self would have paid big money to be awarded any opportunity to deliver some seething comeback her way. But I stood in silence and it’s been haunting me. I can’t believe I’m…chill..now. I stopped subtweeting for the most part on my instagram story because my compulsive desire to put people on blast has gotten me in trouble many a time. I’m growing up, choosing my battles, developing my prefrontal cortex. But I am still riddled with a deep sense of regret over my silence in both these dumb situations. Maybe I should have made a scene. Bowed down to her excellency and profusely apologized for entering her space in medieval english prose. 

God, no one tells you that protecting your peace feels absurdly fucking lame. [redacted]

_________

The original ending to this piece involved me personally naming the bitches that briefly hurt my ego and telling them to go fuck themselves, ironically undermining the healing narrative I championed in this entire article thus far over such petty, insignificant situations cuz its semi-funnyish (at best) commentary on my tendency to revert back to my nasty id instincts no matter how much I try to self-help out of being a chronic hater. But ultimately, the clickbait title of this piece presents a false binary: silence or explicit aggression. But I’ve come to learn that protecting your peace doesn’t make you a pussy; it’s just the opposite.

Let’s take a look at your doomed track record thus far. You allow disrespect to tally up until you reach a breaking point that has almost nothing to do with the straw that breaks the camel's back. Then you continue to publicly pop off on an anonymous adversary on social media, with a shield of comedy and just enough vagueness to avoid communicating directly, promptly and vulnerably. Fighting behind a black screen without even really admitting you’re fighting. Championing plausible deniability to slither out of actually confronting the problem with the person head-on. Calling someone out for some dumb bullshit they probably don’t even remember in a published article where they cannot defend themselves…That’s what being a pussy looks like. Yes, I know: there are people in this world that deserve to be bullied, and yes, it’s a real shame they don’t experience debilitating shame on a daily basis like you do. But ever heard of the saying, “Misery loves company?” You are ohhh, sooo predictable—following the classic “bullied becomes the bully” character arc. So quick to condemn but someone calls you weird once and you crumble. Do you feel less weak now or more than ever? No, no, I’ve got it all wrong? You’re powerful? Extremely secure? Such conviction. Praise be.

[indipopcorn]

Ritual Killing: Crime of superstition is the new challenge for modern India!

Ritual Killing: Crime of superstition is the new challenge for modern India!

More than 2,500 people have died because failed development in villages heightens gender inequality and tensions.

Men circled the three women, their fists wrapped around thick iron pipes and wooden sticks. The women huddled on the ground at the center of their village in the western Indian state of Gujarat and whimpered as the crowd gathered. Two young men had died in the village, and the women were being called dakan, the Gujarati word for witch. They were accused of feasting on the young men’s souls.

Madhuben clutched her right upper arm. She had taken three blows from one of the pipes and was sure her bones were broken. Her sisters-in-law, Susilaben and Kamlaben, covered their heads as wood and metal pounded their backs. (The names of women targeted by witch hunts have been changed in this story, to minimize the risk of further assault or of jeopardizing pending legal cases.)

The attack on the trio, in Gujarat in 2014, was one of thousands of witch hunts that take place in India. In the second incident, A father and uncle themselves kill their 10-12 year daughter to develop business and the idea they have got from Bhuva ji.

It’s not only about Gujarat. The entire India is facing the issue and women are the most targeted in such activities. 

I would like to share example of my neighbour, she views herself as a goddess, and her whole family supports her. People began approaching her gradually, and for some reason their plan worked. They have quickly outearned all other workers in terms of income. Her two boys, who were both unemployed at the age of thirty, are now worry-free because their mother makes more than enough money. This is an example of an educated culture.

Our two ministries are one focused on social justice and welfare, and the other on women and children. We discuss reservations a lot, but when we do, this problem deserves more focus. assistance presents an accurate image of how politics on reservations fail to assist those who genuinely need assistance. Only education and government action would benefit them; even after 75 years, we still fail. The so-called leaders who serve the caste and bring up the subject of the caste system on a weekly basis are ignorant of this grave problem, which mostly affects women from that caste and particular areas. In this instance, both the victim and the offender are members of the same family. Not a single leader has brought up the matter or demonstrated concern to make things work for them.

