#the rules distinguish between creatures and objects

[notedchampagne]

quickly sketched out my tlt ocs to explain them to oomf

roch cardine is a fourth house medic! their dog is a newfoundland named guinuea. from saint guineafort. roch is from saint roch saint of dogs, cardine from.the 4 cardinal virtues. 4 in biblical meaning is often attributed to the 4 creatures around gods throne as well as symbolizing completeness

"temperance is love giving itself entirely to that which is loved; fortitude is love readily bearing all things for the sake of the loved object; justice is love serving only the loved object, and therefore ruling rightly; prudence is love distinguishing with sagacity between what hinders it and what helps it."

the four cardinal virtues

shes on the field but specializes more in second-based magic in siphoning life from her…dog… to power the injured. haha! :] shes in the same sort of generation as fluke and lubonna. everyone makes fun of her for having that damn dog

in the THIRD HOUSE theres fluke trium (cav) and lubonna tierce (necromancer). lubonna is a prior princess before the tridentarii existed. fluke is from a type of wormlike parasite, lubonna from charles lucian bonaparte who introduced the Phoenicopteridae family (flamingos). flamingo because they get their color from the feeding on brine shrimp - you can see that lubonna actually has flukes hair attached to it - she chews flukes hair off for power but uses the tips as um. extensions :)

lubonna thinks of them like jennifer and needy. but when lubonna pushes fluke too far in a shepherd planet interaction with BOE, fluke fucking kills lubonna and joins boe

a few years later roch and their dog guinea are kidnapped by boe - roch is gravely injured and so is guinea. both could have technically healed given time but in their desperation to escape they siphoned too much from guinea and… he died. sorry.

roch is kept in BOE as a prisoner of war. now we have a third house cav that picked life at the cost of feeling disgustingly alone and betrayed, and a fourth house healer that chose solitude and power instead of suffering with company. they have a hatething going on

[mo-old]

Hi. This is my first experience in describing a "species" and translating such a large amount of text into another language. The original language is Russian, so some errors may slip past my eyes. Thank you for your understanding!

-◉Tanlection◉-

Or "Reflexion with the shadow monster."

Tanlencia is a phenomenon. It's pretty hard to call a species such disparate and imprecise creatures, despite one beginning: Tanle - Base, shadow, you can call it many different things, but the essence is the same: It is a translucent black creature, light and barely perceptible. It balances between reality and nothingness, risking to disappear at any second. It is extremely fragile, even though it has no body in the classical sense.

Tanl is curious by its "nature". It takes a special interest in living creatures, whether dog or human, in those who can show emotion.

They become attached very quickly, but keep at a distance, distorted shadows flickering between grass and leaves, eventually acquiring the shape and habits of the object of observation.

This behavior scares away many people and even makes them express aggression to the uninvited guest. Therefore, before its "adolescent form", the shadow will usually see many, many creatures that will reflect back over time.

Behaviors and preferences

Tanl are initially neutral and driven only by curiosity. Rest assured, distinguishing traits they have adopted from past "acquaintances";

The subject of the observation is not physically harmed. The Tanl also goes away if the subject becomes very frightened or begins to feel only negative emotions due to the observation;

They don't need water or food, many shadows don't even sleep, chasing birds and running for miles due to their inter-reality.

They have no gender, and the secret of their birth is still unsolved;

They feel no pain or discomfort from contrasting temperatures, but the physical effects are more than effective;

It is quite fair to call them energy parasites, despite the actual harmlessness of their presence. As we know, there are always exceptions.

Over time, all the experiences that stretch in a plume behind Tanl manifest on his body, literally. This has no definite cycle, season or number of souls met. The fake eyes will appear sooner or later and will be the beginning of future changes. The point that holds Tanlex in this world. As if to spite the world, out of nothing, Tanlex begins to grow fur, feathers, horns, chitin….

The black silhouette is mostly unchanged, except for the paws, muzzle, and possible rudimentary limbs. The nature of the growth, though it adheres to some canons, depends mostly on the creature's lifestyle and the likely connections it has been able to set up.

There are only a few "rules"

No artificial materials or plants/crystals grow on the shadow's pelt. However, it is very common for the shape of the feathers to resemble foliage and the horns to resemble branches. There are also instances of moldy hides, but it is fair to call this an infestation rather than natural growth;

Very common: horns, wool, feathers;

Less so: bones, scales, chitin, skin, rudimentary limbs.

Tanlex have no magic, meaning no living flames, levitating parts can be had. Also, partially lose their ability to hide in the shadows, but their footsteps remain silent, and their presence or direct gaze is intangible. They are very easy to lose sight of;

T͟hey wil̴l ne͘ve̶r̀ ̨b̵e̛come ̢h͘u͜m҉a̵n̵.

Extra

Tables* are able to eat and drink, but this remains optional;

They become tougher, and all cuts and holes either heal or are covered by growths;

They have no flesh, so an empty pelt remains after they disappear;

Tanlex are friendly to their own kind, regardless of the subjects they choose to copy;

They have no odor of their own and do not cause allergies. But the "pelt" is easily recruited by the scent of the forest or the subject of observation if they become friends.

Tanlencia is a phenomenon.

You may think of them as a parasite, an intruder, a distorted reflection, or something else. It can be the physical embodiment of a diseased mind, or a "normal" animal glimpsed between the grass.

The ultimate form is said to be available only to the Solo class, but no one has ever gotten to it. Probably because of the brevity of human life, as Solo stays with his human until the end. P.S.

This was something unusual and at the same time familiar and beloved to me. I literally mixed everything I like into a black mishmash and ineptly molded life out of it, with a glimpse of the author-character theme and probably life experience that stays in my mind forever. I also like how the cute stuff here is acceptable on par with the drab and likely horror. I didn't illustrate anything overtly scary or make the boundaries too narrow, giving a decent amount of freedom for imagination but setting the point with goofy eyes. You can create your own Tanlex if you want to. You can make something based on that idea, removing the fake eyes and turning it into something else… Probably achieving the ultimate form.

[stoicbreviary]

Simplicius, Commentary on Epictetus 1.2 

. . . By all this it appears, that Epictetus took the right method, when he began his instructions with this consideration of things within our own power; and advised us to make it the general rule of our conduct; since all the excellency, and all the dishonesty of our actions, all the happiness and all the misery of our lives, depends upon it. 

But, when he says in general terms, that all things may be distinguished into two sorts, some that are, and some that are not in our own power; we must not so understand him, as if all things whatsoever were meant by it, but only such as are within us, or anyway concern us. 

For at that rate, there would be no proportion at all between the two opposite parts, which ought to be observed, and is necessary to make a just division. And this proportion, I say, would be quite lost, if all things whatsoever, both those that are contained in the world, and those that are above, and out of the world, were set in opposition to the few in comparison, that are within our own power. 

But now, in regard some people quarrel with this distinction, even when limited in the most cautious manner that can be, and will allow us to have nothing at all in our power: and among these, some assert, that all our actions, appetites, and passions, proceed from necessity, and not from choice; and others make us like stones put into motion, that act mechanically, by chance, and without any purpose or design at all; though what has been said already, upon our natural power, and the place which our choice and free will has, and the necessity that so it must be, might suffice; yet perhaps it may not be amiss, to consider the objections of those men, who would rob us of this liberty and power, and to refute them particularly. 

Now, if by this mechanical and forced sort of action, without purpose, and by pure chance, they intend to say, that we propose to ourselves no end at all in what we do, it is by no means true; or if it would hold in some cases, yet it is evident, there are very many instances, in which it will not. 

For all arts and sciences, nay, all natures and beings, have constantly some particular aim and end fixed to them; to which they direct their endeavors perpetually, and make every action in some degree subservient. And it may be said in general, That there is no one act, no one motion, of any living creature in the whole world, but is performed out of a prospect of some real, or at least some seeming good: even where the object is evil, this observation holds; since the avoiding of that evil is for the attaining some good, and for the advantage we may find in escaping from it. 

But if this acting by chance, and without any purpose, be so understood, that what we desire, may prove impossible to be compassed, or incapable of answering our end, or hurtful when we have attained it, (as we say sometimes, that a man took a medicine without any thought, or to no purpose, which did him no good, or perhaps, did him harm:) neither does this sense destroy our free will. 

For we maintain, that those desires and aversions are in our power, which concern, not only things that may be attained, and turn to our benefit when they are so; but those too, which cannot, and which are prejudicial to us when we have them. And for this reason we affirm, that our errors and our vices, are as truly the effects of this liberty and choice, as our greatest virtues themselves are. 

Those who pretend, that our opinions and desires, and generally speaking, all our choices and intentions, are necessary, and not at our own disposal, as proceeding from motives without us, and not beginning of our own accord within us, argue for their opinion several ways. 

Some of them make the wants of human nature the ground of this necessity. For we all know, that a man in extremity of hunger, or thirst, or cold, desire meat, and drink, and warmth, whether he will or no; and a person upon a sick bed, cannot help desiring health and ease. 

Some lay all upon the nature of the thing itself, which is the object of our opinion, or desire, or aversion; and contend, that this excites our passions, and affects our minds, by its own power and evidence, whether we are consenting to it, or not. 

Who is there, for instance, that has attained to the least knowledge in arithmetic, and does not readily allow, and firmly believe, that twice two make four? And which way shall we call such an opinion as this, the effect of freedom and choice, and not rather of absolute constraint, because arising from the evidence of the thing assented to, and the impossibility of its being otherwise? 

So again, when a man has entertained a notion of any goodness or excellence, when he apprehends a thing to be lovely, or profitable, or the direct contrary; does he not forthwith naturally desire the one sort, and decline the other? For the best philosophers are agreed, that the object of our desire, and the final cause, are the motives, which set all the rest on work: and if this be true, how shall we challenge that as our own act and deed, which is so absolutely the effect of constraint and necessity, imposed by the nature and quality of things without us, which stir our affections accordingly, without any disposal or consent of ours? 

Others rather think, that the disposition of the person designing is the cause of all this necessity; this, say they, must needs be wrought upon, according as it stands inclined; Nor is it in ones own choice, whether he will desire those things or not, which his own nature, and temper, and custom, strongly determine him to. 

Thus the temperate person finds in himself a habitual desire of such actions, and such conversation, as are agreeable to the virtue of temperance; and the intemperate is no less fond of all occasions to exercise his extravagance. Thus the designs of them both are fixed, and it is not in their power to alter them. 

For some we see plainly, who are angry at themselves, condemn their own desires, and wish with all their souls that they could restrain and subdue them, yet find their habits and customs so violent and prevailing, that they are hurried on, and trust forward, like so many engines, and feel and lament the force which they cannot resist, when objects which are agreeable to their inclinations, (such as by custom are become familiar and natural to them) offer themselves. 

By the same reason, a skillful and judicious man will give a right judgment of things, and entertain true opinions of them; and the ignorant and unlearned, will have false and mistaken notions. For it cannot agree with the character of a wise man, to take up with an error; nor with that of an ignorant one, to find out the truth: but it stands to great reason, that the ignorant one should assent to a falsehood, and the skillful and learned should reject it. 

And yet, if these things were entirely at one's own disposal, this would not be. For the ignorant man would never prefer falsehood before truth, if he could help it; and the wise man, if we should allow him to assent to truth, merely by virtue of his own free will, might also be allowed to take up false opinions, if you do but suppose his will to incline him that way too. 

But this, they tell you, cannot be: for it is with the understanding, and the objects about which it is employed, as we find it with the senses of the body, and sensible objects; I mean, it is impossible to have things apprehended otherwise than they represent themselves, unless we suppose some weakness or defect in the organs which should apprehend and represent them to us. . . .  

[hypemarketer]

9 Essential Soft Skills for Digital Marketers

It might be challenging to distinguish between a decent and a great digital marketer at times. While education, training, and certificates seem great on a CV, soft skills are also a crucial method to set oneself apart from the competition. And it’s important to keep in mind that soft skills are the most human of all talents at a time when there is a lot of speculation about how AI will affect marketers’ jobs, skill sets, and even careers.

Many essential traits for digital marketing are natural or developed over years of toil and experience rather than being learnt in a certain period of time. The following nine soft talents can help you advance in your career in digital marketing.

1. Intuition

It’s possible that you’re thinking, “OK, you either have intuition or you don’t.” But do not worry—great intuition may be developed with practice!

You won’t always have the information you require as a marketer. You frequently have to make judgments based on your intuition when you don’t have the data you need to back them up. You must trust your instincts in these circumstances; it doesn’t do you any good to be afraid of the unknown.

Your ‘intuition’ will be founded on actual information and experience if you have a thorough understanding of your clients and the business. If your ideas fall flat a few times, don’t panic; it happens. Instead, draw a lesson from your errors and remember that your intuition will become stronger with time.

2. Curiosity

For digital marketers, curiosity is a necessary ability, not just a “nice-to-have.”

Every digital marketer has to be curious, passionate, and hungry to learn more about cutting-edge marketing strategies, tools, and tactics since the field of marketing is always evolving.

For instance, you would no longer be regarded as bright in this industry if you were an SEO master in 2018 but haven’t learnt anything new since then. Your understanding will be dated. Whether you handle social media or are a content marketer, the same rules apply.

You might follow your preferred online marketing newspapers using an aggregator AI tool like Feedly (shown below) to remain up to speed on all the most recent marketing news and trends.

3. Social & Communication Skills

People are social creatures. This implies that in addition to speech, we may interact with one another in a variety of ways. We can communicate nonverbally through gestures, body language, and how we look. Being emotionally knowledgeable will enable you to control your own responses and emotions while also being aware of other people.

Without strong social and communication skills, working in a digital marketing team might be disastrous. To achieve the team’s overall objectives, it is crucial that all members, from content marketing to social media, lead generation, product marketing, and design, collaborate.

For you and your business, working alone without effective communication with others won’t produce the greatest outcomes.

4. Persuasion

Since marketing is all about convincing consumers to purchase a product, it stands to reason that excellent marketers possess a wealth of persuasive communication skills. You may align yourself with executive aims through persuasion while maintaining your commitment to what you believe is best for the company.

Consider that you are creating a project brief for your team. Kevin Reid, Senior Training Consultant, offers some successful strategies for persuading team members to agree with your proposal:

Get their attention right away by starting with a startling statistic or a perplexing narrative.

Engage your audience in conversation by hearing what they have to say and looking at them with attention.

Use pauses to lend emphasis to your presentation and to leave room for questions or remarks. A decent rule of thumb is to wait for two seconds after delivering a key point.

Nobody hates to be deceived, so be sure you can stand by what you say and respond to inquiries about it. Be true and honest.

Finish strong – Keep in mind that the final thing you mention in your pitch is likely to be the first thing they will recall.

Remember that marketing is about experimenting, and not everything you do will succeed the first time, so don’t give up if your persuasive approaches fail. Make sure your arguments are logical and not only based on your emotions when you try to persuade people.

[little-miss-dilf-lover]

Hiii! Ik ur not taking requests buuut I did have this kinda angsty idea I thought was worth sharing 😁, tangerine comes home to fem!readers apartment for dinner, and sees that the place was broken into and is immediately alarmed and runs around trying to find reader. Then he stumbles upon her cat (u can name it whatever) dead because it turns out the people who broke in were some of tangerines enemies and sent a message. :( anyways he finds reader scared to death hiding in a closet, and she asks him where her cat is, and now he has to break the news :(((

hii!! as a fellow cat mum, you just ripped out my heart:((( I love and hate this. im gonna say this, and im sorry in advance, but this isn’t my best work, I had too many ideas and im not entirely sure it all works. ive just been working on it for a little while so I need to post this so I can start others. im really sorry again, I feel a little embarrassed. if you’d like me to rewrite it, that’s okay too :) thank you for requesting, hope you like it💌

leave

tangerine x f reader

wc || 0.76k

warnings || death of readers cat (no details, I couldn’t bring myself to add descriptions) and no happy ending, bc im mean hehe

also I am taking requests, this is just an old ask. but there is a delay atm, sorry

masterlist + rules

taglist

As the girlfriend of a well-known assassin, you were well aware of the likelihood of being used as bait between rivalries. You knew the cost but nothing could’ve ever prepared you for being caught in a vendetta fuelled crossfire.

You were huddled at the back of your closet hiding under piles of clothes with your face buried in your knees, mouth muffled by your hand as you waited for the final clatter of objects in the room next door. You didn’t know what they wanted and you didn’t know why. All you wanted was Tangerine.

