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lavendermilkandhoney · 3 years

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1/22 The Fool - V

In Game

The Fool is everyone – including you and me. Each step he takes on his journey feels like stepping into a brave new world. Ultimately, the journey will change him. But as the card shows, he’s a trustworthy lad whose tireless hope drives him toward his goal.

Location

You can find The Fool graffiti right outside V's apartment in Little China. The graffiti is on the right side of the entrance door.

Misty’s Reading (Arasaka Ending) - Upright

“Symbolizes the start of a journey, the announcement of something new. It’s the inner child - curious of the world, but also naive and reckless.”

Dialogues

Misty : The Fool is you and Silverhand. You’ve traveled a long road together, discovered your potential. Your destination is the World, the final arcanum. Both of you waged a war on the world, so there are two possibilities - declare victory or make peace.

V : Could lose the war too.

Misty : Yes - unfortunately, that’s true.

In Tarot

UPRIGHT: Beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit

REVERSED: Holding back, recklessness, risk-taking

The Fool is numbered 0 – the number of unlimited potential – and so does not have a specific place in the sequence of the Tarot cards. The Fool can be placed either at the beginning of the Major Arcana or at the end. The Major Arcana is often considered the Fool’s journey through life and as such, he is ever present and therefore needs no number.

On the Fool Tarot card, a young man stands on the edge of a cliff, without a care in the world, as he sets out on a new adventure. He is gazing upwards toward the sky (and the Universe) and is seemingly unaware that he is about to skip off a precipice into the unknown. Over his shoulder rests a modest knapsack containing everything he needs – which isn’t much (let’s say he’s a minimalist). The white rose in his left hand represents his purity and innocence. And at his feet is a small white dog, representing loyalty and protection, that encourages him to charge forward and learn the lessons he came to learn. The mountains behind the Fool symbolise the challenges yet to come. They are forever present, but the Fool doesn’t care about them right now; he’s more focused on starting his expedition.

UPRIGHT

The Fool is a card of new beginnings, opportunity and potential. Just like the young man, you are at the outset of your journey, standing at the cliff‘s edge, and about to take your first step into the unknown. Even though you don’t know exactly where you are going, you are being called to commit yourself and follow your heart, no matter how crazy this leap of faith might seem to you. Now is a time when you need to trust where the Universe is taking you.

As you undertake this new journey, the Fool encourages you to have an open, curious mind and a sense of excitement. Throw caution to the wind and be ready to embrace the unknown, leaving behind any fear, worry or anxiety about what may or may not happen. This is about new experiences, personal growth, development, and adventure.

The time is NOW! Take that leap of faith, even if you do not feel 100% ready or equipped for what is coming (who knows what it could be?!). Seriously, what are you waiting for? Do you think you need to have everything mapped out before you can begin? No way! Not with the Fool. He ventures out on his journey with just his essential belongings – and now he invites you to do the same. You don’t need to wait for someone to give you the green light or hold off until you have all the skills, tools and resources you think you might need. You are ready! If you’ve been watching for a sign, this is it!

This is a time of great potential and opportunity for you right now. The world is your oyster, and anything can happen. Use your creative mind with a dash of spontaneity to make the most of this magical time and bring forth your new ideas in powerful ways.

The Fool is your invitation to relax, play, and have fun. Treat life like one big experiment and feel yourself in the flow of whatever comes your way. This card asks you to embrace your beautiful, carefree spirit, allowing yourself to connect to the energy that surrounds you and flows through you. Tap into your fullest potential by stepping into a place of wonderment, curiosity and intrigue. Live life as though you were a child once again. Laugh more, dance, and let your heart go free.

This is an excellent card to meditate on if you are struggling with dread, worry or self-doubt in your life. The Fool is your guide, as someone who is daring and carefree. He is the embodiment of who you really are – your free spirit, your inner child, and your playful soul. Any time you experience fear, remember the essence of the Fool as he encourages you to acknowledge that fear and do it anyway! You never know what the future holds, but like the Fool, you must step into the unknown, trusting that the Universe will catch you and escort you along the way. Take a chance and see what happens.