Although reservations are frequently talked about, have they ever been studied? Why, even after all this turmoil, does education not reach them!

How Pervasive are Superstitious Killings in India?

As per the 2021 report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), six deaths were linked to human sacrifices, while witchcraft was the motive for 68 killings.

The maximum number of witchcraft cases were reported from Chhattisgarh (20), followed by Madhya Pradesh (18) and Telangana (11).

In 2020, India saw 88 deaths due to witchcraft and 11 died as part of ‘human sacrifices’, the NCRB report states.

These days, a lot of astrologers, goddesses, and babas claim to be able to answer all of your problems; sadly, there is no oversight on them. Anybody can become the aforementioned professional expert overnight and make a magical sum of money; they don't require a degree.

[pixelgrotto]

Clonevania: Master of Darkness

If you follow me on Twitter, you might've seen that my brother recently gifted me a Steam Deck for a wedding present. Being the educated soul that I am, my first priority with this impressive handheld was not to play the shiny new remake of Resident Evil 4, but to put emulators and ROMs on it so I could successfully play games released three decades ago.

One of these games was 1992's Master of Darkness, which was released for both the Sega Master System and the Game Gear. Master of Darkness has at least three names depending on its platform and region, and the few people who've written about it on the internet have called it Vampire, Vampire: Master of Darkness or In The Wake of Vampire, creating the illusion that this lone game is an entire franchise.

But Master of Darkness is the exact opposite of a franchise - rather, it's a single title that Sega released to mimic Castlevania when Konami's series was still a Nintendo exclusive. It falls fully in clone territory, and I first became aware of this game when I was a kid reading through the section on The Castlevania Dungeon about "Castlevania-like games." There, it's described as "worth a shot, if only to see the shamelessness."

I'll dare to make a hot take and call that a harsh analysis of Master of Darkness, though maybe I just have a high tolerance for obscure games that resemble more famous titles when you squint. Master of Darkness is far from the crappiest Castlevania clone I've played (that award goes to Castle of Shadows, a piece of mobile shovelware that's no longer available on any app stores), and there's a special kind of B-movie charm that the game radiates.

Instead of putting you in the role of a buff Belmont vampire hunter, for instance, you play a London occultism expert dubbed Ferdinand Social - a truly top-tier name for a protagonist. Social learns that Dracula is going to wreak havoc thanks to his trusty ouija board, which sends him an eerie message one night and serves as Master of Darkness' creative password screen. Taking his knife in hand, Social pursues leads to the Thames and faces Jack the Ripper, who's collecting bodies to fuel Dracula's resurrection. Social's journey then takes him to a creepy house of wax, a graveyard, a laboratory, and finally Transylvania itself.

It's an interesting selection of levels, and while you'll occasionally have to navigate Social through stained glass towers filled with swinging pendulums exported from just about any Castlevania, there are also some original moments. The house of wax, in particular, really makes the skin crawl with poltergeist-animated furniture and creepy women in white who only become alive after you move past them. The late 1800s setting also adds a Hammer Horror-esque flair to Master of Darkness that sets it apart from Castlevania, a series primarily known for its pre-Victorian vampire killing romps (with the exception of a handful of entries - most notably Bloodlines and Portrait of Ruin, neither of which had been released back in '92).

But while Master of Darkness' levels might be charming for evoking the same aesthetic as '70s British horror, they drag with repetitive design. Each level relies way too much on stairs, and while Social isn't as annoying to control on staicases as Simon Belmont was, Simon always traversed through tight levels that never got monotonous. In contrast, each level of Master of Darkness is huge, and after the twentieth staircase, it all starts to blend together. The game also has a habit of locking the player in a single room and forcing them to survive a gauntlet of foes, which becomes old fast. Then there's the last level - a labyrinth of interconnected screens that's just as much fun as most labyrinths are in video games.

Master of Darkness could've benefited from tighter level design for sure. And to stand out from Castlevania, it also could've done away with Dracula as a big boss, since his final appearance is pretty unmemorable anyway. Any other famous horror presence would've helped this game stand out from its competition, and besides, Ferdinand Social seems like an everyman sort of dude. I can easily see his ouija board warning him about Frankenstein's monster, a demon lord or some other denizen of evildom.