After the long-awaited silence, copious amounts of fear settles in when you hear the front door swing open again. Blocking your ears, you cower in on yourself, trying to be as still as possible in the chance they had returned for seconds. But what you didn’t know, is that Tangerine had just made his way back to your place from the local shop.

A thick lump gets caught in his throat as his eyes bug wide, staring around at your trashed apartment. Fear engulfs him when he sees tipped sofas, broken frames and holes in walls. He bolts inside unarmed without a second thought, stumbling over destroyed objects as he searched for something he hoped wasn’t true.

Tangerine stands panicked in the centre of the room, breathing erratically as he gazes around your place.

“Fuck fuck fuck.” He mutters, frustratedly running his fingers through his hair. His eyes dart around, searching for signs of kidnapping until his gaze hones in on a still fluffy object just out of sight. He slowly makes his way over, walking lightly as not to scare the possible creature.

As he gets closer he feels his heart begin to crumble further. Whispering. “Mandy?”

He stands mere inches away as he looks upon your lifeless furry companion, avoiding glances at your cat's crippled state as he bends next to her. Silently comforting her with a delicate stroke as he sniffles. “What have they done to you?” He says, barely audible as he swallows a couple tears.

His body stiffens when he hears a rustle from your bedroom, immediately rushing up and darting into your room, heatedly kicking the door open. “Who’s there?” He shouts, fury-filled adrenaline being his only distinguishable emotion.

You hear the familiar voice of your boyfriend so you begin to slowly push the door open, looking through the gap to check you weren’t thinking wishfully. Steadily crawling out you see him.

The initial noise startles him, but when he sees you, he instantly softens. Running over, he drops to his knees before you. “Oh thank fuck,” he mumbles, instantly wrapping his arms around you, pulling you tight into him. “I thought I lost you.”

He momentarily separates to look over you, his worried eyes darting across your face as he wipes the dampness from under your eyes. “Are you hurt?” He questions, cupping your face in his hands. “You okay?” He asks again, searching your eyes as they widen with thought.

“Did Mandy get out? I-I opened the bathroom door for her— she- she was supposed to go out the window— did she? Did she get out? … Did she get out? Did she?” You repeatedly question, more and more panic fills your tone.

Pushing away his hands you rush to your feet, stumbling up as you try to get away.

“No— please,” he mumbles, gripping you to stop you from leaving. “You don’t need to go in there.”

Speaking with hurt as you immediately think the worst. “Why?” Bottom lip slowly starts to quiver.

“You don’t need to… okay?” He whispers, pulling you back to him. Embracing you tightly.

“No…” you mouth, feeling your eyes instantly well. “…no…”

His tone is filled with empathy as he cradles your head, softly smoothing over the back of it. “I’m so sorry.”

“Get off me.” You retort, pushing away as you stand to your feet. You see the pain of dismissal on his face as you reach for the door. Speaking sternly as you avoid his gaze. “Just… just leave me alone.”

There was nothing that Tangerine could say or do right now that could possibly help you, you needed time… and lots of it. You knew that it wasn’t directly his fault, but you couldn’t help but feel angry at him. You had just lost your best friend because of his enemies. Because of him.

—————

hii! sorryy but I won’t be doing a part 2, I left this as an ending that’s up for interpretation 💌

@tangerinesgf @kpopgirlbtssvt @screams-and-scarecrows @earth-elemental18 @ashlynhasmanyhyperfixations @idontknowwhattohaveasmyuser @thewinterv @navs-bhat @ilovetangerinewithallmyheart @theredvelvetbitch @randomawesomeperson102 @lov3lypeaches7 @princess-pebbles-things @woffelle

[astronomyforastrologers]

15810 Arawn

15810 Arawn (Pluto’s New Playmate ~ 5 Feb 2017, Philip Sedgwick)

The Kuiper Belt Object formerly known as Minor Solar System Body 15810 recently received the name Arawn. Discovered in 1994 (1994JR1) this Kuiper body was one of the first to come to our awareness. With an orbital period of 248.07 years, Arawn orbits in Pluto’s realm.

Could it be that we now have three Plutos? According to Welsh mythology, Arawn ruled the Celtic otherworld, Annwn. He allegedly set loose the Cwn Annwn, the dogs of the underworld, to hunt mundane creatures.

If one hears the howling of these “Hounds of Hell” presumably death is foretold. The dogs are associated with migrating geese whose nocturnal honking sounds similar to barking in the darkness. Ironically, it is told the sounds of these hounds are louder at a distance and become softer as they come near. A song from a few years back comes to mind: “Who Let the Dogs Out?” and what underworldly shenanigans does that act of letting portend?

Arawn’s orbital period is reasonably close to that of Pluto, thus the underworldly moniker. More notable, presently Arawn transits 16 Capricorn 07, relatively near Pluto’s position at naming and will maintain reasonable zodiacal proximity with Pluto over the long haul. No doubt more than a convenient coincidence. Arawn and Pluto (orbital period of 247.74 yrs) are likely essentially conjunct in all our natal charts.

So now we have Pluto and we have Orcus, the “other Pluto” according to Mike Brown - the Etruscan lord of the Underworld. Add to this Arawn, who steps with Pluto, virtually hand in hand, through the celestial circle. It is a celestial trifecta of Pluto and his playmates and more, Pluto now tolerates a shadowing companion in addition to his moons.

Arawn will distinguish himself from Pluto and Orcus by his double fire orbital elements. He crosses the ecliptic at 24 Leo 42 (heliocentric north node) and ambles closest to the Sun at 6 Sagittarius 35. Pluto’s node is Cancer and perihelion is Scorpio (double water); Orcus’ node is Sagittarius and his perihelion Pisces (one fire, one water). Arawn is small, probably 70 km in diameter so there’s no chance he will achieve coveted dwarf planet status. Despite his size, he adds a level of subconscious substrate or unconscious stirring.

Arawn deals with ego/soul issues due to his Leonine node and weaves the sense of self within the core belief system one possesses as an operational philosophy as a function of the Sagittarian perihelion. The boldness and brightness of flares, flames and fires highlight the essence of Arawn’s intent. Since he is an underworld deity, the issues beneath the surface are: What really makes this person tick? Really? What is the true reason/cause/intention behind ones stated beliefs? Truly?

Given the otherworld double dip granted by Arawn and Pluto so near to one another, is it time to pause and ask one more question to ensure the motives of others with whom you engage are clear? Absolutely! Should we listen carefully for subtext? Yes. Is it important to realize that in between the words the true meaning may roam? You bet. Does everything that causes a reaction of inner stirring - whether a positive inspiration or a worrisome wonder - deserve dedicated duo diligence? More so now than ever!

In the category of what it is worth, the name Arawn was posted on the Minor Planet Center’s website in temporal proximity to the U.S. Presidential inauguration. No matter what one feels about the new president, he certainly does the Leo-Sagittarius axis with great skill. Is it soulful confidence or ego? Are his doctrines flaring thoughts and ego driven reaction or premeditated platforms with impeccable planning? Perhaps only the lords of the underworld know for sure.

As we go forward from here, Arawn summons each person dip deeper into the unconscious for a clear sense of deeply developed beliefs which renders a pure soulful confidence that emanates wherever one wanders.

In other celestial notations, several news sources have been discussing the “newly discovered” driving force of our galactic position. These articles refer to the Shapley Supercluster and specifically Shapley 8, which has been documented in previous SkyScrapings and will continue to be detailed as transits warrant.

I am back from LA and a wonderfully intense few days bringing Orcus to the greater consciousness with the filming of Elevator Pitch. Now we are in full blown post-production. Our actors were simply brilliant. The director of photography was a genius and the footage looks great. The costumer for the film created virtually from thin air an amazing wardrobe. More details will follow. If you’d like to see some behind the scenes pictures, click the links below.

Ground Hog Day recently passed and the whole thing about seeing ones shadow might stir the urge to have a consultation. Click on the links below for half hour or full consultation, Helio Reports, Galactic Reports and more. Since Valentine’s Day is right around the bend, what a time (through Feb 17) to order a Twin Stars relationship report on sale that includes four soul mate motivated centaurs!

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Evenings with Jesus

by William Jay

The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. - Romans 1:18

Here we have the objects against which the wrath of God is revealed. It is against ungodliness. Ungodliness comprehends all the sins against the first table of the law. Ungodliness consists in a disregard of God. The ungodly do not fear him, do not love him, do not worship him, do not confide in him. God is not in all their thoughts; they practically say unto him, “Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.” It is a dreadful mistake which many make in supposing that they may be very godly characters, provided, they are moral, for religion is nothing without godliness.

What can be the duty we owe to any of our fellow creatures compared with what we owe to him who is our Maker, our Preserver, our Benefactor, our Governor, our Saviour? The servant that regards every one but his master, and the child that is dutiful to every one but his father, would be very inadequate images to hold forth the condition of the man who professes to pay a proper regard to other beings, while he lives without God and without hope in the world. On the other hand, though there may be morality without godliness, there can be no godliness without morality.

We are therefore reminded that the wrath of God is revealed against unrighteousness. Unrighteousness comprehends all the sins against the second table of the law. Unrighteousness is injustice in our dealing with our fellow creatures. “Let no man,” says the Apostle, “go beyond and defraud his brother.” But this does not go far enough; a person may be unrighteous and yet keep within the bounds of law and civil decency, and yet be unrighteous in other respects and instances. It is unrighteousness “if we render not to all their due.” It is unrighteousness if we do not afford relief to those who are in distress when we have it in our power to do it. “Withhold not,” says Solomon, “good from them to whom it is due.” “Whosoever hath this world’s goods,” says the Apostle John, “and seeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?”

It is impossible if we regard the commands of God, and the design of Providence, and the claims of our common nature. And this is not all. It is revealed against “ALL unrighteousness”- the concealed and the open, the refined and the gross. Men are for ever laying down rules which God does not sanction, and distinguishing between things which have no difference in his sight. They do not “worship a graven image,” but they “take the name of God in vain.” Others do not swear, but they “profane God’s holy day.” Many who would deem it sinful to employ a carpenter or a mason on the Lord’s day employ others. Some would not for the world steal, but they can surround the tea-table and bear witness against their neighbours by the hour. They would not murder, but they covet. And are not all these forbidden? And we are to regard all these without partiality; for all unrighteousness is sin.

[bulletballet-arch]

REALLY LONG  CHARACTER  SURVEY. RULES. repost ,   don’t  reblog !    tag 10 ! good  luck ! TAGGED. I took this from Minnie’s archived Bioshock blog. I’ve been looking for this meme all this month. TAGGING. @hammurabicomplex. @bluuxriising. @ Me - for Sal on @bulletsoverbensonhurst​. @immaterialed (charlie) @soypeor (bella) @svmmercmance​. @mrflayed. and you!

BASICS. FULL  NAME :  Eve Delores Littlejohn NICKNAME : Evie, Little Evie (by her maternal side of the family), Delores, Didi NAME  MEANING / S  Eve is from the ancient Hebrew name  חַוָּה (Chawwah), which was derived from the Hebrew word חָוָה (chawah) meaning "to breathe" or the related word חָיָה (chayah) meaning "to live". Delores is a variant of Dolores, meaning "sorrows", taken from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary María de los Dolores, meaning "Mary of Sorrows." Littlejohn is a surname that has historically been found in England and Scotland. With potential origins being either ‘to distinguish a beloved child that was not the eldest.’ Or, ‘a contradictory nickname for a large man.’ HISTORICAL  CONNECTION? : She’s named after her grandmother, Evelyn Hollins.

AGE : 42 BIRTHDAY :  June 2 ETHNIC  GROUP : Black-American. Meaning she’s mixed with a lot (Some of her relatives are respectively Creole and Italian) but uses Black as a catch-all term. NATIONALITY :  American LANGUAGE / S : English, Italian, Spanish, Latin, some French SEXUAL  ORIENTATION :   Bisexual ROMANTIC  ORIENTATION :  Biromantic RELATIONSHIP  STATUS : Verse dependent, usually married -or connected- to Salvatore Scozzari in some way. CLASS : Upper-Class HOME  TOWN / AREA :   Brooklyn. Spent time between Bedford-Stuyvesant - with her paternal grandfather and Park Slope - with her maternal grandparents.  CURRENT  HOME : In her childhood home in Bedford-Stuyvesant. PROFESSION : Ballet Instructor. Former Professional Ballerina. ( Other verses see her as a professional thief. )

PHYSICAL. HAIR : Black. In terms of her natural hair, Eve has springy, 3C hair she seldom shows off because she was raised in a family where straightened hair was deemed presentable and professional.  EYES : Thin almond eyes. Dark brown. NOSE : Straight and small. FACE :  She has a prominent, high forehead, that’s accented with high cheekbones and a pointy chin. LIPS :  Full. COMPLEXION : She has a light brown (tawny) complexion.  SCARS : None major. TATTOOS : None. HEIGHT : 5′4″ BUILD : Eve has a slender build. One of those people who have been small and petite since childhood. Despite this, she also stays skinny because she is obsessively conscious of the food she consumes. The older she gets the more she weighs, however. USUAL HAIR STYLE :  Her hair is cut short. Reaching her shoulders in a neat, even bob. She either curls it in a retro fashion or curls the tips. For work she wears it in a traditional, pinned bun. USUAL FACE LOOK : In public, she appears stoic for the most part. Any emotion shown (such as the length of a smile) is carefully calculated. She has to seem perfect.  USUAL  CLOTHING : Form fitting dresses. Incredibly chic and fashionable for the time. Shoes include heels - never open-toed, unless she has on stockings. Extravagant earrings. Jewelry that can include either necklaces, crosses, pearls, or dainty rings. Prone to wearing black sunglasses in public.

PSYCHOLOGY. FEAR / S : Thunderstorms, airplanes, creatures like weasels, snakes and ferrets, break-ins, men she doesn’t know, harm coming to her children ASPIRATION / S :  Formerly wanted to become a major [black] ballerina in the elite world of ballet, now she just wants to expose more [inner city children] to dance through her job. Personally, she wants her children to change the world in some form or fashion, too. Eve also has good ideas on improving the community, but at the moment has no idea how to go about these ideas. POSITIVE  TRAITS :  Generous, compassionate, patient, protective NEGATIVE  TRAITS : Strict, sullen, hard to read, represses her emotions, secretive MBTI :  Advocate - INFJ-T ZODIAC :  Cancer TEMPERAMENT :  Melancholic ANIMALS :  Lioness VICE / S :  Pride & Lust FAITH : Christian. Grew up Baptist, but Catholic influences have been around her since childhood. Attended a Catholic High School in Park Slope, her grandmother Evelyn was also a practicing Catholic.  GHOSTS ? : Yes and no. She feels that objects formerly owned by the deceased posses the essence of their previous owners and that they essentially live on through these pieces of property. AFTERLIFE ? : Yes. REINCARNATION ? :  No, but it’s a romantic concept. ALIENS ? : No. POLITICAL  ALIGNMENT :  Democratic ECONOMIC  PREFERENCE :  She likes being where she’s at now. But honestly, being upper class is all she’s ever known. SOCIOPOLITICAL  POSITION : Bourgeoisie, basically. The Littlejohn’s represent The Historical Black Elite.  EDUCATION  LEVEL : College level. FAMILY.

FATHER :  William ‘Bill’ Littlejohn MOTHER : Linda Littlejohn ( nee Hollins ) SIBLINGS : None EXTENDED  FAMILY : Amos Littlejohn (paternal grandfather) Liza Littlejohn (paternal grandmother) Evelyn Hollins (maternal grandmother) Giuseppe D’Aietti (maternal grandfather) and a wide host of cousins, aunts and uncles.