REVERSED

The Fool reversed suggests that you have conceived of a new project but aren’t ready to ‘birth’ it into the world just yet. You may worry that you are not fit or that you don’t have all the tools, skills and resources you need to make this project a success. Or perhaps you have a sense that the timing isn’t right. Something is holding you back, and you are preventing yourself from moving forward. You may choose to keep this new opportunity to yourself for now, or you might be ‘parking’ it until a better time.

You may fear the unknown, wondering, ‘What am I getting myself into?’ As a result, you have come to a standstill, worried about taking any action where you don’t know the outcome. This often boils down to the need to control everything. Balance this out with knowing that the Universe has your back and you can take this step forward, even if you are unsure of exactly what will happen next.

On the flipside, the reversed Fool can show that you are taking too many risks and acting recklessly. In your attempt to live ‘in the moment’ and be spontaneous and adventurous, you may do so in total disregard of the consequences of your actions and engaging in activities that put both yourself and others at risk. Look at the bigger picture and consider how you can keep the free spirit of the Fool without harming others.

In light of the playful and fun energy of the upright Fool, the reversal suggests you are exploring this spirit on a more personal and quiet level. For example, instead of letting down your hair and dancing up on stage, you are dancing in your bedroom like no-one is watching. Look at how you can bring more play into your daily life, even if you start out by doing it in private.

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Thank you so much @cybervesna for the polish traduction from the official guide book and its associations with the characters!

#cyberpunk2077 #v #tarot #thefool #cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk 2077 tarot

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indischen · 3 years

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Fantastic beasts: the eternal allure of animal jewellery

Animal stories have provided a rare point of delight in the news cycles this year. We have been comforted at home by family corgis, cats and Labradors, but it has been wild animals that have truly captivated as they have taken over more typically human territories. Venetians found shoals of silvery fish chasing through canals, kangaroos bounced into abandoned shopping malls in Australia and one brave lobster even made it up the driveway of Kim Kardashian West’s Calabasas home.

Van Cleef & Arpels yellow- and white-gold, diamond, yellow-sapphire, spessartite-garnet, onyx and letterwood L’Arche de Noé Biche et Cerf clip, POA Van Cleef & Arpels yellow- and white-gold, diamond, yellow-sapphire, spessartite-garnet, onyx and letterwood L’Arche de Noé Biche et Cerf clip, POA Kardashian West hasn’t divulged whether the crustacean that scuttled to her house was her spirit animal, but a growing number of Hollywood personalities have found their animal totems via the US jewel brand Star Animal Sundays. Describing itself as a “modern-day expression of style and spirituality that exists at the crossroads of symbolism, nature and wellness”, the brand draws on cultures that have animals at their centre – from ancient Egyptians to native Americans to the Celts – to help clients find their “spirit creatures”. The animals are engraved on recycled gold and ethically sourced diamond rings and pendants, with three coloured gemstones to represent the animal’s traits.

Star Animal Sundays gold, diamond and sapphire Owl Charm chain necklace, £774 Star Animal Sundays gold, diamond and sapphire Owl Charm chain necklace, £774 Figurative animal shapes have long been a mainstay of the jeweller’s art. But the current landscape has unleashed a new menagerie of talismans with which to decorate – or arm – our bodies. Jeweller Shaun Leane well understands the desire to wear “protection”. In recent months, during which he has been hand-feeding a vixen and her cubs in his north London garden, he has taken to wearing a seal ring of his own design, engraved with an eagle and the words “Vita Nova” (New Life). Leane was attracted to the ring’s “Victorian feel of sentimentality about rebirth and life”, and it has inspired a new collection, Signum, a series of engraved pieces launching in spring 2021, featuring animals associated with the designer’s Celtic origins. He drew on the custom, originating in the 6th and 5th centuries BC, for decorating one’s cloak fastener with a symbolic beast. Leane’s hare represents balance, the bull strength and, appropriately, his friendly fox opportunity and wisdom.