Social never got a chance to fight alternate baddies, since Castlevania stopped being a Nintendo exclusive when Bloodlines hit the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in '94, and I doubt that a huge contingent of Sega owners wanted the clone once the real thing was accessible. Still, something about Master of Darkness sticks with me, and it's certainly worthy of an afternoon if you enjoy emulating forgotten gems with say, a Steam Deck.

Honestly, I kinda wish some studio would get the rights from Sega for a remake. I doubt they're interested, but Lizardcube - the company that made Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and Streets of Rage 4 - would be a great choice. Drop the Dracula stuff for a focus on other gothic icons, fix the repetitive levels, invest in hand-drawn art, and boom, you've got something that could win a niche yet loyal audience, especially since Castlevania is now a series pretty much stuck in limbo. Personally, if I were in charge of the never-will-happen Master of Darkness reboot, I'd make Jack the Ripper the main bad guy. Maybe Jack's killing victims to power some kind of immortality soul engine, and Ferdinand Social has to navigate through ten London landmarks to bring him to justice, culminating in an awesome fight on the clock hands of Big Ben. Now that's a plot worthy of a Hammer flick.

[alokastrology1]

Karma and Reincarnation in Hindu Astrology

Hindu astrology is a tapestry woven with cosmic knowledge, ancient wisdom, and profound insights into life’s mysteries. Central to this intricate system are the concepts of karma and reincarnation, which provide a unique perspective on the journey of the soul. In this exploration, we’ll delve deeper into the significance of karma and reincarnation in Hindu astrology, offering insights into how these concepts shape our existence.

learn more about Karma and Reincarnation. Get an online astrology consultation by the world-renowned astrologer Mr. Alok Khandelwal.

Karma: The Universal Principle of Action and Reaction Karma, a word that transcends linguistic boundaries, holds a pivotal place in Hindu philosophy and astrology. At its core, karma is the law of cause and effect, asserting that every action, whether physical or mental, carries consequences. In the cosmic ledger of karma, each deed is meticulously recorded, and its impact is not confined to this life but extends to future incarnations.

The beauty of karma lies in its impartiality. It doesn’t distinguish between good or bad deeds; instead, it operates on a cosmic scale, balancing our actions with corresponding reactions. Hindu astrology considers the natal chart as a blueprint of one’s karmic patterns, unveiling the imprints of past actions and their potential effects on the present and future.

The Wheel of Reincarnation Reincarnation, the belief in the cyclical rebirth of the soul, is inseparable from the concept of karma. In Hindu astrology, the soul’s journey is likened to a wheel, with each lifetime representing a turn of the wheel. The experiences, trials, and joys of each life are intricately connected to the karma accumulated in previous existences.

The natal chart, or horoscope, serves as a cosmic map guiding the soul through its earthly sojourns. It highlights the soul’s evolutionary path, shedding light on the lessons to be learned, the challenges to be faced, and the opportunities for growth. Reincarnation, in this context, is the soul’s quest for self-realization, where it seeks to balance its karmic debts and progress towards spiritual liberation.

Read Also:- Planetary Yugas and Their Significance

The Role of Planets in Karmic Evolution In Hindu astrology, the positions and movements of celestial bodies are not mere celestial phenomena but cosmic signposts on the journey of karma and reincarnation. The planets are believed to influence our lives, representing the energies of karma we carry from previous births.

For instance, the placement of Saturn in one’s birth chart often indicates areas where karmic debts need resolution. Saturn’s influence can manifest as challenges and limitations, compelling individuals to confront and overcome past actions. Conversely, benefic planets like Jupiter and Venus signify blessings and positive karmic rewards.

Remedies and Redemption Hindu astrology doesn’t only diagnose karmic imprints; it also offers remedies to mitigate negative karma and accelerate spiritual evolution. Various rituals, mantras, and acts of service are prescribed to alleviate the burden of unfavourable karma and pave the way for a more harmonious life.

Astrologers and spiritual guides play a vital role in guiding individuals on their karmic journey. Through astrological consultations, individuals can gain insights into their karmic patterns and receive guidance on aligning their actions with higher cosmic principles.