FAVOURITES. BOOK :  Night Song by Beverly Jenkins. The Color Purple by Alice Walker. Some sort of old, French erotic novel that was published before she was born. MOVIE : Eve watches films along the lines of...Waiting to Exhale, Beaches, The First Wives Club and Fatal Attraction. She loves Made-For-TV movies from the time period. In regards to plays, her favorite one is Sunday In The Park With George. 5  SONGS :  Meet Me On The Moon / Essence of Sapphire / No One In The World / People / The First Time I Saw Your Face  DEITY :  Persephone  HOLIDAY : New Years Eve, Christmas, Thanksgiving. Major holidays during the colder season. MONTH :  October SEASON :  Autumn PLACE :  The dance studio she works at. WEATHER : Sunny, but cool. SOUND : The voices of Anita Baker and Sarah Vaughn. A skilled hand running over piano keys. Soft trumpets. Running water. Cats making chipper little meows. SCENT / S :  Perfume, floral scented lotions, her partner’s cologne TASTE / S :  Caramel, the tang of dark chocolate, strawberries coated with either chocolate, or sprinkles of white sugar. Light Vinegar.  FEEL / S : Performing in front of an audience. Hot water engulfing your skin after a long day. Satin - whether it be the fabric of her clothes or sheets, your fingers tightly intertwined with another’s, feeling your significant other’s chest raise and lower against your skin with each breath they take. ANIMAL / S : Cocker Spaniels, Afghan Hounds, Cats, Birds - she loves all ( well, a majority ) of animals. NUMBER :  Doesn’t have one. COLOR :  White, Pink, Gold.

EXTRA. TALENTS :  Dance, Eve is trained in ballet when it comes to her main verse. She has attended ballet classes since the age of eight and ever since then she placed all of her focus into it. Similarly, Eve has always had the makings of a good artist - as a child she enjoyed drawing and had informal art lessons with a man who lived in the basement of her grandfather’s brownstone, but she never invested into that half of her. BAD AT : Singing, Being interviewed, Public Speaking (as in Speech Giving), Decision Making TURN  ONS :  Charisma, Leadership Skills, Temperature Play, Phone Sex, Heavy Kissing, Light Roleplay TURN  OFFS :  Public Sex, Tearing [ Her ] Clothes, Threesomes, Cruelty, Senseless Violence HOBBIES :  viewing plays & some musicals, reading romance novels, shopping, working out (she was into the whole celebrity VHS tape exercise trend), playing tennis, decorating AESTHETIC :  Vintage Black Glamour, Black Ballerinas, Champagne and Wine Glasses, Paintings by Melinda Byers and Edward 'Clay' Wright QUOTES :  "I'm bad with words, I hope you're good in reading eyes." / "There are truths I haven't even told God. And not even myself. I am a secret under the lock of seven keys."

FC INFO. MAIN  FC / S : Lynn Whitfield ( A Thin Line Between Love & Hate ) ALT  FC / S : Kylie Bunbury ( Twisted ) OLDER  FC / S :  Lynn Whitfield ( Greenleaf ) YOUNGER  FC / S : N/A VOICE  CLAIM / S : Lynn Whitfield

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1 :   if  you  could  write  your  character  your  way  in  their  own  movie ,   what  would  it  be  called ,  what  style  would  it  be  filmed  in ,  and  what  would  it  be  about ?       A1 : Recently I decided that if/when I try to write anything serious about Eve again, it’ll center on her being a jewel thief because it presents me more fun, and emotionally diverse, opportunities. That and I have a very specific cover image in my mind. Ideally, her adventures would be a series of books. I have no title in mind, no idea about how ‘it would be filmed’ ( although a style replicating 90s films would be excellent, film grain and all. ) but, I do have a bunch of plots in mind that I really don’t feel like typing out here.  

Q2 :   what  would  their  soundtrack / score  sound  like ?         A2 :  Her score would have a vintage sound (or a jazzy Spike Lee sound, if you will) with instrumentals by Dorothy Ashby (a Jazz Harpist) the Ahmad Jamal Trio, Pharaoh Sanders, Yusef Lateef and Tarika Blue. For music with lyrics, the soundtrack would include the likes of Julie London, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dionne Warwick.

Q3 :   why  did  you  start  writing  this  character ?   + Q4 :   what  first  attracted  you  to  this  character ? A3 :  Whenever I make NPCs for my character’s lives I actually can’t just let them just be NPCs. I start thinking about them too much. Developing them too much. And then I’m like, ‘wow! I really like this character!’ Eve was a different character when I began writing her, and likely wouldn’t be considered the same character as she was previously, if I told someone in real life who knows about my writing (like my grandma) about all the changes she has undergone. Originally Delores was a university professor, because I thought it could lead to interesting interactions with college-age muses. And her previous history with the mafia was also something interesting to tap in. But then I started thinking about what was realistic, what wasn’t realistic, what did I feel comfortable/interested writing? What didn’t I feel comfortable/interested in writing?  So as time went on, things would alter about this character. And the new things I came up with attracted me more. 

Q5 :   describe  the  biggest  thing  you  dislike  about  your  muse.         A5 :  I have a love/hate relationship with Eve’s quiet demeanor. On one hand, I think quieter characters need love and the ability to be fully dimensional but on the other hand, writing louder characters has always been more fun for me. But really, Eve’s guarded behavior makes writing her stressful in some cases with others because sometimes...if I’m going to be honest...people don’t know how to carry a thread and interact with someone of her demeanor effectively. 

Q6 :   what  do  you  have  in  common  with  your  muse ?       A6 : We’re both black, we’re both into art (although our exact interests and aesthetics with art differ)

Q7 :   how  does  your  muse  feel  about  you ?         A7 : Realistically she would think I need to take better care of myself.

Q8 :   what  characters  does  your  muse  have  interesting  interactions with ?   A8 :  We skippin’ this question.

Q9 :   what  gives  you  inspiration  to  write  your  muse ?       A9 : Films such as, “Waiting to Exhale,” “The Kitchen” and “Widows.” Books by Alice Walker, like “The Third Life of Grange Copeland” as well as her short story, “Roselily.” The historical mob figure Stephanie St. Clair.

Q10 :   how  long  did  this  take  you  to  complete ?       A10 : A few hours.

[shadowdianne]

A friend who is actually starting to write her own book sent me a little thing back at instagram which was a cute version of inktober. For each day of august a prompt of word. She asked me to do it with her, as a way of making her write even a short paragraph each day and motivate her. I said yes, but since I'm quite the overachiever I did all previous days plus today and my plan is to do them all now that I'm up to date with the ones I was "supposed" to have done. Anyway, the rules we set for this were no tailoring afterward, no editing, and a max of 15 lines. It's not fanfic but if anyone wants to read them...

1.- Circle

The grass was dry beneath their feet as they moved, the nighttime air filled with the chants of those who hold the candles as they moved, shadows undulating, changing, as they rose their arms. However, If anyone would have dared to peek from beyond the trees that surrounded the clearing, they would have only seen the blue formations of the will-o-wisps as they moved and created the never-ending circle and yet, however, if any bystander clever enough, magical enough, interested enough, would have kept on watching, battling against the feeling of being watched that would have crept out on their back, they would have seen the figures, the lights, form and change and transform until the will-o-wisps were gone and, on their wake, the circle would have led to the wings of those departed, waiting for their time to come so they could traverse to the place beyond.

2.- Changeling

Their eyes are never the right color, their mouths form words no-one should speak outload, they teach us to never share our meals, our names with them, for they do not belong to us anymore that they do belong to what lies beyond the veil that permeates magic and secrets. Their souls were sold, way beyond they were formed, even if they wear lead and silver like any mortal would. They can touch salt, and eat it as well, but their redemption lies beyond the crosses and symbols of the religion that they were brought up into. You can make deals with them, they teach us, you can peer into those eyes and try not to lose yourself if you are willing, but remember that their bodies are borrowings, copies of imperfect molds. They exist and they can bring gifts, for they can step into said veil, but there’s nothing that will make them human, or mortal, even if they think of themselves as such.

3.-Lottery

The numbers bled ink onto her palm as she brought it closer to her eyes, the rain around her turning ice-cold as she tried to peer beyond it. The air freezing as she rose her free hand and moved a few stray hairs out of her eyes. She could feel the chill on her back and neck, the razor sting of the water turning to hail. “Is someone there?” She wanted to ask, the silhouette she had seen -she had thought she had seen- walking down the road now nowhere to be found. The lottery ticket kept flapping against the wind, the numbers beginning to smear as she brought it closer to her chest. Numbers, she would soon find out when she entered into one of the few shops down her street that would take it, that changed with notable pace. There was never a wrong one, she would realize, for each number would always be the correct one, would always give the answer that would need to be given in order to win. Then, she would ask, why the ticket was also stained with blood?

4.-Officiate

The bold man rose his arms and looked at us with a grave look, the shadows within the chapel seeming to grow and wreathe as we all stood, waiting. There was very little to do, beyond keeping up with his stare as he repeated the old mantra I’ve known by heart for longer than my years would have said. I let my mind wander when he didn’t stare at me, trying to catch the sins off our memories, the reason why we have been brought up here. I looked at the stained glass at his back, at the stories that were told with jaded crystals that our memories had conjured. With each night, the stained glass seemed brighter, our souls, according to him, purer. And yet, I felt light-headed, weak, as my eyes were captured once more, distant screams scurrying through the floor as we fell, knees first. Again, and again, and again.

5.-Enchant

He eyed the pendant that hung from between their intertwined fingers, the jewel encased in the middle of the brass and silver lines glinting under the electric light that hung above them. He was still able to taste the wine he had consumed a few minutes prior, the tanginess of it, the way it had stained his teeth. The light within the pendant glowed stronger as it beckoned them, their breath halting and then speeding up as their feet rose from carpeted floors, the wood panels that covered the room’s walls seemingly to throb as they kept on grabbing the pendant, the magic, scribbled beyond the details the artisan had created for them both. “A promise trapped in glass” The old man has whispered as he had given it to him. “A secret written within it.” He had replied, the words strange but expected, such was the way of the saying. He now was able to fear the heat radiating from the pendant, the magic, and he knew he had been lied to.

6.-Science

Beakers tinkled as she looked around the room, the papers, scattered around the body, the last strength of the dead man’s hand thrown over one small portion of white paper that was now marred with words she wasn’t able to understand. The inspector knelt next to the body, not bothering to check the man’s pulse as she knew him dead; the trail of blood pooling on his back enough proof of that, alongside with the scalpel, the broken pieces, of what could have been his latest experiment. Outside, beyond the sea of voices so normal in an investigation site, she could almost listen to the crows she had seen upon entering the building, their beaks open in a sempiternal smirk. She frowned and stood, fingers ironing her clothing reflexively as she took into the laboratory, the slight stench of fluids that had been spilled. And then she winced as her finger opened, sliced by one of the speckles of glass that covered her pants. Stupid, noob, she could listen to the scornful remarks others would tell her, if only the heat that now seemed to burn from her insides would end.

7.- Basket

It was sturdy, the old woman would often say when trying to sell the ones she made in front of her home, the porch worn and slanted but still giving her enough shade for her hands to work without breaking a sweat. It was sturdy and practical and all new-commers should buy one. What would you do, she would say with eyes so clouded they looked like the sky in a stormy day, with the things one was supposed to carry for long travels? What would you do with your food and waterskins? Where would you carry them? She would scoff at the words of those who politely told her that they had their backpacks. “They are not as reliable” She would reply, but she would shoo them away nevertheless, her interest depleted the moment they told her that they were supposed to go for the distant mountains, the ones that seemed blue from where they stood. She would insist more, sometimes, if they seemed hesitant to say not to her, toothless smile and quick tongue quickly lifting a few coins from their purses. It was sturdy, she would say to them, as she gave them the promised basket, the sigils woven into it blinking once, twice, beyond their eyes. She would smile then, promising them good travels, safe travels. She was rarely wrong.

8.- Ensnare

The gardener looked at yet another vine, sweat rolling down his brow, he could feel the dirt slowly resettling itself as he watched, the steps of the poor unfortunate who had ended up being trapped, ensnared, by the vines already beginning to disappear. There was very little he was able to do now, the body mangled beyond recognition, and so he brought a clean cloth and his sears and began the process of recollecting what little he was able to get, at least for the ones who had lost another family member, for the dead to be tolled, he didn’t quite hate his job, it paid well, as long as he himself kept away from the vines covering the mausoleum’s door. But there were days like this one, days in where the heat bothered and the vines were more playful than usual and their teeth nipped at his fingers, that he wondered about taking that final step, devoid of the protections the pendant around his neck gave him. If only to see if there was actually a way of getting lose from them all.

9.-Sky

Their wings fluttered, moved by the breeze that only they could see, and as the night covered everything in velvety black, the wings of the creatures grew in size, changing the sun with the moon, their eyes black holes that blossomed into galaxies only those keen eyed, where able to distinguish on the earth below. They danced around each other, the aurora borealis a stamp of colors their tails created their flight erratic for every night is different and every sky varies, even with the matted imperfections of their plumage -the constellations, those mortals would call them- The planets aligned as the sun disappeared, one last bite of fire hanging low on the horizon, and they kept on dancing, on transforming day to night, and then back and back again.

10.-Box

The box was engraved, numbers of family members so old it was difficult to remember them any longer. It was also covered in dirt, from the grave they had dug it up, their secrets locked away with a lock as well crafted as it was gorgeous; rust not seeming able to corrode the details of the metal parts that surrounded the names. Cold to the touch, permanently, it seemed to leave a thin layer of frost no matter what object it touched, and she bit down her bottom lip as she tried to remember the old nursery rhymes her grandmother used to sing to her, about the secrets she was supposed to inherit, the clues she was supposed to recall. Nothing, however, came forth, her own fingers felt cold and detached and her vision blurred and gone, the will-o-wisp lights that had seemed to grow stronger the last time she checked into the forest that surrounded the home coming closer and closer to her now, asking for a permission they didn’t need as her own soul had granted such.

11.- Catapult

He run, almost slipping over a pool of oil as the noise of the fighters and soldiers below reached him, the sweat on his brow getting heavier with every passing second. He had been tasked with one thing and one thing only: being a novice there was only so much he could do with a sword after all. And so, he run, run towards the catapults waiting outside the castle, beyond the riverbank. All the careful planning had been for naught as they had found a way into the place using the old catacombs, the ones in where numbers appeared written in blood, passages of a bible so cursed there were only a few that could remember the name of the book itself. He hadn’t dared to ask how the enemies had found a way in; the eyes full of fear of his sergeant had been telling enough. And so, he willed his legs to carry him further as he kept on descending the stairs, moving between bodies, and propelling himself in-between those who fought. He had one job and one job only and he needed to reach the riverbank. Or else.

12.-Ladder

The wood of the ladder splintered beneath her fingertips, but she didn’t pay any mind to the pain on her flesh. There was no point to it, after all, for everything she had tried lied dead at her feet, the eyes of the multitude stuck on her as she felt stricken by fear. She had been propped up the unlit bonfire, read her sins, what she had been accused off, and called forth a blessing from the mute skies. She had looked up then, narrowing her eyes as she searched for the birds that changed as the seasons did; she had been taught, instructed, to find those in the case she was found. Yet, nothing came forth on that starless night, not even when she began to feel the stench of fog and fire about to reach her feet. For that, for fear, she transported herself as far as her powers allowed her; to the silo next to the old road; the one in where Old Granny used to sell her baskets to those stupid enough to transverse to the mountains. The silo was closed now, rot settling in of what had been a small hut back when she had been a child, and so she had waited and waited for the screams outside to disappear, her legs around the end of the ladder, her arms, and hands clutching the top of it. A mere second longer, she thought, she prayed, and she would be able to escape, to flee, to those blue mountains she still could see on her mind’s eye.

13.-Carnivorous

The wolf is not evil, despite its large smile and piercing teeth, its tongue as red as the blood it consumes. The wolf is not evil but a warning, one created by the path that moves and curls around the forest, a way of keeping you focused and not dead. The wolf is not evil, it eats what you eat, it grows from what you learn. The wolf is not evil but a companion, one to listen to when you are traveling, hoping for the next curve of the trail to show the shadows of a town nearby. The wolf is not evil, but a guide, a mortal one, that can travel between what you know and what you definitely shouldn’t pry about. The wolf is not evil. Merely carnivorous.

[tawakkull]

ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 125

Ilm (Knowledge)

Knowledge (‘ilm) means information obtained through the human senses or through the Revelations or inspiration of God. It is also used to denote information that is in agreement with facts or realities, and to denote understanding something with its real, whole meaning and content. In addition, we come across usage of this term in the simple sense of thinking, under-standing, comprehension, and conclusions drawn as a result of such mental processes. Sometimes the word knowledge can even mean familiarity.

Although it is well known which aspect of the term knowledge in Islamic Sufism is most relevant in the context of this book, we deem it useful to mention some secondary matters, such as the different types of knowledge and its sources.