Tiffany & Co rose-gold and diamond Save the Wild Rhino brooch, POA Tiffany & Co rose-gold and diamond Save the Wild Rhino brooch, POA © Tiffany & Co Studio Most cultures draw on the symbolism of the animal kingdom for luck or protection. The scarab may be a dung beetle but it has the longest pedigree of any amulet in the world, so popular a symbol of renewal and rebirth that it’s been used as a bodyguard for more than 4,000 years. Jewelled mascots made from all manner of animal body parts – wishbones, horns, teeth and claws – have also passed down through the centuries. But murmurations, flight and feathers are central to Boucheron’s new high-jewellery collection Contemplation. “We worked with diamonds and half-millimetre-thin mother-of-pearl engraved with feather lashes,” says creative director Claire Choisne of the Caresse de Plume brooch, “to make it realistic, soft and light.”

Boucheron diamond and mother-of-pearl Caresse de Plume brooch, POA Shaun Leane rose-gold, diamond and onyx Signet ring, POA Shaun Leane rose-gold, diamond and onyx Signet ring, POA In art and literature, a beastly form can’t disguise a noble soul, and creatures have often been used to present us with a moral lesson. Similarly, no creature is too deadly or ugly to escape the jeweller’s oeuvre; witness Bibi van der Velden’s slugs and golden-scaled alligators with tsavorite eyes. Likewise the snake, whose ability to renew itself by shedding its skin has made it a symbol of longevity for centuries. The Victorians took advantage of the snake’s serpentine form to twist around a wrist or finger. But it was Bulgari that gave the serpent sex appeal when it introduced the seductive Serpenti design in the 1940s to symbolise the circle of life and eternity. A jewelled animal can express character in a unique form of personal branding. The Cartier panther – one of the most iconic animal designs of the 20th century – was adopted in the 1930s as an expression of the independent-minded woman. The motif has since materialised in designs to suit every mood and season, from stylised barely there black onyx-spotted jewels to its most recent incarnation as a tropical-bright Panther timepiece in the new [Sur]Naturel collection.

Cartier white-gold, diamond, emerald and onyx Panthère de Cartier ring, POA Cartier white-gold, diamond, emerald and onyx Panthère de Cartier ring, POA © Vincent de la Faille The lion fulfilled a similar function for Gabrielle Chanel, a Leo, who surrounded herself with sulptures of lions in wood, silver and bronze. The animal has also been a recurring figure in the house’s jewellery collections, including the Sous Le Signe Du Lion collection, which has a diamond-studded, 18ct yellow-gold lion brooch and a fierce white-gold and diamond ring. Just as we identify with specific creatures, certain animals have become synonymous with brand values. Historically, Van Cleef & Arpels has eschewed the dangerous and poisonous to focus on more joyful characteristics; in the house’s L’Arche de Noé high-jewellery collection, a tribute to Noah’s Ark, animals troop in two by two.

Dior pink-gold and diamond Pré Catelan ring, £4,140 Dior pink-gold and diamond Pré Catelan ring, £4,140 chanel gold and diamond Sous Le Signe Du Lion brooch, £19,000 chanel gold and diamond Sous Le Signe Du Lion brooch, £19,000 “Choosing an animal jewel that matches you is about more than aesthetics; it becomes about what the animal represents,” agrees Boucheron’s Choisne. “Our deer gives a quiet and peaceful energy, but the hedgehog is spiky and dynamic. They aren’t just jewels; they are friends and protectors, they become part of your identity.”

This year, Choisne has spent more time contemplating what makes jewellery precious. “It’s about roots and true feelings,” she says of the animal jewel and its continued popularity. “It’s always nice to present a big diamond to the team, but when I show new animal designs everyone becomes emotional.”