In the realm of Hindu astrology, karma and reincarnation are not abstract concepts but living principles that shape our destinies. They remind us that our actions are not isolated events but threads in the grand tapestry of our soul’s evolution. Understanding these concepts empowers us to embrace life’s challenges as opportunities for growth and transformation, ultimately leading us on a path toward self-realization and spiritual liberation.

Read Also:- Weekly Rashifal from 4th to 10th September 2023

[theredpharaoah]

I’m rewriting this because tumblr is fucking stupid and pressing return deletes the fucking text for literally no reason. This is based off of my observations and how I’m conceptualizing it. Trigger warning: inhumanity is discussed and so there will be SA, Violence, etc, in this post.

We define humanity based off of inhumane acts. Inhumane acts have always been the line between who is human and inhuman. We don’t revoke humanity, we made it so that what we defined as inhumane acts serve as a barrier. When one commits an inhumane act they cross that barrier, and in doing so, transition from human to inhuman. I think the anime Soul Eater kind of gets at this. When someone kills and devours a human soul in this anime, they become a “kishin egg” their version of a demon basically. Devouring 100 souls completes the transformation into a demon. Soul Eater also gets at the arbitrary nature of “right” and “wrong” too. As Death has basically been committing a genocide against witches for millennia now and is very bigoted towards them(his youngest son and heir, Kid, ends the practice of hunting witches). Witches in this universe are a sub-species and are born the way they are. Death has a list of kishin eggs and witches for his meisters to hunt. And early on we have an episode where a little girl whose only crime is being born a witch, is on this list. I’ve never actually thought of some of the moral dilemmas they were bringing up in that show. I guess it gets lost in all the shounen throw-up - but I digress.

This of course highlights the obvious fact that we deem it appropriate to commit inhumane acts against these inhuman individuals; does this not make us inhuman as well? Yes and no. I think there’s always been an acknowledgement that humans have two major sides: an angel and a devil so to speak. The angel is the result of our higher intellect interacting with our empathy and “positive traits”. The devil is the result of our higher intellect interacting with our more “primeval” or animalistic traits and drives. However at some point, we realized that the devilish side of things really isn’t all that useful when living in big groups like we do. And so there is an expectation in society to repress and suppress that devil - the inhumane or animal in us all. We are taught from a young age to do this, or to express those urges in a healthy manner; within controlled settings and where no one else is likely to get hurt. When one fails to do this and commits an inhumane act, they become a means by which everyone else may express their devilish urges. They become the society-mandated controlled setting and healthy manner of dealing with these darker tendencies. But I think there’s still limits. We’re still watching one another in this moment. We can say some things in this Pandemonium, but others will always be off limits; reveal to us which of us is more devil than acceptable, and see them thrown in the pit too. For instance; I like Spit on Your Grave - mostly cus of my own trauma I suspect - but I wouldn’t like those movies if the protagonist somehow instigated a r*pe of the men that r*ped them. If we’re all in the midst of unleashing our devilish urges upon a r*pist, and someone gives us a detailed account of them fantasizing about doing the same thing to the person, I think most of us would confront them. And even when people say “they’ll enjoy him in prison” I think it’s weird. I say something similar but I never mean they’ll SA him in prison, I always mean they’re gonna bully you and beat the fuck out do you every day of your miserable life in prison. But maybe that’s just me, and someone can make an argument for this? I personally can’t do what someone did to me to them in such extreme circumstances. Like if someone killed my entire family, I can’t kill there’s in response. That seems wrong to me.