Knowledge, first of all, is dealt with in two categories: knowledge without means or knowledge that is had without being acquired, and knowledge that is acquired through some means.

Every living being has its own peculiar characteristics and potentials. These characteristics and potentials are the sources of certain, innate knowledge, knowledge a creature has without having to acquire it. (The modern scientific term for this kind of knowledge is instinct.) A human being’s being able to sense and perceive a lack of air, thirst, hunger, grief and joy, etc., a baby’s knowledge of how to nurse, a bird’s knowledge of how to fly and build nests, a fish’s knowledge of how to swim, young animals’ knowledge of how to avoid dangers, in short, these types of knowledge, knowledge of how to deal with the necessities of life, fall into the category of knowledge without means.

Knowledge acquired through the internal and external senses is included in the second category. Knowledge concern-ing the physical world is usually obtained through the five external senses–sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch–while knowledge about the metaphysical or incorporeal realm of existence is acquired through internal senses–the mind and heart with their faculties of thought, reason, spiritual discovery and experience, intuition, etc.

As for the sources of knowledge or means of acquiring it, these consist of three, according to Islam:

The five external senses, provided they are sound. True reports, of which there are two kinds: reports unanimously given by a group of truthful people of such a number that it is inconceivable that they have agreed to lie, and reports given by the Messengers of God, whom He has sent with special messages. The third source of knowledge is reason. Axiomatic knowledge and the knowledge reached by using the mental faculties are included in this kind of knowledge. Knowledge is also divided into two groups: that which is acquired through the mental faculties, and that which is reported knowledge. The first can be divided up into three categories:

Knowledge of such matters as health and education, which in Islam are regarded as incumbent upon every individual or a group of people in the community, according to the time and conditions. Another kind of knowledge acquired through the mental faculties is knowledge of which Islam disapproves. Sorcery, divination and occult sciences are of this kind. Sciences, such as geometry, mathematics, medicine, physics, chemistry, and history are included in the third category, the study of which Islam regards as obligatory on the community in order to discover God’s laws of the creation and operation of the universe and for the well-being of the community. Reported knowledge is of two kinds: knowledge based on spiritual discovery and inspiration and knowledge concerning Islam and Islamic life. The second kind has been separated under four heads:

The knowledge of the fundamental principles, which include knowledge of the Qur’an, Sunna (the Prophet’s way of life, sayings, and confirmations), the consensus of the scholars (ijma’) and analogy or deductive reasoning. These are the sources upon which the rules of the Shari’a are based. The knowledge of the subdivisions, which includes the knowledge of worship (the Prescribed Prayer, the Prescribed Alms-giving, Fasting, Pilgrimage and so on), the daily life of the believers, marriage and relevant matters, such as divorce and alimony (civil law), and legal penalties (criminal law), etc. Primary sciences, such as language, grammar, meaning, composition, and eloquence, which are ways to properly understand the religious sciences, such as Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet), the interpretation of the Qur’an, and jurisprudence. The complementary or secondary sciences, i.e. the sciences additional to the sciences of the Qur’an. They consist of sciences relating to the wording and composition of the Qur’an, such as phonetics and recitation; the sciences pertaining to its meaning, such as interpretation and exegesis, and those relating to its commandments, such as the abrogating and the abrogated, the general and particular, the explicit and implicit, the real or literal and the metaphorical or allusive, the succinct and the detailed, the clear and the ambiguous, the direct and firm and the allegorical. As for reported knowledge based on spiritual discovery and inspiration, it has also been dealt with under two heads: the knowledge that occurs in one’s heart as a gift from God, and the knowledge that arises in the conscience. What we will study among the topics of the “Emerald Hills of the Heart” is this kind of knowledge. Whether it is of the kind occurring in one’s heart as a gift from God or of the kind arising in the conscience, this knowledge is and must be based on the Qur’an and the Sunna. Any knowledge one finds in one’s heart or conscience which has not been filtered through these two pure sources is not reliable. It cannot be binding knowledge for either the individuals themselves or others, it cannot be considered as authentic, sound knowledge. This important point has been stressed by many great Sufi leaders. For example:

Junayd al-Baghdadi says: “All the ways that do not end in the Prophet are closed and do not lead to the truth.” He also reminds us: “Anyone who does not know the Book and the Sunna is not to be followed as a guide.”

Abu Hafs[1] explains: “Anyone who does not continually control him or herself in the light of the Book and the Sunna cannot be regarded as belonging to this way.”

Abu Sulayman al-Darani[2] warns: “I admit the truth of whatever occurs to the heart only provided it is confirmed by the Book and the Sunna.”

Abu Yazid al-Bistami[3] admonishes: “I struggled against my carnal self for almost thirty years and did not find anything more difficult for it to accept than the objective criteria of the Book and the Sunna. You should not be misled by anyone, even if they work wonders like flying through the air, rather you should consider their care in observing the limits set up by the Shari’a and following the commandments of the Book and the Sunna.”

Abu Sa’id al-Harraz[4] sums up the matter: “Any intuitive knowledge which is not compatible with the spirit of religion is false.”

Abu al-Qasim Nasrabadi[5] teaches: “The essence of the Sufi way is strict adherence to the Book and the Sunna, holding back from the misleading inclinations of the carnal self and innovations in religion, being able to overlook the faults of others, not becoming negligent in one’s daily recitations to glorify and praise the Almighty, being strict in fulfilling the religious commandments without applying special exceptions, and refraining from personal, insubstantial opinions regarding religion.”

The Sufi leaders give knowledge precedence over the spiritual state of the Sufis, because that state depends on knowledge. Knowledge is the heritage of the Prophets, and the scholars are the heirs thereto. The Prophetic saying, “The scholars are the heirs of the Prophets,”[6] is the highest of the ranks recognized for scholars.

The knowledge of the truth or knowledge that leads to the truth is the life of the heart, the light of the eye, the cause of the expansion of the breast (with peace, exhilaration, and spiritual happiness), the stimulus to activate reason, the source of pleasure for the spirit, the guide of those bewildered as to which way to follow, the intimate friend of the lonely, and an invaluable table of heavenly foods offered on the earth and one to which the angels show great respect.

Knowledge is an important step toward belief, a standard to distinguish between guidance and error and between certainty and doubt, and a Divine mystery manifesting the truly human aspects of a person.

There is no exaggeration in the following saying of a friend of God:

A human being is truly human with knowledge; But without knowledge is entirely bestial. Action without knowledge is purely ignorance; So, O friend, you cannot find the Truth without knowledge.

By knowledge, the Sufis mean, rather than the familiarity that is reached with the mind, hearing and sight, the light and radiation that come from the realms beyond the material world and have their source in God’s Knowledge. This light pervades the spirit and bursts like flowers in the meadows of the innermost faculties of the person, and swells and flows in the gifts of the All-Eternal One. In order to be able to receive this Divine gift, one should, first of all, turn with all one’s inner world to the Eternal Sun and, freed from the influences of the body and carnal pleasures, lead a life at the level of heart and spirit, and open one’s breast to God, the Truth, with belief, love, and attraction, and then one should be able to rise to a level where one can be taught by God through inspiration.

As declared in the Divine declaration (18:65), We taught him knowledge of a special kind from Our Presence, God-inspired knowledge is the rain of mercy that pours down into the depths of a person’s inner world from the Realm of the Holy Presence– the Realm where those who are the nearest to God experience His Holy Presence–without any intermediary and veils. Deep devotion to God, sincere adherence and loyalty to Him as well as the Messenger, being sincerely well-pleased with whatever God decrees or causes to happen for one and trying to please Him, the sincerity and purity of intention in one’s acts or doing whatever one does only to please Him and because He wants us to do it, and having a heart pursuing certainty in the matters of belief over and over again–all this is what is required to be rewarded with God-inspired knowledge, especially in abundance.

Since the Prophets received Divine Revelation and were taught by Him, their knowledge is a God-inspired knowledge that comes from Him without any intermediary. As for the knowledge of purified, saintly scholars and other saintly persons, this is also a God-inspired knowledge, the only difference being that the source is the rays of light of the Prophetic knowledge. Khadr[7] is regarded as the foremost one in receiving this knowledge. However, he can only be so regarded for a certain period of time and spiritual rank and for the state particular to him. In certain particular matters, some people may be superior to those who are superior to them in general terms. Similarly, in certain particularities of God-inspired knowledge, Khadr is superior to those who are greater than him. He is in no way superior to either the Prophet Moses, upon him be peace,[8] or the other great Messengers.

As a Messenger charged with teaching people God’s commandments and guiding them in their lives so that they could attain happiness in both worlds, the Prophet Moses knew God’s commandments concerning the human individual and social life and the sensitive relation between them and the outward and inward aspects or dimensions of things. But, Khadr’s knowledge is restricted to the inward dimension of things. He points to this difference in his conversation with Moses: “Moses! I have a kind of knowledge which God has taught me and you do not possess, while you have another kind of knowledge which God has taught you and I do not possess.”[9]

In conclusion, God-inspired knowledge is the kind of knowledge which one cannot acquire by studying or being taught by others. It is a special gift from God and a kind of illumination, from a sacred source, that one finds in one’s heart. Rather than being the kind of knowledge about the Creator acquired by studying creation and which therefore leads from the created to the Creator, it is a kind that pours from the Maker to the conscious “works” of His art. It is even regarded as the emergence in the human spirit of the knowledge about some mysteries pertaining to God, the Truth, as special gifts from Him.

Anyway, it is always God Who knows best the truth in every matter.

[1] Abu Hafs ‘Amr b. Salama al-Haddad of Nishabur (d. 879). A blacksmith of Nishabur, visited Baghdad and met al-Junayd who admired his devotion. He also encountered al-Shibli and other Sufis of the Baghdad school. Returning to Nishapur, he resumed his trade and died there in 879.  [2] Abu Sulayman al-Darani (d. 830). An ascetic known for his weeping in worship. He was held in honour by the Sufis and was (called) the sweet basil of hearts (rayhan-i dilha). He is distinguished by his severe austerities. He spoke in subtle terms concerning the practice of devotion.  [3] Abu Yazid al-Bistami (d. 873): One of the greatest Sufi masters. Junayd said: “Abu Yazid holds the same rank among us as Gabriel among the angels.” His life was based on self-mortification and the practice of devotion.  [4] Abu Sa’id Ahmad ibn ‘Isa al-Kharraz of Baghdad, a cobbler by trade, met Dhu al-Nun al-Misri and associated with Bishr al-Khafi and Sari al-Saqati. Author of several books including some which have survived, the date of his death is uncertain but probably occurred between 892 and 899.  [5] Abu al-Qasim Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Mahmud al-Nasrabadi: One of the famous Sufi masters and scholars.  [6] Al-Bukhari, al-Jami’ al-Sahih, “‘Ilm,” 10. [7] Khadr is he with whom the Qur’an recounts (18: 60-82) the Prophet Moses made a travel to learn something of the spiritual realm of existence and the nature of God’s acts in it. It is controversial whether he was a Prophet or a saint with special mission. It is believed that he enjoys the degree of life where one feels no need for the necessities of normal human life.  [8] The writer refers to the significant encounter and experience between Moses and Khadr that is recounted in the Qur’an, 18:60-82.  [9] Al-Bukhari, “Tafsir,” 18:4.

[dentafendingredients]

DentaFend Reviews—100% Natural ⚠️ SCAM Or LEGIT ⚠️ Price and Ingredients

Have you been as of late encountering serious toothaches? Thinking that it is upsetting to feel free teeth and witness expanded paces of oral contaminations? On the off chance that the appropriate responses are indeed, you may be managing an issue that has tormented buyers all around the world: tooth rot. As a rule, over 3.9 billion individuals worldwide have been influenced by oral infections. This number supposedly addresses the cases that go untreated (FDI World Dental Federation). All in all, what are the reasons for tooth rot in the first place?

 The primary guilty party liable for tooth rot are depressions, and a similar offender has been connected to conceivably setting off gum illness. In such cases, specialists normally demand that helpless oral cleanliness rehearses are what causes pits, however as per Dean Dent, there's more going on in the background. As somebody who professes to have "nearly choked to death on account of an enlarged tooth" he expresses that specialists neglect to distinguish "specific poisons" similar to the issue.

 After further examining these issue with a resigned, normal elective medication analyst, Dr. Michels, Dean assumed control over issue and dispatched an all-regular arrangement called DentaFend. He accepts that this arrangement "can obliterate the poisons found inside your circulation system [and] will permit your teeth to appropriately acclimatize every one of the minerals and supplements they need." Curious to discover what these supplements are? This is what we've assembled on DentaFend.

 What is DentaFend?

 DentaFend is a 100% all-normal, oral wellbeing supplement that explicitly intends to simplicity and clear buyers of gum infection and tooth rot. With regards to Dean's contention, there exists a poison that is as of now "swimming inside your circulation system" and at last tracking down a home at the lower part of teeth and gum roots.

 (Exceptional DISCOUNT PROMO) Click Here to Purchase DentaFend at Special Price Today

 By focusing on this a single issue, purchasers can hope to be liberated of agony and tooth contaminations, plaque development, progressed gum illnesses like gum disease and periodontitis and terrible breath among a few others. Prior to investigating the fixings show, it is significant that purchasers recognize the whole cycle to recuperating.

 blue

 How does DentaFend work?

 The DentaFend equation seems to satisfy various advances that lead to upgraded oral wellbeing. To start with, the chose fixings are accepted to flush out the poisons liable for harming the teeth and gums. This seems, by all accounts, to be accomplished by following and killing poisons so they have no ability to withstand the conveyed supplements. Whenever they have been gotten out, the compensation cycles of teeth and gums is said to initiate. From here, the whole mouth goes through measures that ensure it against future blocks like microorganisms development, plaque development, and irritation among others.

 What are inside the DentaFend equation?

 DentaFend is said to join nine amazing fixings that come from various landmasses. Dignitary shared that this arrangement has since been tried on 6,400 volunteers from six nations, bringing about only enhancements. Having said that, included beneath is Dean's thoughts concerning how the DentaFend equation occurred:

 The first of nine fixings is bentonite mud, which he contends, "behaves like a sub-atomic wipe which retains poisons then, at that point kills microorganisms and different pollutions from your mouth and surface of your teeth." Then, flaxseeds were considered as a result of their cancer prevention agent impacts. This is trusted to watch out for the teeth and gums by lessening irritation. He likewise noticed that flaxseeds can "detox against weighty metals harmfulness."

 From that point, he featured the incorporation of oat wheat, a grain he trusts can "follow awful microorganisms settlements and poisons and demolish them while halting the draining and aggravation on gum level." The previously mentioned three comprise the initial step to the three-venture clearing, fixing and ensuring parts of DentaFend.

 To fix teeth and gums, the couple was focused on dark pecans, apple gelatin, prune concentrate and psyllium husk. These four fixings evidently convey "similar incredible restoration and recovery properties" since they are wellsprings of "calming and free-extremist battling properties in the body."

 At last, to guarantee that the mouth is ensured over the long haul, Dean and Dr. Michels examined fixings that are rich in polyphenols, as they are accepted to house "very incredible antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral [components]." Simply put, any semblance of aloe vera leaf concentrates, and lactobacillus acidophilus represent the last advance of the equation.

 What does science need to say with respect to DentaFend?

 To perceive how exact the thoughts above are, we settled to allude to logical investigations and proof. In this manner, coming up next were found:

 Bentonite Clay

 Bentonite mud is a permeable aluminum phyllosilicate earth that has been customarily utilized for its remedial advantages. In a 2017 audit that took a gander at its belongings, the creators composed that there is "sufficient writing showing its wellbeing after ongoing oral utilization." Aside from proof, they noticed that it very well may be on the grounds that it is "bountiful, non-costly and normal."

 While this audit didn't zero in on oral wellbeing, the creators uncovered that it might have antibacterial properties. Unequivocally talking, they shared that when bentonite was blended in water and fermented for 24 hours with live microbes, "an expansive range of microorganisms was killed." Due to the absence of logical proof, we chose to perceive what normal medication specialists needed to say. This drove us to a piece composed on the utilization of earth for dental workplaces. In it, the accompanying exhortation was given: "patients with gentle to extreme periodontal infection ought to delicately brush with one or the other dry or hydrated mud a few times each day [… ] Remember, dirt works better when it interacts with the organisms."