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owl-eyed-woman · 7 years

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Attack on Titan Season 2 Episode Analysis - Episode 8 (Episode 33)

I should have known that this was coming. After such an action-heavy episode last week, this episode of down-time was practically inevitable. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t somewhat frustrated by the lack of concrete answers until the very end. Still, in lieu of this, this episode’s exploration of the socio-political context and the core relationship between Mikasa, Armin and Eren is definitely compelling, even if I spent most of the episode freaking out about Eren and Ymir.

The episode begins right where we left off, confirming Eren’s absolute defeat and abduction by Reiner and Bertholdt. With all the scouts flung away in the shockwave from the Colossal Titan’s impact, all resistance has been completely quashed. My god is it a bleak beginning!

This is perhaps the Scout Legion’s most comprehensive losses so far. In one fell swoop, every character is forced to start off from lowest of the low. This episode’s emotional journey, then, will focus on facing the seemingly inescapable hopelessness of their situation and rising above this despair to try and change their fate.

But before we can get to that, we first check in with the soldiers at home base who are anxiously awaiting any information.

After several episodes of action and character development, this sudden return to Trost heralds a return to AOT’s socio-political commentary. While certainly not the main focus of AOT, political and social themes nonetheless form an integral part of this epic story and definitely warrant some consideration. Ultimately, AOT is about the way that humanity’s vices and selfishness can pose a greater threat to humanity’s survival than the titans. It only follows that these flaws are replicated in the structure and values of society as a whole.

Essentially, AOT’s society is built on a strict hierarchy of privilege and discrimination. AOT isn’t subtle about this either. These social and class divisions are explicitly literalised by the 3 walls that protect people from the titans. While the most powerful and privileged members of society live in relative safety within the centre of the wall, the poorest citizens live in regions like Trost that function as literal bait for the titans; they are purposefully put in harm’s way to protect more “valued” members of society. This is clearly a society that prioritises the rich and powerful, while exploiting the poor and powerless.

As we check in with Pixis and Erwin, it’s becoming increasingly clear that they have formed a type of alliance against the corrupt, authoritarian forces that control their society. How this alliance will play out, however, remains purposefully vague. Still, at this moment in time, there a palpable feeling of unrest in the air. So much has happened in the past few episodes that it’s surprisingly easy to forget that the Female Titan’s attack within the wall occurred only two days ago. Apart from the devastation and terror caused by such an unexpected attack, this has literally brought the war with the titans to the centre of the most privileged and insulated part of AOT’s society. In the wake of this upheaval, there is a sense that the interior’s short-sighted and selfish tyranny can no longer hold after reality has so strikingly intruded on their insulated lives.

Ultimately though, AOT is first and foremost a war story, so our primary engagement with issues of privilege, inequality and oppression needs to be based around the structure of the military as representative of this society. More specifically, we need to consider how this plays out between the Military Police and the Scout Legion. As the Military Police wait for orders within the safety of walls, a small group of them start to joke about the very pressing situation at hand, callously dismissing the threat posed by titans. Yes, they’re idiots, but this type of response is symptomatic of the corruption bred by the Military Police and enabled by this society’s values.

Fundamentally, the Military Police act as the law-enforcement, directly aligning them with the status quo. As the ultimate symbol of control and order, they enact the will of this tyrannical system and represent the dominance of these oppressive forces in this society.

Because their work as Military Police is almost entirely confined to the innermost sections of the walls, they are literally removed from the reality of the war. This insulated, privileged experience has allowed corruption and inertia to become endemic to the Military Police as a whole.

Furthermore, despite the fact that they hold the most political influence out of all of the military factions, they are, quite dangerously, the least equipped to truly challenge the titans. In this way, the Military Police demonstrate how a privileged, insular life enables humanity’s selfishness and ignorance and undermines our chance of survival and progress

So, of course, when the Military Police callously joke about the threat posed by titans, Levi responds scathingly, daring them to show some courage and put their lives on the line. This is more than just irritation on Levi’s part. This response is indicative of the deep antagonism between the Scout Legion and the Military Police due to fundamental ideological and political differences.