I don’t think this system is intrinsically flawed, I think it becomes flawed when executed in hierarchical societies. I believe we as humans did have some form of collective deliberation, and continue to on some level, on what are ACTUALLY inhumane acts. But elites and in many cases, our own devils/angels and insecurity, use their power within this society and over ourselves to muddle our moral tuning, conflate immorality with concepts that threaten their power/survival, and overall just fuck up the original moral compass we agreed upon. For instance; I think stealing is wrong and I ascribe different degrees of “wrongness” to stealing based off of what was stolen. Stealing someone’s food from the fridge is annoying, but it’s not anywhere near as wrong as stealing someone else’s ideas or a family heirloom or something. And I don’t think there’s any circumstance where I would be ok with imprisoning, maiming, or killing someone for stealing. It’s just not that serious to me. And if someone’s stealing food or other basic necessities, I don’t think they should be punished at all, as that means something is wrong with the society they live in and they’re simply doing what they have to do. My “Devil” isn’t roused by stealing, my Devil is roused by things like rape, torture, and murder. And in a more ridiculous sense, my Devil is roused by infidelity. I don’t think I’d ever condone physical punishment for cheating past punching a disrespectful ex in the face if they call you out your name or hit you or something. But I’ve noticed that I’d be ok with emotionally torturing someone even if it tortured me as well(hypothetically. I’be never experienced it irl). Hell, I’ll be emotionally distant or reserved even if they don’t give a fuck. I think it has something to do with pride. But what rouses my “Devil” also rouses my “Angel” and I begin to see that they’re really one and the same. I feel such anger and compassion for someone who has been assaulted, abused, or cheated on, and the “punishment” I inflict on the aggressor reads as righteous to me as well. I used this angel and devil metaphor as a reference to the angel and devil on our shoulders, but I wonder how much of this comes from western abrahamic-influenced culture. I also wonder how much of what rouses my “devil” or “angel” stems from childhood; I was sexually abused. I watched my mother constantly be paranoid about my father’s infidelity - watched her hype herself up to compensate for what she thought she lacked. I think you get it. It’s scary to think of how illusory the self is - how much we’re all just made up of events we experienced and the illusions of others we’ve known.

This might have motivated me to enroll in this higher level ethical philosophy class I was shying away from. To those with some knowledge and if it helps; I hate Utilitarianism and I don’t think any moral philosophy really satisfied me. I liked Rawls and Dewey’s deliberative democratic theory though? I think that could be applied too. But I also think it opens up another avenue of focus for my activism.

PS: Devil and Angel could easily be replaced with Jung’s Shadow. My conceptualization of the animus/anima pretty much gets rid of the gendered mess. It just rules pleasure and things we’re taught to think of as positive. But the distinction between the two is arbitrary and they overlap.

btw the whole point of human rights is that they are not revokable and that you don’t need to earn them. some of y’all will shout slogans about “human rights” and then fantasize about brutally torturing people who have done a crime you deem worthy of “revoking their humanity” which means you don’t actually care about human rights. you just want the “bad actions” to be directed at the “right people.” which is a fundamentally authoritarian and dangerous opinion

[talonabraxas]

THE KUNDALINI – SERPENTS AND DRAGONS

The Kundalini refers to the dormant power or energy present in every human being, and lying like a coiled serpent in the etheric body at the base of the spine. This coiled serpent has been biding its time for ages, waiting for the day when the soul would begin to take charge of its rightful domain—the personality, or the combination of the physical, astral and mental bodies.

This ‘spiritual’ force, while still asleep, is the static form of creative energy which serves to vitalise the whole body. When awakened and beginning to ‘uncoil’, this electric, fiery force proves to be of a spiral nature, and hence the symbolic description of ‘serpent power’.

As the Kundalini force is aroused, it will steadily increase the vibratory action of the etheric centres and consequently also that of the physical, astral and mental bodies through which the vital body finds expression. This animating activity will have a dual effect, firstly by eliminating all that is coarse and unsuitable from the lower vehicles, and secondly by absorbing into its sphere of influence those lofty qualities which will serve to raise the energy content of the vital body of the evolving individual.

One of the objects of activating the spiral fire and its progress up the spine to the head, is to awaken the pineal gland, which again results in the opening of the third eye and the consequent revelation of the subtler planes of spiritual life. By sustaining meditation, by study, disciplined living and selfless service to humanity, the entire system will step by step be aroused, bringing the lower man under the influence of the soul; this will ensure a simultaneous and parallel awakening of the etheric force centres and the dormant forces at the base of the spine. When this process is carried forward with care and under suitable direction, the awakening will take its course gradually and normally, and without incurring any danger.