 Flax Seeds

 Flax is a kind of blossoming plant having a place with the group of Linaceae. In view of the reportings of HealthLine, its seeds contain a rich wellspring of lignans, which are high in cancer prevention agents and estrogen. An intriguing clarification on the job of lignans can be found in The Journal of Multidisciplinary Care Decisions™ in Dentistry.

 Decisively, the creator, Donna Catapono-Martinez, CDA, RDH, DHSc noticed that the class of polyphenols (counting lignans) convey "cell reinforcement properties that might advance oral wellbeing by lessening the danger of irritation and contaminations." An in vitro study was referred to, and according to the discoveries, macelignan polyphenols were said to show "against biofilm action by hindering development of S. mutans, S. sanguinis and Actinomyces viscosus." Generally talking, research on polyphenols has demonstrated to be viable on periodontal infections (essentially somewhat).

 Oat Bran

 Oat wheat is just the external covering of oat groat and is considered an adept wellspring of dietary fiber. At the hour of composing, no immediate connection between oat grain and its capacity to ease oral wellbeing concerns were accessible. Nonetheless, the potential it has as an illness counteraction specialist has been uncovered in a piece by Very Well Health. Specifically, it was contemplated that oat wheat contains polyphenols (like flax seeds) and can assist with lessening "free extreme cell harm."

 Dark Walnuts

 Dark pecans, otherwise known as Juglans nigra, comprise of a bit, a dry frame and a hard shell. Its bark merits lauding, seeing that it contains compound constituents and conveys antifungal, antibacterial, and cancer prevention agent exercises.

 A 2013 creature study that took a gander at the impact of dark pecans on four distinctive oral microbes (i.e., Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivarius, Streptococcus sanguis and Staphylococcus aureus) presumed that S. sanguis and S. mutans are generally delicate and impervious to microorganisms against the various synthetic compounds. The creators additionally focused on that "the outcomes might give the premise to utilizing normal antimicrobial substances for oral cleanliness prophylaxis purposes."

 A recent report that zeroed in fundamentally on the most ideal methods of extricating bioactive particles of dark pecans affirmed that they were effective in recognizing up to six antibacterial mixtures, which somehow or another seem to approve the objective of the previously mentioned study, yet additionally the fixings potential in clearing microbes.

 Apple Pectin

 One more dietary fiber to have taken care of business, apple gelatin, is expected to further develop processing, and forestall metabolic-related problems. The nearest study that we had the option to discover in regards to apples is a recent report that intended to decide if biting apples created "mechanical expulsion of dental plaque." A gathering of 20 grown-ups with great oral wellbeing status were arbitrarily doled out to either brush their teeth or eat an apple.

 A similar report was imitated with the goal that the gatherings traded errands. Eventually, the specialists didn't discover proof of dental plaque evacuation, further adding that apples may "favor plaque regrowth during the initial 24 hours." Interestingly, they saw that eating an apple can "produce a prompt decrease in salivary bacterial reasonability like that after tooth brushing."

 Prune Extract

 With regards with the impact of prunes on gum sickness, a piece presenting Dr. Wong and his examination group should be featured. As revealed by Bulletin, the group tried resveratrol for in vitro action against 12 microorganisms and three organisms found in the mouth. The final products? Indeed, it seems like microorganisms including Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and Porphyromonas gingivalis were killed inside six hours. What's more, prunes-determined naringin was noted in this piece as being "much more compelling than resveratrol at killing mouth microscopic organisms," as it annihilated four bacterial species.

 Psyllium Husk

 Psyllium husk is a kind of solvent fiber that comes from a spice called Plantago ovata. Mount Sinai summed up that it might perhaps assist with treating colon malignancy, stoppage, diabetes, the runs, coronary illness, hemorrhoids, circulatory strain, cholesterol, stoutness and provocative inside sicknesses among others. Shockingly, we didn't prevail with regards to discovering how it may assist with upgrading oral wellbeing. This is unquestionably a region that warrants further examination.

 Aloe Vera Leaf Extract

 Aloe vera leaf extricate is generally known for its hyaluronic or saturating impacts. In any case, many neglect to recognize the way that it additionally conveys calming and antibacterial properties. Talking about, a recent report that hoped to survey the impacts of aloe vera on periodontal infections on 15 subjects presumed that "subgingival organization of aloe vera gel brings about progress of periodontal condition," adding that it can go about as "a neighborhood drug conveyance framework."

 Lactobacillus Acidophilus

 Lactobacillus acidophilus is a probiotic that is normally found in the spit, however at lower amounts. As to its effect on one's teeth and gums wellbeing, we had the option to discover one survey that recommended including L. acidophilus may "decline unstable sulfur compounds in patients with halitosis." This reduction supposedly implies an increment in security against microbes since they are unequipped for enduring a particularly "ungracious climate."

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 How could DentaFend be taken?

 Senior member and Dr. Michels demand that taking one to two DentaFend case once a day can make the greatest of contrasts. Preferably, people ought to consider DentaFend on a predictable premise to see long haul enhancements.

 Does DentaFend contain any allergens important?

 DentaFend has been acknowledged as being by and large protected to take because of everything regular fixings. As indicated by Dean, this arrangement is exceptionally probably not going to be intrusive, dangerous and won't meddle with different enhancements. In spite of the fact that it is repeated as a safe-for-all arrangement, buyers are unequivocally prescribed to counsel a doctor before making any medicine related changes. On that note, the single sensitivities related concern significant is that DentaFend contains dark pecan.

 What amount of time will it require to get results with DentaFend?

 DentaFend has apparently been considered by near 87,000 individuals, none of whom announced any worries or incidental effects. All things considered, results can't generally be ensured as purchasers of all works of life exist. Along these lines, at times DentaFend may fall flat, while in others it may dominate. It truly comes down to singular encounters and their wellbeing attributes.

 Consider the possibility that DentaFend doesn't meet set assumptions.

 In the event that DentaFend doesn't meet set assumptions, i.e., huge upgrades in teeth, gums, and oral wellbeing overall, client assistance can be reached at support@dentafend.com for a full discount. This is on the grounds that DentaFend has been supported by a 60-day unconditional promise. Remember that such discount cycles might expect buyers to assume liability for any brought about postage expenses.

 cash back

 What amount does DentaFend cost?

 As of now, DentaFend can be bought at limited rates. It seems like Dean and Dr. Michels seems to reveal insight into the thought of "purchase more for less" which has plainly been reflected underneath:

 1 DentaFend bottle (one-month supply): $69 each + little transportation expense

 3 DentaFend bottles (three-month supply): $59 each + free U.S. dispatching expense

 6 DentaFend bottles (half year supply): $49 each + free U.S. dispatching charge

 (Least PRICE ONLINE) Get DentaFend Directly from the Official Website for the Biggest Discount

 estimating

 Last Verdict

 In general, DentaFend is a dietary enhancement that is announced as being successful at annihilating microorganisms and poisons. These trespassers are known to sneak their direction into the underlying foundations of the teeth and gums. The methodology taken by givers, Dean and Dr. Michels includes the utilization of every normal fixing, nine of them to be accurate. Together, they are relied upon to flush out poisons, fix harms and shield the mouth from future preventions.

 When contrasting the explanations furnished by Dean with what science needs to say, an ideal match was not found. Indeed, just a negligible portion of the recommended fixings has been demonstrated to dispense with microbes and to give further security against aggravation. Unmistakably, this disparity in information makes the aggregate of DentaFend to some degree sketchy. All things considered, note that regular medication has as of late acquired footing, which may be the reason concentrates on their utilizations are inadequate.

 Other than logical proof as a factor, the absence of straightforwardness should be examined here. To be definite, the pair has neglected to share the enhancement truth, data on the assembling organization and admittance to subtleties on Dr. Michels encounters. Ordinarily with such enhancements, buyers desire to see believability, and this is mysteriously absent. Therefore, it turns into a troublesome undertaking to say something regarding the incentive for cost. Along these lines, buyers are energetically prescribed to move any questions prior to pushing ahead. To more deeply study DentaFend and how it can help your oral wellbeing,

[apassintohell]

Cesemir, the Disowned Prince of the Seelie Court

He walks down the cobblestone streets, a ghost of a realm that has forsaken him. Even amongst demons and magical creatures alike, he stands out. There is something other in his stride, a whisper of a warning as he passes by. 

He is a puzzle piece too oddly shaped to fit into any picture. He has been cursed never to belong since the day he was born less than whole; and yet.

The human at his side eases the distance between Cesemir and the world as if it is nothing. 

Emil pulls him in like gravity, the first to ever successfully tether him to a place; to a person. He’s no longer drifting with no destination. All roads lead to one thing and one thing only: protecting Emil from the dangers of his world. 

And, perhaps, finding his own happiness along the way.  

Emil belongs to @rebsrebsrebsrebs

Was supposed to work on Adlai first but Cesemir took me by storm and I was helpless to resist.

Full profile under the cut!

Basics

Full Name: goes by Cesemir, True Name unknown

Meaning of Name: spin off of ‘Cesimir’ which means destroyer of peace

Age: goes by 24

How Old Do They Appear: early 20’s

Gender: nonbinary

Pronouns: he/him, they/them

Race: half fae, disowned seelie royalty

Birthday: May 21st

Zodiac Sign: Gemini

Sexuality: pansexual

Languages (spoken): English, Latin, Welsh, some Demonic

Current family: N/A

Family Background (parents, previous marriages, etc.): left in the woods as a child, adopted by a human couple. Has no current family

Relationship Status: panicking over has a thing with @rebsrebsrebsrebs Emil 

Relationship with Men: neutral 

Relationship with Women: neutral

Religion: N/A

Attitude Towards Religion: finds it quaint 

Magic

Special Abilities: has a fae form; features large golden antlers, pointed ears, black sclera, sharp teeth and claws

Magical Abilities: nature based, animal communication, transformation, divination 

Physical appearance

Complexion: clear, very smooth skin

Skin Color: almond with cool undertones

Eye Color: predominantly purple but can shift due to strong emotion

Glasses or Contacts: tells people his eye color is due to contacts but doesn’t wear them

Hair Color: white 

Hair Length: down to his lower back

Usual Hair Style: fluffy bangs parted to the right, usually bound back in braids/ponytails/buns etc. 

Face Shape: diamond, very sharp cheekbones

Distinguishing Marks: freckles across his nose and under eyes; scattered across his shoulders

Predominant Features: bright purple eyes, sharp cheekbones, full lips, white eyelashes

Overall Attractiveness: very pretty and otherworldly 

Height: 6ft / 182 cm

Body type: willowy

Posture: excellent

Scars: N/A

Tattoos: magical sigils from the nape of his neck down to his tail bone, all in white. Has others that surface when he uses magic

Piercings: left ear: forward helix, industrial, daith, conch, tragus, first-third holes; right ear: first-third holes and a double helix. Collarbones and bellybutton

Usual Fashion of Dress: wears a lot of white and gold, usually a mix of form fitting and flowy clothes; doesn’t care about ‘gendered’ clothes, will wear dresses and skirts just as often as he wears pants

Favorite Outfit: a white high neck halter top that leaves most of his back uncovered, usually with a pair of tight shorts and knee high boots

Jewelry or Accessories: lots of gold jewelry, usually accented with different crystals; a lot of rings and earrings. Translucent accents, shiny belts, etc

Makeup: smokey eyes, dark lipsticks (purple, green, black), eyeliner

Voice: quiet but firm, usually with a playful undertone

Personality

MBTI Personality: Commander (ENTJ-A)

Introvert or Extrovert: Extrovert (65%)

Energy: Intuitive (60%)

Nature: Thinking (67%)

Tactics: Judging (64%)

Identity: Assertive (61%)

Optimist or Pessimist: Optimist

Sense of Humor: wry

Temperament: calm and collected

Attitude: playful, sometimes cold

Expressiveness: fairly blank about any emotions past humor

Ruled by Heart or Mind: Mind

Consideration for Others: varies depending on the situation, low for anyone he doesn’t care for (which is most people)

How Other People See Them: distant but beautiful, out of reach

Opinion of Themselves: hates himself but never shows it, outwardly seems almost arrogant 

Strengths: keeps calm under pressure, logical

Flaws: has a hard time handling emotions, especially attachment 

Morning Person or Night Owl: both

Favorite Sin: Envy

Favorite Virtue: Fortitude

Health

Energy Levels: fairly high

Disabilities/Mental Issues: has a lot of internalized self hatred and depressive episodes he tries to hide

Phobias: dogs

Why: was attacked by the Wild Hunt as a child and left for dead

Drinking: doesn’t do it often and only drinks wine or fruity stuff

Drugs/Prescriptions: occasionally takes magical drug mixtures to help with his craft, isn’t opposed to weed 

Addictions: N/A

Mental Strengths: remaining outwardly calm and unaffected, bargaining and manipulation

Mental Weaknesses: love and attraction

Past/Present Illnesses: was very sickly as a child and can fall ill if he doesn’t spend enough time around nature

Allergies: iron 

Memory: excellent 

Career

Job Title: Shop owner

Career Type: Magic Retail

Education: a lot, specifics unknown

Work Ethic: high

Career Satisfaction: pretty positive 

Preferences

Diet: vegetarian, has a sweet tooth

Favorite Foods: chocolate covered bananas (frozen) and strawberries, green bean and pecan casserole, chocolate cheesecake

Favorite Drinks: apple juice, smoothies

Favorite Movies: doesn’t really watch any

Favorite Books: amused by human romance books, especially if they’re supernatural

Favorite Music: indie

Favorite Place: his shop or anywhere he can lay down in the grass and soak up the sun

Favorite Activities: gardening, transcribing, singing and dancing, volunteering at the animal shelter

Favorite Time of Day: when the moon rises

Favorite Season: spring

Favorite Animal: crow

Hobbies: restoration of magical objects, horseback riding, anything with animals really

[nelllraiser]

seeing is beleafing | solomon & nell

LOCATION: nell’s greenhouse at the vural home. PARTIES: @shroomsbysolomon & @nelllraiser. SUMMARY: solomon stumbles upon a lush haven, and nell tries to defend her plants only to be pleasantly surprised. 

As always— the pinging of the property spell going off when someone foreign crossed it jolted Nell awake, anxiety quick to pool in her stomach. Grabbing a knife from her bedside table, she clutched it confidently as she made her way out to the balcony that was connected to her room, leaning over the edge of it to find whether she could see who this intruder was from the vantage point. Spotting an outrageously tall figure by her greenhouse, her ire only grew hotter, and Nell wasted no time in launching herself over the side of the railing, using a spell to slow her fall and land softly on the grass beneath. Then she was making angry strides towards her prized possession, trying to make sense of the mass of...whatever it was that was peering through the glass. “Hey!” she yelled out at the stranger, realizing whoever this was had to be at least nine feet tall. “Get your slender-man ass away from my plants!” she called out again, brandishing the knife in front of her as she closed in. It was only as she got closer that she recognized why the form of the intruder was so hard to identify. All the distinguishing lines of a person were broken up by...were those little mushrooms growing off of him?

Usually when he was this close to town, Solomon would have started using his illusory magic. It wasn’t likely that he’d run into someone out here, but it was possible… with the small smattering of cabins that dotted the area. But tonight? Tonight he was distracted, because he’d suddenly stumbled upon a greenhouse that he’d somehow managed to completely miss for however long, and he was smitten. Moving almost silently through the trees, the massive Leshy slowly came out into the clearing that surrounded the property, eyeless gaze fixed upon the structure. A soft sound reverberated from within the elk skull that hid his face, something akin to a very pleased sigh, and he lumbered over to the object of his attention. Pushing off the grass with his hands, Solomon rose to his full height, leaning carefully against the glass as he peered inside. There were so many lovely plants to take in! He wanted to be inside, to smell that damp, earthy goodness — but someone was coming. With a start, the creature dropped back down onto his hands, turning his lithe frame to face the small woman as he tried to make himself appear smaller. Shit. The lichen and moss that hung from his antlers swayed as he shifted awkwardly on the spot, keeping his branch-like hands planted firmly against the soil between his feet. “No, I…” His voice was deep and rumbling, but still gentle, in an unexpected sort of way. “Sssorry. Just… admiring.” He turned his head to glance warily at the greenhouse, then dipped it in a way that was perhaps meant to convey his shame in being caught.