If the Military Police exist in the interior, insulated and ignorant, the Scout Legion exist on the margins and beyond, venturing out into the dangerous unknown. Their purpose is, quite literally, to propel humanity into the outside world, and they act as potent symbols of progress and innovation. The very nature of their task requires the Scout Legion to engage with the literal exterior of their society, in contrast to the centralised focus of the Military Police. This focus on the outside world, symbolically suggesting a focus on others rather than yourself, has naturally resulted in the Scout Legion valuing community, loyalty and selflessness. Ultimately, the values of the Scout Legion have the potential to fundamentally challenge the oppressive status quo.

In this way, the choice that many cadets face when entering the army symbolises the larger choice faced by this society as a whole. They can choose the Military Police, ensuring one’s own safety and privilege while also upholding a corrupt, oppressive system. Or they can choose the Scout Legion, putting one’s own life at risk but in doing so contributing to a progressive, positive force for change that can potentially challenge the inherently oppressive hegemony.

But these political themes aren’t the main point of this episode. As we return to the top of wall, it becomes clear that this will be a much more intimate, focused episode. Ultimately, in the aftermath of Eren’s abduction, these socio-political questions pale in comparison to the emotional devastation of two very important characters, Mikasa and Armin.

AOT is about many things, but the heart of the show is almost certainly the relationship between Eren, Mikasa and Armin. On the surface, these three kids are all fairly simple, archetypal characters. This characterisation is elevated, however, when we consider their dynamic as a trio and the patterns of co-dependence and reliance they fall into.

In the wake of Eren’s abduction, Armin and Mikasa begin to consider exactly this, as they reflect on their relationship with Eren and just what it means for them. At this moment, we flashback to their childhood, an innocent, carefree time before tragedy destroyed their world forever. The conflicts are small, the stakes are low and no one’s life is in peril. How nice!

We’ve actually seen this kind of scene before; Eren impulsively tries to defend Armin from abusive bullies, so Armin and Mikasa are forced to defend him and perform damage control. So why does Armin remember this moment at such a dark time?

As we watch this flashback play out, it becomes clear that this scene functions as a character examination in microcosm, reiterating and reinforcing the essential foundation of who Eren, Armin and Mikasa are as people and as a trio. But more specifically, this flashbacks repositions this relationship through Mikasa and Armin’s point-of-view, revealing how they understand their relationship with Eren.

Mikasa is the muscle of the group, using her physical prowess to diffuse the conflict at hand. She is cool and collected throughout but she is primarily concerned with keeping Eren safe. When Eren runs off without her though, Mikasa’s composure is replaced by intense distress. Even as children, Mikasa’s reliance on Eren seems to dangerously border on co-dependence.

Armin is the brains of the group - the literal voice of reason. Though he is physically inept, Armin excels intellectually, using his smarts to try and diffuse the situation, first fetching Mikasa and then trying to get Eren to see reason. However, Eren’s emotional, impulsive nature often limits Armin’s ability to calm him down, thus intensifying Armin’s guilt when Eren is put at risk because of him.

Eren is the spirit of the group, acting as its moral centre and emotional core. Even as a child, he is incredibly principled and idealistic, trying to impose justice and morality on the world around him, even if his ability to do so is incredibly limited. Because he lacks Mikasa natural fighting ability and self-preservation skills, as well as Armin’s analytical ability, he is intensely reliant on his friends to make up for his deficiencies. This reliance is complicated by the fact that Eren is incredibly independent and resentful of any attempt to help or control him.

In and of itself, this flashback could be seen as an entertaining digression. However, in the context of Eren’s defeat, this innocent memory is tainted by our awareness that this seemingly harmless dynamic of mutual dependence can become genuinely distressing or even damaging when lives are on the line. In the end, AOT paints a picture of a frankly one-sided relationship, where Mikasa and Armin try to help Eren, only to be rewarded with emotional distress and rejection when he inevitably slips out of their grasp.