Should attempts be made, however, to accelerate the natural unfoldment unduly by various exercises or other artificial means, then the aspirant is letting himself in for trouble. Breathing exercises should, for instance, never be undertaken without expert guidance, and then only after years of spiritual application, devotion and service. Concentration upon the etheric centres with the object of activating them, should also be avoided, as this will only lead to over-stimulation and the opening of doors on to the astral plane-once opened these doors are difficult to close again. Students are also specifically and strongly warned against following intensive meditation programs lasting for hours, or against practices which aim at arousing any particular centre or the Kundalini fire. The average student is already stimulated to such an extent by present day life activities, that excessive meditation to such an extent by present day life activities, that excessive meditation, breathing exercises, a fanatical diet, curtailment of sleep, and undue interest and emphasis upon psychic experiences, will be included to upset his mental balance and may cause irreparable damage. The raising of the Kundalini force, if brought about ignorantly and prematurely, may lead to serious nervous trouble, inflammation of the tissues, spinal disease, and brain trouble, but if allowed to proceed progressively and naturally through disciplined living, it will finally serve to open the gates to higher realms. [From the works of AAB and Master DK.]

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Women in Delhi's Music Industry: Breaking Barriers and Making Waves

The music industry in Delhi is a vibrant and diverse ecosystem, constantly evolving and expanding. Amid this bustling landscape, women are making significant strides, breaking barriers, and contributing immensely to the scene. Historically, the music industry has been male-dominated, but recent years have witnessed a powerful shift as more women have stepped into the spotlight, challenging norms and setting new standards. This article delves into the contributions, challenges, and successes of women in the music industry in Delhi, shedding light on their journeys and the impact they are making.

Women Artists Shaping Delhi’s Music Scene

Delhi is home to many talented female musicians who have been instrumental in shaping the city's music scene. From classical maestros to contemporary pop stars, women in Delhi have proven their mettle across genres. Artists like Aditi Singh Sharma, known for her versatile voice and powerful performances, and Shubha Mudgal, a stalwart in Indian classical music, have garnered immense respect and admiration.

Emerging artists are also making waves, such as rapper Dee MC, who uses her music to address social issues, and indie singer-songwriter Kamakshi Khanna, who captivates audiences with her soulful melodies. These artists not only enrich Delhi's music landscape but also inspire the next generation of female musicians.

Challenges Faced by Women in the Music Industry

Despite their achievements, women in Delhi's music industry face several challenges. Gender bias and stereotypes often create hurdles in their professional journeys. Many female artists report facing skepticism about their capabilities, especially in technical roles like sound engineering and music production. Additionally, the pressure to conform to certain image standards can be overwhelming.

Safety is another significant concern. Women often have to navigate late-night gigs and studio sessions, sometimes in environments that are not always supportive or safe. Balancing personal life with a demanding career is yet another challenge that many women in the music industry grapple with.

Initiatives Supporting Women in Music

Recognizing these challenges, various initiatives have been launched to support and empower women in Delhi's music industry. Organizations like Women in Music India aim to create a supportive network for female musicians, offering mentorship, workshops, and networking opportunities.

Additionally, events like the Lady Boss Festival celebrate female talent in music, providing a platform for women to showcase their skills and connect with industry professionals. Such initiatives are crucial in fostering an inclusive environment and encouraging more women to pursue careers in music.

Success Stories: Inspiring Women in Delhi’s Music Industry

The success stories of women in Delhi's music industry are both inspiring and motivating. For instance, Anoushka Shankar, an acclaimed sitar player and composer, has achieved global recognition for her contributions to music. Her innovative fusion of traditional and contemporary sounds has earned her multiple Grammy nominations.

Similarly, artist and producer Monica Dogra has made a significant impact with her unique sound and powerful presence. As one half of the electro-rock duo Shaa'ir + Func, and through her solo work, she has pushed creative boundaries and challenged societal norms.

These women, along with many others, serve as role models, proving that with talent, determination, and the right support, women can excel in the music industry.

Conclusion

The music industry in Delhi is witnessing a transformative era, thanks to the relentless efforts and talents of women who are breaking barriers and making waves. Their contributions are not only enriching the musical landscape but are also inspiring future generations of female musicians. As more women step into the spotlight and support systems continue to grow, the future of the music industry in Delhi looks promising and inclusive.