He’d gone back to his crouched position, making himself smaller as Nell yelled. Good. It seemed she’d successfully yelled him into submission despite him still being nearly the same height as her even in this diminished pose. “That’s right!” she spoke in the same aggressive tone, knife flashing in the light of the moon. “Go ahead and take your noodle butt somewhere el-” she paused mid sentence as the indeterminate shape of a creature turned towards her, and she finally came to recognize what was perched atop its head. An elk skull? She recognized the shape from her own sacrifices she’d made for blood magic, though the ones she encountered didn’t usually speak back to her, and certainly not in a tone so demure. It was distracting enough for her to take a long moment to pinpoint exactly what it was the creature in front of her was. With assorted plants growing from him he looked like his own personal biome, a walking haven for his little mushrooms. A leshy? She’d only met one other, and he hadn’t looked all that similar to the man in front of her, no animal skull or mushrooms to speak of. The fae’s prompt apology had her hackles lowering in the slightest, her blade also dipping a fraction of an inch. “...You like it? The greenhouse?” It would make sense, wouldn’t it? A leshy admiring some greenery.

Solomon never enjoyed being yelled at, of course, though it was a rare occurrence. Still, his reaction was to recoil, not to lash out, as the young woman had posed no real threat just yet. Flinching beneath the bite of her words, he lapsed into a hopeful silence when she took a few beats to really examine him, keeping still as he could. It had been quite a time since a human (or human-presenting) being had seen him in this form, and he was quick to recall how it had played out the last few times. To say it’d gone poorly would be an understatement… he hoped that would not be the case today. It seemed he was in luck, for after her pause she posed a question that simply begged him to respond enthusiastically. “Oh, yes,” the creature mused, nodding his large head at her, lifting a hand to press it gently against the glass once more. “Lovely. Isss it yours? Do you care for it? I wasss just wishing I could get inside, without…” He dipped his head again, waving his claws dismissively before returning them to the spot between his feet. “... you know. Breaking.”

The more the leshy seemed to withdraw as she berated him, the less Nell felt the need to threaten him. It was plain to see that the man-tree wasn’t planning on fighting back, and Nell paused a beat before finally giving her knife a thoughtful twirl, letting it lower to her side. It was still gripped snugly in her hold, but looking less and less like she was anticipating the need to stab or slash. It was hard to maintain her wariness when he replied with such enthusiasm to her question, seemingly a naturally endearing creature. “Uh- yeah, it’s mine. I got it about ten months ago.” It had been part of her parents’ bribe to bring her home from a five-year excursion outside White Crest, and into her sister’s home. As the fae expressed his concern and care for entering the greenhouse, Nell stood somewhat nonplussed, uncertain as to where they were meant to go from here. “Who are you, exactly?” That made sense to ask, right? “I don’t usually let strangers into my greenhouse…” But who else would know how to appreciate her plants as well as a leshy would? His desires seemed relatively harmless for the moment.

Listening carefully while she explained, Solomon found his gaze flicking between the owner of the greenhouse and all the plants that rested on the other side of the glass. Ahh, so it was fairly new, that must have been why he hadn’t come across it till now. As a rule, he didn’t usually get this close to dwellings in the outskirts, but once the greenhouse had caught his eye, he’d forgotten all his usual rules. Then, of course, came the question of his identity. “Oh, well, you sssee…” His voice trailed, head tilting slightly skyward as if he were lost in thought. “I would… rather not say… but I have lived in these woods for two yearsss now. Go into town during the day… obviously not looking like thisss.” He glanced down at himself, large, claw-like fingertips tapping into the soft earth. “It is okay, I can… look from here,” he offered, though the self restraint seemed to have deflated him a bit. 

“Not even a name? Or something to call you?” Nell pressed lightly, not knowing how to address the leshy if she didn’t have a way of identifying him. But she also knew fae and their strange ways when it came to names at times. “You don’t have to tell me anything else.” Two years...that would have been some time after Bea bought the house. “Yeah, I’d imagine a giant tree walking around the Common might be a little attention grabbing,” the witch tried to joke. “But then again people around here see crazy shit every day.” For a moment the young woman worried her lip between her teeth, looking between the funghi-ridden man and her beloved plants. “If I let you in...you promi-” she cut the word off mid-sentence as she reminded herself she was dealing with fae. “You won’t touch anything unless you ask?” Normally she wouldn’t be so ready to allow a stranger access to her haven, but the fact that he was quite literally a plant himself helped to comfort the worry she might have over any potential hazard.

Solomon had never had a name, not until he stole one from a man he murdered. There was probably something that the vikings had called him when they found him back when he was just a sapling, but he couldn’t really remember anymore. He knew that if he gave her the name he used to masquerade as a human, she’d probably figure it out… eventually. And he’d like to keep that eventuality to a minimum, despite having mucked it up a couple times already. He really was a terrible liar. Trying to think on his feet, the leshy tried hard to come up with something else she could call him, and the only things coming to mind were the plants he spent so much time around, cultivating and cherishing. “You may call me… ehm… Lily,” he muttered, the delicate white curves of the flower filling his mind. His attention quickly shifted, though, and his whole body seemed to jitter excitedly as the woman laid down some ground rules for him. “Of courssse!” he chirped. “Permission first.” 

Nell waited curiously, the curiosity giving way to a flicker of amusement crossing her features when the leshy gave his answer. “Alright Lily- if we’re doing code names then I’m gonna give myself a cool one, too.” Which one would suffice, though? Hellraiser had been her name in the Ring, but that felt cringey to give in this sort of setting, and she didn’t want to bring any part of the place that had only cultivated pain and sorrow to follow her into the future. Taki was another obvious choice seeing as they were one of her favorite snacks...but she couldn’t steal the name of her familiar. “I’ll be...Len,” she finally said with a snicker, all too tickled by the foolish way she’d reversed her name to make a new one. “Lenny- if my plants like you enough.” It was meant as a joke while she turned back towards her greenhouse, looking over her shoulder to once again scan over the leshy before doubling down on her decision to let him into one of her most sacred spaces. Whispering a personalized spell that unlocked the door, she stepped into the greenhouse, turning to see if Lily would follow. “So this is it- welcome to the inside.”

Leaning in eagerly, black eye sockets fixed on the back of her head as she opened the door, Solomon let out a delighted grumble as it swung open and the stranger invited him in. Crawling forward on his hands and feet, head ducking down as he carefully slipped through the threshold, mindful of the size of his crown of bone, Solomon breathed deeply. His sigh seemed to swell in the enclosed space, the leaves of the plants reaching in his direction ever so slightly, then falling back to their original positions as he settled onto the floor. He was big, too big, and so his body began to shrink. Fae illusory magic brought him down to a more reasonable seven feet tall, and even his antler rack decreased in size, the uppermost points vanishing as the bone seemed to fade away. He seemed to pay this transformation no mind, transfixed instead by the healthy glow of all these flowers and greenery. “Beautiful,” the creature breathed, moving his skeletal face as close as he could to each new one that caught his eye, getting the best look possible without disturbing the plants, as promised. “Which isss your favorite?”

Nell could only blink in intrigue as Lily morphed himself to fit the confines of the greenhouse. To be honest, fae were the branch of species she was generally the least familiar with, though perhaps there should actually be some further understanding between herself and them considering that the fair folk were the only ones to hold their magic as spellcasters did. She knew the magic was different, having their own brand of weaving and channeling and the like, but it still linked them, didn’t it? “You like it?” Nell asked with a hint of pride to her voice. After all, what greater achievement was there than a nearly literal spirit of the forest approving your plants? Surely he’d be the best reigning opinion on the matter. The greenhouse was lush, full of a wide variety of plants with the least conspicuous of them gracing the front end of the greenhouse. However if one bothered to venture further, they’d be first greeted with plants of a witchier origin, plenty of herbs and the like to help fuel spellwork. The further one went in, the more supernatural it got, with greenery unknown to the normal world growing in the back. “Oh, I can’t choose a favorite,” she answered, fielding the question as if someone had asked who her favorite child was. “And even if I could, I wouldn’t say it in front of them,” she joked lightly. “Did you have a favorite?”

Nodding enthusiastically, Solomon continued to survey the expanse of plantlife. His gaze was drawn to the rear of the greenhouse, and he noticed how the more humble plants were stationed near the front, leaving the more interesting ones tucked away, secret. Shrugging in agreement, Solomon let out a dry, scratchy laugh. “That isss a good point,” he mused, moving farther into the building, still lumbering on all fours like an animal, to better keep himself from knocking into things. “Well, I am fond of liliesss... as you may have guessed,” he answered distractedly, large head swaying this way and that, body ducking down to the floor to get a good look at the shorter sprouts, then reaching up, up, up to admire the tall ones. “Len, I am… sssurprised to sssee such variety in… a human’s care,” Solomon commented as they made their way farther back, the more exotic and purposeful greenery becoming abundant. He could sense something about her, something that reminded him of the witches he had known many hundreds of years ago. They had been good to him, and he remembered them fondly to this day. The energy that radiated from the young woman was almost identical, which begged the question… “Are you a witch?” Of course it would make sense, with a greenhouse like this, but he didn’t want to be rude and assume anything.

Nell decided that Lily reminded her of a very solemn toddler— like one of those children on a talk-show who were brought on because they knew the name of every country on the map and its capital before they could even properly hold a spoon. Seemingly mature and composed, but not entirely understanding of the concepts an everyday human would encounter, and shaky on their execution. Perhaps that was why he seemed to be so endearing. “Do you have a favorite lily?” she asked quickly, eager to have met someone who could understand the beauty of growth and greenery. As he used her silly pseudonym, Nell barely surprised a small snicker, settling for a crooked grin instead. Nevertheless, she was proud at his continued approval of her set up and plants. She shouldn’t have been surprised by his final question, but her eyebrows raised slightly nonetheless, silent for a split moment as she thought her answer over. It would be fair to divulge her own identity in return, wouldn’t it? After all, she already knew he was a Leshy, and he didn’t seem to mean any harm. “Yep, that’s me. Lots of this stuff I use for spellwork. But some of it’s just for the kitchen, too. Sometimes it’s for both.” Kitchen magic was a lovely branch of mysticality. “And sometimes it’s just ‘cause it’s pretty.” 

“The Forever Sssusan lily,” Solomon answered after a brief moment of thought, “it reminds me of autumn.” He cast her a fond glance, if such a thing could be achieved with an expressionless, bone visage. When she answered his rather straightforward question, he seemed to brighten even further. “Brilliant,” he muttered happily, the mushrooms that dotted his large frame seeming to grow just a touch taller. “I used to know sssome witches, up in the mountainsss… oh, they were wonderful. Sssome of my favorite people. They were very good to me.” His gaze fell on Len again after wandering her greenhouse a bit more, inspecting the more exotic flora. “You ssseem good too, Len. Kind.” He seemed almost relieved, his thoughts recalling the less than kind spellcaster he’d met a couple weeks prior, who had absolutely rubbed him in every wrong way possible. Crouched on his hands and feet, Solomon lifted his head high and took one more deep, long  breath. “Thank you for sssharing your greenhouse with me. It wasss a nice break from the familiarity of these woods.” He realized, in that moment, that if he were to have a home—a proper one, that was—he would want something like this. “Do you think… perhapsss… I could return sssome day? If it is no trouble… It just feels very, ah… nice in here.” Not to mention, he could use more friends.

Nell made a humming sound of approval as Lily imparted his favorite flower, already envisioning the deep purples and vibrant oranges of the bloom in her mind’s eye. It was a stunning flower, and certainly one of the showier lilies. Vaguely, she wondered what Lily’s choice said about him, but she wasn’t nearly so perceptive as to make a passing and accurate judgement into the inner workings of a stranger’s mind such as the leshy’s. Still she wondered at what it meant that the forest creature would enjoy being reminded of autumn, the time in which most plants lost their color and leaves. Perhaps he liked the promise that they would return, and the cycle of life that continued to turn in its unshakable circle. Nell nodded eagerly as he mentioned the other witches, remembering childhood trips their mother had taken them on to visit sister covens. The nostalgia was quickly followed with a small pang of pain, knowing that those bridges had most likely been burned when she and her sisters had been banished from their coven. “I’m glad,” she decided to answer simply, a well-meaning half smile on her lips. As for kindness...she’d never particularly used that word when thinking of herself. Well-meaning, perhaps. Or possibly even thoughtful at times, but it was hard for her to reconcile the mistakes and choices she’d made with a word as soft as ‘kind’. “If I am, it’s only because you’ve been kind in return,” she said diplomatically, not entirely knowing how to accept his compliment when she wasn’t all that sure it was true. His request to return left her hesitating for a split second. The greenhouse had always been a place of repose, a hideaway haven where she could simply be away from the world and all others. But if there was anyone who would appreciate the greenhouse for what it was as she did, surely it would be Lily. Her response to his question was to forage through a nearby string that had newly dried tea leaves from it. Whispering a few words of magic over the lemon balm leaves she’d chosen, she then offered them to Lily. “When you wanna visit- just brew these into a tea, and I’ll know to meet you here and to let you in.”

Similarly, Solomon had never been described as ‘kind’ by anyone he’d known… though people’s opinions of him were often kept secret, so there was no telling the impressions he’d left on those who kept their tongues tied. The assessment struck him as curious, and he made a mental note of it. Interacting with people was hard enough already, he’d take any tips people gave out so freely. Watching the witch while she suddenly busied her hands, large head canted to the side, Solomon gave a soft, delighted sigh when she turned around again to give him his instructions. “Thank you, Len,” he gushed, holding a spindly-fingered hand out to accept the leaves, cradling them gently in his large palm as he looked back to her face. The magic was intriguing to him, to say the least—obviously it was very different from his own, and he found the (apparent) simplicity of it to be fascinating. Brew tea, summon friend. Easy as that! Closing his hand to protect the tea leaves, the leshy gave her a deep bow of his head. “I look forward to our next meeting, then,” he murmured happily, rising to his feet to walk back to the greenhouse entrance with her, again ducking through the doorway and stepping out into the moonlit clearing. “Be well!” She was offered an enthusiastic wave, one Solomon had seen many people perform before, and then he was off, lumbering back into the darkness of the wood. What a charming, unexpected evening! He’d remember it fondly for decades to come.

[aion-rsa]

Reading beyond the veil: Paranormal book Recommendations From the Pros

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Don’t cross the streams. Never take your hands off a Ouija board without first saying “Goodbye.” The undead has to be invited in. Kill it with fire. Shoot it in the head. Wolfman’s got nards.

When it comes to the entertainment of the unexplained, or paranormal pop culture, humans live in a world(s) populated by all manner of preternatural, supernatural, otherworldly, and extradimensional phenomena. But entertainment also tells us there are rules that bring order to the abnormal – whether it’s a ghost or demon, alien or sasquatch, werewolf or vampire, or even a troll or fairy.

Yet behind every silver bullet solution that makes it into a script, there is typically a wealth of academic study that’s both complicated, and sometimes contradictory. From folklore to grimoire, anthropology to parapsychology, researchers have attempted to document and take a serious look at topics slightly askew from the norm. They are the real-world counterparts of Dr. Spengler, Dr. Van Helsing, and Father Merrin.

(And, perhaps unlike those fictional “experts,” many researchers would likely tell you the more they read up on these topics, the clearer it becomes there is more unknown than known, and more theories than rules.)

With that in mind, we reached out to a few notable figures and esteemed colleagues within the paranormal community to offer reading suggestions that go beyond what pop culture tells us about the unexplained. The following list is a guide for those inspired by the movies and TV shows to take a longer look through the veil, under the bed, at the stars, and into the forest.

Amy Bruni

(Host/Executive Producer, Travel Channel’s Kindred Spirits; Author, Life With The Afterlife):

ESP, Hauntings and Poltergeists: A Parapsychologist’s Handbook by Loyd Auerbach

“While I think it’s highly important to have a library of paranormal books, and to form your own research and investigative methodologies, I almost always recommend Loyd Auerbach’s ESP, Hauntings and Poltergeists: A Parapsychologist’s Handbook as a must have. 

It was published in 1986, and is widely cited as one of the books that inspired many of today’s most well-known investigators to investigate the way they do. A good number of Loyd’s methods and theories still ring true, as well as his healthy dose of skepticism. It’s not the type of investigation you see on television, that’s for sure, but it’s got some great ideas to help distinguish between what could be an actual haunting vs a perceived haunting.”

