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bitter-bats-cult-of-the-moon · 2 months

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Clair-senses & Exercises

Clairvoyance: The ability to see the not so ordinary. Your intuition speaks directly to you in the form of sight. Images form in your mind or interpret information through pictures.

Clairaudience: The ability to hear or interpret information from spirits. Clairaudience is a way of receiving intuitive messages without using your physical ears but rather hearing messages within your mind.

Clairsentiency: The ability to sense the presence or absence of spiritual beings and feel energies.

Clairempathy / Psychic Empathy: The ability to feel another’s feelings as their own. This is different from regular empathy, which is the ability to identify with another’s feelings.

Claircognizance: The ability to just know things out of nowhere. It can tie into Precognition.

Precognition: The ability to know something is going to happen before it does, premonitions.

Clairtangency: The ability to assess metaphysical properties through touch.

Clairalience: The ability to perceive metaphysical smells.

Clairgustance: The ability to perceive the metaphysical through taste.

Artistic and Divine Inspiration: The Poets have given many names to the unprompted artistic impulses found in creatives. The Norse concept for this is oðr. The Welsh and Celtic concept for this is Awen. This is the act of receiving metaphysical or divine information through artistic impulses.

Exercises to Improve Your Clairvoyance Skills

Exercise 1

Sit quietly with your eyes open.

Focus on a still object in front of you.

In your mind, take note of the objects and furniture around you.

If you see shadows, sparks, or movement, keep focused on the item in front of you.

Sit for as long as you feel comfortable.

Make notes on what you saw and felt.

Exercise 2

Sit with your eyes closed.

Clear your mind and thoughts.

Once you feel your thoughts leave you after a comfortable amount of time, focus on your eyelids and that black canvas it is.

Imagine that blank canvas and focus your intentions while keeping an open mind.

Allow whatever images that come to mind to play out. Don’t try to make sense of it.

Document findings in a journal.

Exercises to Improve Your Clairaudience Skills

Exercise 1

Go to a place where you are most comfortable.

Close your eyes, relax your body, and let hearing be your dominant sense.

Gently tune in to sounds that you don’t normally focus on.

Really pay attention to the layers of sounds and identify what each one is.

Document your findings in a journal or record yourself.

Exercise 2

Sit with your eyes closed.

Clear your mind and thoughts.

Once you feel your thoughts leave, focus on your eyelids and that black canvas it is.

Focus on the sounds around you and slowly try to tune them out.

Imagine an old radio with a frequency dial. Turn the dial through each station.

With an open mind take notice to any sounds chiming through. It’s okay if you hear nothing. Keep moving through each station. You won’t run out of them.

Put your intentions into each turn of the dial taking note of any sound.

Document your findings in a journal.

Exercises to Improve Your Clairsentiency Skills

Exercise 1

Get more familiar with your energies by touching how your hands, feet, eyes, etcetera feel.

Learn how the environment feels around you rather it be the city or rural areas.

Learn how animals and plants feel from one to the next. Not everything is the same. Become aware of that. Every plant has its own pattern past the base patterns. Every animal has different markings apart from the next. Identify those traits.

Once that is learnt and recognized. Learn to feel the airs around you in different regions if one is able to do so.

Exercise 2

Visit different haunted facilities observing all the key details.

Take note of the atmosphere. How does it feel?

Take note of the emotions you feel during a tour.

Take note of the temperatures surrounding you.

Take note of any odd experiences and the people with you.

Exercise 3

Meditate with a specific spirit.

Take in the surroundings before starting.

Consider your moods beforehand. Noting them down.

Focus on the intentions for communication.

How do you feel during the meditation? What about after?

Did anything in the environment change?

Did temperatures in the environment change?

Did you feel hot or cold?

Did you feel any movements outside yourself?

Document your findings.

Exercise to Improve Your Clairempathy Skills

Ask someone you know to show you a picture of somebody they know very well, but you’ve never met at all.

Look at the picture and feel into it by observing all aspects. Focus on how this person was feeling when the picture was taken.

Ask yourself what kind of person this individual is.

Share your findings with your friend.

Now, ask your friend for feedback. How correct were you? Repeat this exercise as many times as you want with different people. Remember to keep a journal for any findings.

Exercises to Improve Your Claircognizance Skills

Exercise 1

Grab a pen and pull out your notebook. Before you start writing, ask yourself a question. What guidance do I need today? How can I find a resolution with a problem? How can I be helpful today?

Then set a timer for five to twenty minutes and write whatever comes to you. Don’t edit yourself. Express yourself fully and write whatever comes to you.

The more you do this exercise, the easier it will be.

Exercise 2

Meditate before bed falling asleep to a method of relaxation.

Clear your mind during this meditation pushing away any internal thoughts.

Focus your intention on an open mind and dreams.

If a dream begins let it play out.

Upon waking write down your findings. Keep a dream journal taking note of anything that happens later in this world.

Compare and contrast experiences in this world versus your dreams.

Exercise 3

When topics are being discussed among individuals take note of things you know but have not studied or read about or heard about from any other source.

Document any experiences keeping notes on things if any.

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vic-the-bookdragon · 2 years

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Ceridwen and Fionnuala in Celtic Mythology.

Also spelled as Cerridwen, Cerrydwen, or Kerrydwen and Nuala.