Though Mikasa and Armin care deeply about Eren and feel an immense responsibility to protect him, they always seem to be stuck chasing after him. This is partially due to the fact that outside forces constantly conspire to steal Eren away. But more importantly, Eren is the character who most clearly represents humankind’s desire for freedom; it is in his nature to push against those who would seek to contain him, even if those people are Armin and Mikasa who only wish to keep him safe.

What do you do when you can’t do anything for the person you love? When all you can do is try and fail to keep up? That’s honestly something really hard to deal with and I genuinely feel for Armin and Mikasa. In this agonising time, all they can do is wait.

In the wake of Eren’s abduction, Armin and Mikasa are forced to deal with the fact that they basically have no agency when it comes to protecting Eren. Instead, the choices that decide Eren’s fate are ultimately made by someone other themselves, with Armin and Mikasa forced to react rather than act and passively accept the hand they’ve been dealt.

Again, AOT characters must contend with their own powerless in the face of absolute despair. In the end, though years have passed since their carefree childhood, Mikasa, Eren and Armin are still just kids dealing with a horrific, life-or-death situation. They’re older and they’re stronger, but they’re still unable to truly effect change or protect those they care about.

So what can my precious children possibly do? Thankfully, in their darkest moment, Hannes appears with some nutritious military rations and some very sage advice. It’s time to break up this pity party.

Though Hannes may seem like a frivolous character with little to offer, this episode reminds us that he truly cares for and understands these kids. Hannes is in a similar situation, honestly. Like Mikasa and Armin, Hannes wants to keep these three safe from harm. His wisdom comes from the fact that he has learned to accept that this is ultimately out of his control.

You see, Hannes understands that Armin and Mikasa feel as if they have no agency over their current situation or Eren’s wellbeing in general. But he challenges this viewpoint, complicating their perception of themselves and Eren’s place in the group.

Essentially, by viewing themselves as passive and powerless, they are robbing themselves of their own agency. If they accept this perception of themselves, they are practically giving up any chance they have to change their situation. So in order to escape this self-fulfilling prophecy of disempowerment, they need to reconstruct themselves as active agents in this fight.

But more than this, Hannes realises that by constructing Eren as a passive object for them to pursue and keep safe, they have also robbed Eren of his own agency and denied his place as an actor in his own story. While Eren is frustrating in his recklessness, it’s important to recognise that he has always been able to handle himself in his own weird way. Yes, he is flawed and impulsive, but he is also strong, determined and inspiring. In the end, those qualities that make Eren so essential to Armin and Mikasa emotionally (and that so often endanger him) – his desire for freedom, his tenaciousness, his idealism – are precisely the qualities that will allow him to make it through any trial.

It’s the perfect pep talk for such a depressing situation. Hannes has successfully reminded Mikasa and Armin that their qualities in conjunction with Eren’s will keep all of them safe and ensure that they find peace and joy together.

The dynamic between Eren, Armin and Mikasa is in many ways emotionally draining and sometimes unhealthy but there is comfort and harmony in the equilibrium they’ve found between their very disparate personalities. Yes, they’ve got a lot of growing to do both separately and as a trio, but what matters the most, as cheesy as it sounds, is that they genuinely love and care for each other.

So, with all this emotional turmoil resolved, Mikasa and Armin start to very, very angrily chomp down on their rations. No matter how bleak their situation seems, by continuing to eat, the most basic act of self-care and survival, they are making a stand against despair. In each angry bite, Armin and Mikasa are symbolically declaring their decision to never give up and somehow reclaim their place in this world, even if that just means ensuring their survival from one day to the next.

So yes, this episode is very light on plot, but nonetheless still compelling in its own right! Still, I am so, so pumped for the next episode.

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