Grant Wilson

(Host/Executive Producer, A&E’s Ghost Hunters):

Morphic Resonance & The Presence of the Past: The Memory of Nature by Rupert Sheldrake

“Rupert Sheldrake, Ph.D., and former research fellow of the Royal Society, guides us through his journey to discover if our memories exist outside ourselves, and how that idea could affect our view on how the entire universe operates. Sheldrake gently opens the mind to this idea with solid thinking, educated speculation, and sound experimentation. More than just a mental exercise, his theory proposes that all self-organizing systems, from crystals to human society share a common memory which guides their collective form and behavior. Basically, the more people learn something, the easier it is for others to learn. Which, if true, would have huge implications in the field of paranormal research, not to mention the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, and sociology. If our memories are collectively shared and stored outside our own brains, are ghosts simply some sort of manifestation of shared memories? I recommend this book to anyone looking to draw their mind out of the box we so comfortably live in and reshape how we think about well, pretty much everything.”

Jeff Belanger

(Author, Writer/Researcher, Ghost Adventures; Host, New England Legends podcast, and TV series):

Confessions of a Ghost-Hunter by Harry Price

“Published in London in 1936, this is a must-read to see how far paranormal investigation has come (and how little it’s actually changed in almost a century). In the book, Harry Price (1881 – 1948) explores some of his favorite cases, how to test a spirit medium, spirit photography, and he delves into his methods of investigating including equipment, trigger objects, interviews, and theories. Harry Price is the original ghost hunter.

Read it for free online here: https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.218596/page/n9/mode/2up

Ghosts: True Encounters with the World Beyond by Hans Holzer

Parapsychologist Hans Holzer (1920 – 2009) helped usher the paranormal into the mainstream with his many books and media appearances. Originally published in 1997, Holzer profiles some of his favorite cases and the first-hand experiences encountered by the witnesses he interviewed. By 97’, Holzer had reached the age and point of his career where he believed he pretty much had everything figured out. Though I don’t agree with all of his theories or ideas on the afterlife, I tip my hat at his confidence on spelling out the unknown.”

Bryce Johnson

(Actor; Co-host, Bigfoot Collector’s Club podcast):

Where the Footprints End, High Strangeness and the Bigfoot Phenomenon Volume I: Folklore by Joshua Cutchin and Timothy Renner

“What in the hell is really going on with Bigfoot? Is this just a flesh & blood creature like most think, or is there something more “paranormal” taking place? It’s a great question, and one that Cutchin and Renner (both outside-the-box thinkers) tackle head on. It’s hard to deny that these guys are onto something, and after having read it, I don’t think that I can ever go back to thinking that Sasquatch is just an unconfirmed North American Wood Ape. Instead, what if the big guy/gal is more like a wilderness poltergeist? A “Wildnesgeist” if you will. A term coined by the authors. And while the term does not exactly roll off the tongue, it certainly could help explain the strange lights and orbs, sudden dematerialization, telepathic mind-speak, and the countless varieties of size, shape and colors reported with Bigfoot sightings. Books like the aforementioned are an integral piece of the puzzle if we ever wish to get to the bottom of what is really taking place on this strange planet of ours, and perhaps what Vallee did for the UFO phenomenon, Cutchin & Renner could do for the Bigfoot Phenomenon. Overall Rating 4 Bigfeet out of 5!”

M. Belanger

(Comparative religious studies author, The Dictionary of Demons; Paranormal Investigator, Paranormal State, Portals to Hell):

Poltergeist by Colin Wilson

“For those doing research into ghosts and the paranormal, Colin Wilson should be on your bookshelves right next to Hans Holzer. In addition to his landmark eponymous survey, The Occult, Wilson produced numerous books exploring psychic and paranormal phenomena over his decades-long career. My personal favorite is Poltergeist, which explores the concept of destructive hauntings. Extensive, cross-disciplinary research is a hallmark of Wilson’s work, and this book is no exception. Poltergeist includes theories about what these “noisy ghosts” really are, explores psychological and supernatural implications of their manifestations, and recounts numerous documented cases of the phenomena from the ancient through the modern world. Throughout the book, Wilson blends perspectives from psychology, anthropology, folklore, and mythology together with dedicated reporting of modern experiences. I keep my copy next to Harry Price’s book on the same subject.

The Phantom World by Augustin Calmet

“For a deeper dive into the folkloric roots of many of our modern beliefs about ghosts, hauntings, and even vampires, it is worth the search to score a copy of Augustin Calmet’s treatise on the apparitions of spirits and on vampires, often titled simply The Phantom World. This chunky tome covers a wide variety of hauntings, retelling experiences as they were relayed to Calmet himself, often through other members of the clergy. As a French Benedictine monk, Calmet was viewed as an authority on the supernatural and the miraculous, and although he does not apply much in the way of critical analysis to the stories he receives, the fact that he was able to record and publish these tales at all makes up for what modern readers might consider a fairly superstitious nature. As with Glanvill’s Saducismus Triumphatus, it is important to keep in mind that clergy effectively filled the role of paranormal investigators during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, collecting, verifying, and disseminating the accounts of their parishioners. Without their writings, credulous as they may in hindsight seem, we would have little access to any record of these strange and frightful encounters. Calmet’s work is of special value because it is one of the fist treatises to collect a wide variety of European vampire encounters, including some of the stories that have proven seminal to vampire folklore as we understand it today.

Demoniality by Lodovico Sinistrari

The final volume I would recommend for modern investigators is a slim treatise produced by another member of the European clergy, this time a Franciscan priest by the name of Lodovico Sinistrari. Sinistrari is arguably where we derive most of our beliefs about incubus and succubus demons, and he collects both his theories on these creatures and several compelling tales in his book, Demoniality. It is a quick and fun read — if, like me, learning about demons is your definition of fun.”

Margee Kerr, Ph.D.

(Sociologist; Author, Scream: Chilling Adventures in the Science of Fear):

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears by Stephen T. Asma

“Hailed as “a feast” (Washington Post) and “a modern-day bestiary” (The New Yorker), Stephen Asma’s On Monsters is a wide-ranging cultural and conceptual history of monsters — how they have evolved over time, what functions they have served for us, and what shapes they are likely to take in the future.”

Richard Estep

(Author, Haunted Healthcare; Travel Channel’s Paranormal Night Shift):

This House is Haunted by Guy Lyon Playfair

“In a field that’s chock full of sensationalist books, Guy Lyon Playfair’s This House is Haunted is a breath of fresh air. One of the few comprehensive accounts of a poltergeist-type haunting that runs from the very first incident through to the end, Playfair’s book is a masterclass on how to investigate the paranormal. There’s no drama, no theatricality; seasoned investigator Playfair and his partner, Maurice Grosse of the Society for Psychical Research, examine the strange goings-on in a small house in Enfield with a critical eye, always seeking out rational explanations and debunking whatever they can. This House is Haunted works as a page-turning narrative, but also contains a wealth of information for today’s paranormal enthusiast. As such, it deserves a much wider audience.”

Brian J. Cano

(Paranormal Investigator; Travel Channel’s Paranormal Caught on Camera):

The Encyclopedia of Ghost & Spirits by Rosemary Ellen Guiley

“To me, this is a must-have in any serious paranormal library. It references an impressive amount of material, and I use it often. There may be a name or concept that sounds familiar to me and when I need a refresher, it’s the first tome I reach for. Invariably, as I turn the pages, I get sucked in, and end up delving into many other entries.  It’s like an academic supernatural “choose your own adventure”!

How to Hunt Ghosts: A Practical Guide by Joshua P. Warren

“This gem of a guide is perfect for anyone looking to get their feet wet in paranormal investigating. It is thoughtful, comprehensive and delivers the necessary information for anyone to begin doing the work while walking the fine line between skepticism and belief. I’ve recommended it many times over the years and the guide has held up to this day.”

Buy How to Hunt Ghosts: A Practical Guide on Amazon

Ryan Sprague

(Author, Podcast Host, Somewhere In The Skies; Co-host of Mysteries Decoded on the CW):

Communion by Whitley Strieber

“In the 1980s, author Whitley Strieber was best known for his horror novels such as The Hunger and Wolfen. But below the surface of his fictional works was a story so visceral and bizarre, that it would change the course of his career thereafter. This was the 1987 best-seller, Communion. Many are familiar with the now-famous book cover of a beige-colored alien with big, black orbital eyes. But the contents of the book is what truly stays with readers. The story of a man struggling with fractured memories of being taken in the night by what he calls “visitors” and experimented on. The raw and traumatic string of events is what packs the biggest punch in the book. But even stronger are the bigger questions to be asked of this supposedly true story: If we are not alone, and we are being visited, what do these visitors want, and to what lengths will they go for their true agenda? Communion is well written, brutally honest, terrifying, beautiful, and profound in the most alien of ways. It ushered in the alien abduction controversy for many years to come and has ingrained itself into the annals of both pop culture and UFO history forever.”

Buy Communion on Amazon

Lynne S. McNeill, Ph.D.

(Folklorist; Author, Legend Tripping: A Contemporary Legend Casebook):

Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live and Lucifer Ascending by Bill Ellis

“These two books present a folklorist’s perspective on the kinds of traditions and phenomena that paranormal investigators are interested in. His perspective highlights that folklorists aren’t looking to debunk or prove anything — they simply want to understand the cultural role that these ever-popular topics are playing.”

Buy Aliens, Ghosts, and Cults: Legends We Live on Amazon

Ty Gowen

(Paranormal Investigator, Haunt ME):

Ghost Hunter by Hans Holzer 

“This may not be an obscure text in paranormal circles, but that doesn’t make it any less important. Holzer existed in a liminal time for the paranormal, when the obscure community was in the direct center of a century-long shift between the popularity of the Spiritualism of the late-1800s, and its Hollywood resurgence in the mid-2000s.

This book chronicles some of Holzer’s cases while researching in NYC, as well as providing his commentary. This commentary is particularly important to those studying the field. We’re able to get a snapshot of what early research and curiosity were like, before it was tainted by the entertainment industry. It can be a bit dry, but that is part of the appeal; the book isn’t meant to dazzle or secure ratings. It might not be for everyone, but it was definitely a gateway book for me.

Honorable mention (because it’s fiction) is Ghost Stories by Roald Dahl. He read 749 short stories and narrowed it down to 14 for his book, and they’re great! Who knew the guy who wrote BFG was so macabre!” 

Buy Ghost Hunter on Amazon

Aaron Sagers

(Creator, ParanormalPopCulture.com; Paranormal Journalist, Paranormal Caught on Camera, Paranormal Lockdown; Co-Executive Producer/Host, Paranormal Paparazzi; Co-Host, NightMerica Podcast):

The Mothman Prophecies by John Keel

“Journalist John Keel remains a giant in the paranormal field, and for me personally, he was the first person whose work I discovered that connected the dots between multiple phenomena. He’s described by some as a UFOlogist, but I think he’s so much more. Before it was a 2002 movie that did wonders for the Chapstick brand, The Mothman Prophecies was Keel’s 1975 book that documented strange sightings around Point Pleasant, West Virginia – which culminated with the lethal collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967. Yes, this book discusses the winged thing (Cryptid? Demon? Alien? Ultraterrestrial?) eyewitnesses described in Point Pleasant, and gives historical and folkloric context to it, but Keel goes deeper into the story. Though he does have his own conclusions, the author’s journalistic approach, and open-mindedness, served as an inspiration and starting point to me within this strange world. For a second helping of Keel, I’d recommend Operation Trojan Horse.

Buy The Mothman Prophecies on Amazon

A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters by Peter Aykroyd

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Notice that last name? Yes, Peter Aykroyd is the father of Dan Aykroyd, aka Ray Stantz, Ghostbusters co-writer, UFO aficionado, and entrepreneur of the metaphysically themed Crystal Head vodka. Dan inherited his love of the paranormal honestly, coming from a family of prominent Spiritualists, and in this book, his father discusses the Aykroyds’ role in the belief system popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Though it can be a dry read at times, and is not a collection of spooky ghost stories, History takes the reader on a tour of an era of living room seances, mediums, charlatans, eccentric characters, and famous names. I also think there are a lot of parallels to the age of Spiritualism, and the one we’re in now, where reality-TV paranormal programming continues to be a popular genre, and many people seek life answers in the supernatural world.”  

Buy A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters by Peter Aykroyd on Amazon

The post Reading beyond the veil: Paranormal book Recommendations From the Pros appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[wisdomrays]

TAFAKKUR: Part 223

ACTION AND COINCIDENCE

It is not easy for people living today to believe that every object, every law and every incident in the universe is planned in a very detailed way. However, it is a fact that there is a seen and unseen algebraic reality to everything moving in the universe. This situation amazes the distinguished scholars roaming on the lace of science.

Physicists study on the biggest and smallest physical measures, on the strongest and weakest forces, and they have calculated the ratio between some of them and attained results close to 1040 several times. For example, it has been proven that “strong nuclear force,” which keeps protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus together, is 1040 times stronger than the force of gravity. Although some consider this situation a result of coincidence, there are also some people who have shown the courage to question the accuracy of this result and open it to discussion. Since then, obtaining the same number several times has inevitably led to the belief that the number was determined and calculated before. This situation resembles the situation of a chess player who hears somebody telling him the opponent’s next move, or the situation of a composer who hears a melody from upstairs that perfectly fits his lyrics while he is trying to write the melody for his lyrics. Is it not amazing when somebody says what is going to be especially at a time when you least expect such a vision? Questions emerge: Have all actions and incidents in the universe and the values corresponding to them been determined in advance? Is there a certain logic behind the behavior of materials without intellect or consciousness?

Perhaps when Comte de Buffon (1707–1788) started to do research into probability calculations concerning falling matches and needles three centuries ago, he did not think that he would make such an astonishing discovery. According to his calculations, the probability of dropped needles hitting a pair of parallel lines that are drawn a certain distance apart is proportional to the number pi (π) (Figure 1–2). When the distance between the parallel lines are drawn the length of a match, this probability becomes exactly 2/π. This was a theoretical result that was calculated on paper, but trying it out would raise interesting results. In other words, when a certain number of tests were conducted, it could be expected that a number of matches equal to the number that was found through the theoretical calculations would hit the lines; and, indeed, that was what happened. In addition, mathematicians found another way to calculate pi by using this method since the ratio of the number of matches or needles that hits the lines to the total number of matches or needles should give a pi-proportioned number. In 1901, Mario Lazzarini threw one needle 3,408 times and, as a result, got the ratio 355/133 or 3.1415929; the difference between this value and the real value is only 0.0000003.

The experimental proof of this fact is not difficult. When the experiment, which has been conducted thousands of times up to today, was first tried by a group of mathematicians dropping 3,000 needles, the number of the needles that touched the lines was close to 1,900, which was the desired result, and the result was amazingly found to be proportionate to pi.

Although the real relation is like the equation given in, when the length of the needles and the distance between the lines are equalized, the desired ratio becomes 2/π. What does this mean? Does the number pi, which was created with the universe and which we meet in different fields, play a role in showing the manifestation of the Majestic Will about where an object will fall-through having a result that can not be explained by coincidence? Is falling not an ordinary incident?

While this reality makes even falling an extraordinary incident, it opens a perspective on understanding the reality behind the verse: “…it was not you (O Messenger) who threw but God threw,” which was revealed about the Battle of Badr in the Qur’an. Actually, it is impossible even for a leaf to fall without the knowledge and the calculation of Our Lord, who is closer to us than our jugular vein.

Let us think about a group of creatures that lives with different physical laws in a different universe. Assume that they live on a flat, circular world and their steps get longer when they come close to the center. For this kind of creature, the shortest distance between two points is not a straight line as it is for us (A–B). Since their steps get longer as they get closer to the center, they travel close to the center. Yet, since they make the way a little longer in this way, the shortest distance would be an oblique line that takes these two variables into account and that passes by partially approaching the center. So, what would we think if we saw these creatures walking in this way all the time? Or if we knew that the creatures acting in this way were inanimate beings? In these circumstances, we might wonder whether these beings are very intelligent or whether One who knows and sees everything, and is present in every place at every time, directs them.

For a soccer forward to find the best time to attack when he is facing the goal keeper or for a tennis player to choose the best timing and position to hit the ball requires a fine calculation. In tennis, the player sometimes approaches very close to the net to meet the ball. In this way, the player gains great advantage since, by his or her positioning, the player reduces the area into which the ball can fall to the minimum, and increases his or her own chances of returning the ball. Nevertheless, since the ball reaches the player faster and harder, there is also a raised probability of the player’s failing to return the ball. Therefore, advancing right up to the net may not always be advantageous. Thus, the best position for the player may lie at any point between the net and the baseline when area and speed variables are considered. Similarly, the most advantageous point for the goal keeper lies between the attacking forward and the goal line, at a point which depends upon the variables of the speed of the ball and the area.

Naturally, we do not find tennis and soccer players’ positionings as described above strange since we expect them, as reasonable people, to play in this way. Yet, how would we interpret and explain it if we saw inanimate things acting in the same way? There is a phenomenon that applies this logic consciously but itself does not have consciousness. A phenomenon that astonishes people: light.

Let us think of a rectangular racetrack with points A, B, C, D. While the shortest distance for a horse that will run from one end of this racetrack to the other is the AC diagonal when the ground is homogenous, there will be a reroute if the ground is not homogenous. Assume the length of the racetrack is 80 meters and its width is 60 meters. Half of it is grass and the other half is sand. Also, assume the horse’s speed on the sand is half of its speed on the grass (it runs 10 meters in 1 unit of time on the grass). Under these circumstances, the horse will run the AC diagonal in 15 units of time while it will run AEC route in 14.5 units of time. The ABC route is much longer. Thus, any route which passes between these two routes will be shorter than these two. The point O, which the shortest route (AOC) passes, will be between the points M and E. When we look carefully, we understand that this is the route light follows as it enters environments of different densities; for example, the route it follows when passing from air to water (see a spoon’s broken image in a water-filled glass). As you see, light finds that specific mysterious point and follows that particular path. In other words, while entering different environments of varying densities, it finds the shortest way and follows it in an amazing way.

All these detailed calculations and functioning with great wisdom show that even inanimate beings and atoms are in the hands of a Majestic Will.

Every atom contains two truthful testimonies to the Necessarily Existent Being’s Existence and Unity. Despite being powerless and insentient, it bears decisive witness to the Necessarily Existent Being’s Existence by carrying out important duties and functions as though it were conscious. It also testifies to the Unity of the same Being, Who owns all material and immaterial dominions, by conforming to the universal order in general, and to the rules of each place it enters in particular. It settles in every place as if it were its homeland. All of this shows that the One Who owns the atom owns all the places it enters. By carrying out very heavy duties incompatible with its size and weakness, the atom shows that it acts at the command and in the name of One with absolute power. (The Thirtieth Word, Second Point, Risale-i Nur Collection)

[momaeder]

REVIEW

REVIEW

The day has come, I had gotten a reservation at the restaurant that is most mysterious to the world. It is for that mystery that we decided to make an exception in the michelin policy of reviewing the restaurant with two inspectors, as the cook Lenny Bellardo only allows one single diner per night to enter his premises We know virtually nothing about this place, a lot has been said, nothing has ever been confirmed. We base our assumptions on the Trucks with foreign license plates entering the site and the single blank faces of the guest being spilled out at the end of each dinner. What morbid curiosity! The whole world is dying of curiosity.And it is absolutely to be expected it’s normal, we all want to see that which is hidden we all want to stare the forbidden in the face. [1] I turn the corner of Kundmanngasse and it appears infront of me. A dark place, and the veil in front. [2] at the back of which a three dimensional space is projected onto a two dimensional screen. [5] As If the lights coming from the house wanted to reveal to the world its inner workings. I hear the murmur of honey bees, the varied songs of many birds; riotously [36] tremendous flurry calling of slaves and butlers, and pandemonium among the cooks. [34] shaping, all, on one great tune with bees, insects, flowers and trees. [36] A man of stained white clothes welcomes me at the gate ushering me in. I feel a jet of warm air cascading over myself. [10] the smells are simple : roasting beef, some wine, presumably some scent of baking bread [11] and above my head, the birds chattering and singing in the elm trees. [18] There are truffles, tubers, and sponges; minerals, gems, and fossil woods; flowers, animals, fruits, grasses, and vegetables of the Old World and New; an aviary, so to speak, of magnificently depicted birds.[13] Along the retaining wall, a ramp sinks down into the earth..The space widens and the concrete wall becomes an opening. [15] Above the entrance to the open hall I see an array  of slow turning axial flow fans [17] whispering the scents of the kitchen into the atmosphere of the garden The hall is large, cold, and all but empty. [19] The merchants dealing with cooks with imports and sales settled over here. [20] The ingredients are sorted into 150 specific coded categories. [23] The most bizarre thing I see? That would have to be a frozen lizard. [17] freezing in a closed container, with water clocks and with air withdrawn or evacuated from a container [26] As we walk through the large gate. I feel a special sense of power, of entitlement as I walked through this gate and into the intestines, the inner working of this building. As if I was some kind of mobster in the movies walking through the dark and twisted hallways of the establishment he owns. I can’t help but picture myself walking through the kitchen experiencing all the scents and maybe even hear an ortolan squeal as it is drowned in armagnac. Open the wall, open the hymen, open the veil: death. [9] cold. Silence. a Catalogue of 10, 000 stars. [29] White light is broken [through the ice] into the spectrum of the rainbow and absorbs it, just as the tail of the peacock folds back after it spreads.If you want to become everything, accept being nothing.Yes.The transparent void. [31] 

In this closed cell, this temporary sepulchre, the myths of resurrection arise easily enough. [15] Locked in frozen layers, a universe of ancient creatures awaits another chance at life. [16] as we move to the kitchen. I witness a transformation of substances and a dissolution of forms, a passage to the limit or flight from contours in favor of fluid forces, flows, air, light, and matter, such that a body or a word does not end at a precise point. [27] there is nothing but the immense noise of the ocean. Chaos, noise, disorder. The base of existence. [...] Behind power, behind the ultimate power, behind the universal appetite, in their vicinity, on their edge, noise spills out into space. [24] And through the blazing mist of the shining red atmosphere of noise I see him for the first time. Through the noise produced by excited molecules. [...] Lenny Bellardo the mixer of meanings or voices, the dissolution of signals in the fog of noise, is thus this very same excitation, or the one who gets it.[...] It is not uninteresting to have a single operator. he warms the room, gives a fever, increases agitation and thermal disorder. [22] his arms raised if he were making a sign to someone I could not see, or like the conductor of an orchestra [...] violent rhythms succeed a graceful andante. As we move from the kitchen to the dining room a curtain is opened for me to move into the vast white space that is behind it. Defined by purely white walls and covered by a glass roof whose grid seems to structure the nothingnness and define the place for the sole table standing in the middle of the room. As I move forth under the glass cupola , I understand that it is not the environment that is unknown but rathermy, my own body, that becomes the point of interest of the room: the cover of white rhomboidal glass on the outside, and of hundreds of polished and colored crystals on the inside, that tinges with dozens of colors and marks of light any object and person that is within its interior. [34] The white space itself is in turn circumscribed, redoubled by a veil or a net which is superimposed, and gives it a volume, or rather what one calls in oceanography a shallow depth. [35] I take a seat on the rudimentary, singular chair and wait. Reflecting on the turbulence of the frozen ingredients, the frozen histories dissolved and ready to be reassembled. I remain alone in anticipation. Ataraxy is the material background of being, the permanent murmur against which the flying words stand out, birth and death. [...] The eternal silence of these infinite spaces soothes me  The circle, beginning in the hollow of the swell and passing through two neighbouring crests, includes the same space as those which delimit the high and low waves. [35] Then a sound of the soft fabric being pulled apart. Out of the passage I had just walked through arise two waiters, carrying together on their shoulders one single Platter. I try not to turn my head as to reveal my juvenile excitemennt. I wait patiently as the plate is slowly lowered on the table and the abundance of food on it is revealed.

Arranged like a still life, I see the finest of all delicacies. The plate contains the many coloured multiplicities as its object. [...]  garnished with every type of vegetable and fruit, macedoine, jardiniere, pudding, stuffing  farce, pate, stew, pot pourri or hodgepodge, not forgetting the meats. [39] Carrying colours, gestures and scents, this route traverses the basement window of their eyes, the orifices of their sense of smell or of their heat sensitive organs, and passes through the light of these narrow skylights; a few calls, sounds, certain words also cross their hearing. [36] Our movements through time and space seem somehow trivial compared to a heap of boiled meat in broth, the smell of saffron, garlic, fishbones, and Pernod. [38] The abundance emodied. Each delicacy slightly altered from what I’ve known and would have expected, arranged in uncommon constellations. through the fusion or confusion of vicinities, erasing its swirls of colour while preserving its effectiveness. [40] And in the center of all: The holy grail. The ortolan. Appearing miniscule among all those indulgences but bearing in itself the absolution of pleasure. Its force so strong that everything else seems to be rotating just around this tiny songbird. But as it is custom the ortolan will remain on the plate until everything else is eaten, being the pinnacle of all culinary sensation. The waiters leave and I am left alone with the indulgences. I take in the first bite. liquids dissolve into fluids, or solids, as poorly cohesive as flesh, into thin or thick sauces, thereby obtaining subtle liaisons.Where does meat end and stew begin? Sometimes even our sense of taste cannot distinguish. Our body has difficulty knowing where one sense, place or part begins, and where another sense, a second place or nearby patch ends. [41] it is the whole of things, between their birth and their collapse [...] An irreversible, irrevocable time, pointing like the endless flow of atoms, flowing, rushing, crashing towards fall and death. Things are heavy: they sink down, seeking their peaceful rest. [42] I gorge through the delicacies which for what seems like an eternity. I am not sure if that is so because it is the best meal I have ever had or because of my longing for the precious ortolan. But then, the moment has come, as I take the last bite I hear the curtain being pulled open again. Out of the darkness arises the figure I had seen last through the hazy red noise of the kitchen. But now he appears crystal clear. without the word, he walks up to the table. In awe I bow my head and look down at the ortolan a tiny, roasted bird. head, beak, and feet still attached, guts intact inside its plump little belly. I lean forward as the host high pours from a bottle of Armagnac, dousing the bird then ignites it [43] Eager to indulge upon the bird I look around the table for the napkin that is traditionally used to cover the faces of and allows diners to savor the aromas and enjoy some privacy while devouring the bird or hide their indulgence from the eyes of God.  But it is missing, instead Lenny looks me straight in the eye affirmatively as to tell me to go ahead. 

Here I am in turn, the last, at the pinnacle of power, at the very instant of committing the sin. [44] An internal law rules up to a threshold, after which the law is changed. [...] The five senses stop at these thresholds which it is now a question of going beyond. the Gates of Hell or Paradise. The horror, rather, of those who detest experience, or the ecstasy of those who bathe in it. Let’s go beyond these childish [...] The mouths of bodies and things open. [45] I take the ortolan, I close my eyes, and open my mouth. I accept my dissolution in the burning plasma of matter. [46] First comes the skin and the fat. It’s hot. So hot that I’m drawing short, panicky, circular breaths in and out like a high-speed trumpet player, breathing around the ortolan, shifting it gingerly around my mouth with my tongue so I don’t burn myself. [...]  There’s a vestigial flavor of Armagnac, low-hanging fumes of airborne fat particles, an intoxicating, delicious miasma. Time goes by. Seconds? Moments? I don’t know. [...] I bring my molars slowly down and through the bird’s rib cage with a wet crunch and am rewarded with a scalding hot rush of burning fat and guts down my throat. Rarely have pain and delight combined so well. I’m giddily uncomfortable, breathing in short, controlled gasps as I continue, slowly ever so slowly to chew. With every bite, as the thin bones and layers of fat, meat, skin, and organs compact in on themselves, there are sublime dribbles of varied and wondrous ancient flavors: figs, Armagnac, dark flesh slightly infused with the salty taste of my own blood as my mouth is pricked by the sharp bones. As I swallow, I draw in the head and beak, which, until now, had been hanging from my lips, and blithely crush the skull. What is left is the fat. A coating of nearly imperceptible yet unforgettable-tasting abdominal fat. [43] I witness a transformation of substances and a dissolution of forms, a passage to the limit or flight from contours in favor of fluid forces, flows, air, light, and matter, such that a body or a word does not end at a precise point. [27] Language or sounds, breezes, scents, shadows and songs, shapes, ecstasy? [47] They touch on the obscure sources of human pain and desire and can thus unleash very powerful emotions. [48] Dreams and madness then reveal themselves to be made of the same substance. [49] I take a second to let the last aromas dissolve on my tongue As I open my eyes again, I am blinded by the light of the room and as my eyes slowly get used to the light again I see Lenny. Not looking at me anymore but at the window in the ceiling. Where just moments ago the cloth of the veil covered the glass, now stands tall and judgingly the reflection of the moon mirrored in the façade of the neighbouring building.  Bright, distorted and fragmented by the still lit windows. My face is frozen in terror. [55] All the force goes from the inside to the outside, from the black box to its lit up threshold, from the hidden to the publicly posted, from veil to unveiling, from the entangled to taking apart thread by thread.  [50] Madness surges upon me. The justice of this form of madness lies precisely in its capacity to unveil the truth.Its truthfulness lies in the fact that in the vain delirium of my hallucinations [...] Truthfulness also lies in the fact that the crime that was hidden from all becomes apparent in the night of this strange punishment. [51]

I have no option but to consider myself guilty. My torture had been my glory: my deliverance was my humiliation. [52] I sit here in disbelief as the two waiters who had brought the food, come to escort me out of the building. We leave the white room through a door, I had not noticed until now. We enter an elevator. as the elevator moves downward crushing silence reigns. The doors open and I am placed out in the city again. Lost. I stop frozen with ecstasy on the sidewalk. [53] how can the resurrection of the body occur when the dead body has disintegrated so far as to be nearly impossible to re assemble? [54] Gluttony, laziness, lust, and anger pass from the confessional to the laboratory, from spiritual and subjective intention to rational evidence and obligation, both final and causal. [65] But the madman unveiled the terminal truth of man : he showed how far he could be pushed by the passions, life in society and everything that distanced him from a primitive nature that knew no madness. [57 he has only found a new way of judging life, of universalizing the condemnation of life, by internalizing sin” [58] The bringer of sin and death necessarily also brought healing and life. [59] I see that it has not changed; and yet I see it differently. [60] Why write about an object that is disappearing, in a language that is dying? [...]The five senses, still on the verge of departure towards another adventure, a ghost of the real timidly described in a ghost of language. this is my verdict. [61]

[1] The Young Pope [2] Serres, Rome [5] Ockmann, Architecture Culture 1943 1968 [36] Serres, Hominescence [34] Seneca, Complete Works [10] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology [11] Bradley, Smell and the Ancient Senses [18] Hugo, Les Miserables [13] Braidotti Hlavajova, Posthuman Glossary [15] Leatherbarrow Eisenschmidt, Twentieth Century Architecture [17] Banham, The Architecture of the Well Tempered Enviroment [19] Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology [20] Saunders, The Art and Architecture of London [23] Zimring, Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste [17] Zimring, Encyclopedia of Consumption and Waste [26] Schmitt, The Cambridge History of Renaissance Philosophy [9] Serres, Rome [29] Serres, History of Scientific Thought [31] Serres, Troubadour of Knowledge [15] Foucault, Discipline and Punish [16] Braidotti Hlavajova, Posthuman Glossary [27] Deleuze Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus [24] Serres, The Parasite [22] Serres, The Parasite [34] Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968 [35] Serres, The Birth of Physics [36] Serres, Hominescence [38] Bourdain [39] Serres, Rome [40] Serres, The Five Senses [41] Serres, The Five Senses [42] Serres, The Birth of Physics [43] Bourdain, Medium Raw [44] Serres, Troubadour of Knowledge [45] Serres, Statues [46] Serres, The Birth of Physics [47] Serres, The Five Senses [48] Armstrong, Jerusalem One City Three Faiths [49] Foucault, History of Madness [50] Serres, Rome [51] Foucault, History of Madness [52] Foucault, History of Madness [53] Kerouac, On The Road [54] Powers, The Overstory [55] Negarestani Mackay, Collapse Volume VII [56] Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations [57] Foucault, History of Madness [58] Deleuze, Pure Immanence [59] Foucault, History of Madness [60] Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations [61] Buehlmann, Mathematics and Information in the Philosophy of Michel Serres [62] Saunders, The Art and Architecture of London [63] Marzano, The Roman Villa in the Mediterranean Basin [64] Burros, New York Times [65] Serres Latour, Conversations on Science Culture and Time