Disclaimer : In this post I don't claim anything about the legends as canon in the books. I just wanted to express my thoughts on why I think Cerridwen and Nuala's names and their friendship with Elain might not be a coincidence based on the mythology behind their names. SJM loves using mythology in her novels and there might be a reason she chose those names. Again, I repeat : Nothing is canon when it comes to the twins. We know virtually nothing about them This is just my opinion and a way for me to order my thoughts.

Let's start with Cerridwen :

According to Celtic and Welsh lore she was a powerful enchantress/sorceress/white witch and a wise mother, who had the powers of poetic wisdom, prophecy and inspiration (collectively called the Awen) respectively. She is also known as the keeper of the Cauldron, in which she makes potions (for other people) and draws the power of the Awen.

She's also known as : White Crafty One, the White Sow, Great Mother, the Dark Moon Goddess, the Goddess of Inspiration and Death, the Grain Goddess, and the Goddess of Nature. And she's associated with : creation, ruling the realms of inspiration, magic, death, regeneration, fertility and knowledge.

Legend : She was married to Tegid Foel, had two children - twins, a beautiful daughter, named Crearwy and a son, named Morfran (or Afaggdu), who was described as horrendous-looking and stupid.

In order to help her son, Ceridwen decided to brew a potion in her Cauldron that would make him beautiful and wise. When all the ingredients where ready she ordered the servent boy, Gwion Bach, who was in her employ, to stir the potion. The potion needed stirring for a year and a day and, after it was done, only three drops were enough to grant the drinker the potion's abilities. The remaining potion would be poisonous.

The boy, Gwion, accidently splashed the potion, while stirring it, on his finger. It burned him and, to ease the pain, he put his finger in his mouth and that resulted in him drinking the three magical drops, making him beautiful and full of knowledge and wisdom, instead of Morfran. Knowing that Ceridwen would be beyond furious, the boy fled.

When Ceridwen learned what had happened, she decided to hunt the boy, and thus a chase of shapeshifting begun.

Gwion had turned into a hare when he run away, and Cerridwen turned into a dog. Then the boy turned into a fish and jumped into the river, and Ceridwen changed into an otter an followed him. After that, Gwion transformed himself into a bird, and Ceridwen transformed into a hawk. Lasty, the servant turned into a grain of cron and the enchantress changed into a hen and swallowed the grain of corn, which resulted in her getting pregnant. The baby was Gwion...

Ceridwen wanted to kill the baby after it was born, but decided otherwise. She, instead, she threw him into the sea. The baby, then was discovered by Prince Elffin, who decided to keep him, because it was very smart. It could speak, recite prophesy and make predictions/prophesies. The baby, named Taliesin, changed Elffin's luck.

What Ceridwen and her Cauldron symbolize : Adapting and transforming according to the situation depending on what is required, as seen in the legend with the shapeshifting, equates to the cycle of death and rebirth and the changing of seasons. The Cauldron is a symbolism to transformation, magic, new beginnings, wisdom, creative inspiration and endless circle of birth, death, and rebirth. In the legend of Bran the Blessed the Cauldron could resurrect the dead. She is also associated with the dark moon in the lunar cycle and the Triple Goddess, being linked to the Crone (due to her wisdom) and the Mother (due to her representation of life, birth, and rebirth).

It might just be a coincidence and I could most certainly be wrong, but the choice of name and the pairing with Elain doesn't seem like a coincidence to me, when I look at the legend behind Cerridwen's name. If we assume that Sarah did it intentionally, then some things align with what we know about Elain and what we guess might happen.

We know (based on how her character arc has gone so far) that her story will be about choices, perceptions and transformation from what others believe her to be to who she really is and another side of her.

From the Feysand bonus chapter :

Rhys asked, "Have you ever seen Elain act like that before?" "No." I chewed on my bottom lip. Rhys's gaze tracked the movement. "I mean, she's been brave when she had to be, but she's never been confrontational." "Maybe she was never given a chance to be that way." I whipped my head toward him. "You think I stifle her?" Rhys held up his hands. "Not you alone." He surveyed the study as he thought. "But I wonder if everyone has spend so long assuming Elain is sweet and innocent that she felt she had to be that way or else she'd disappoint you all." He sighed toward the ceiling. "With time and safety, perhaps we'll a new side of her emerge." "That sounds dangerously close to what Nesta said about Elain finally becoming interesting." "Sometimes Nesta isn't wrong." I glowered at Rhys. "You think Elain's boring?" "I think she's kind, and I'll take kindness over nastiness any day. But I also think we haven't yet seen all she has to offer." A corner of his mouth tagged upward. "Don't forget that gardening often results in something pretty, but it involves getting one's hands dirty along the way." "And torn up by thorns," I mused...

There's the chance that Elain's change/tranformation might not only be about her personality, but her physicality too.

There's this scene :

Mor opened her mouth, laughter dancing on her face, but Elain asked, "Could you have done it? Decided to take a male form?" The question cut through the laughter, an arrow fired between us Amren studied my sister, Elain's cheeks red from our unfiltered talk at the table. "Yes," she said simply. "Before, in other form, I was neither. I simply was." "Then why did you pick this body?" Elain asked, the faelight of the chandelier catching in the ripples of her golden-brown braid. Elain asked, "And once you were in this body, you couldn't change?" Amren'd eyes narrowed slightly. I straightened, glancing between them. [...] Elain, to my surprise, held Amren's gaze. Amren said after a moment, "Are you asking out of curiosity for my past, or your own future?"

At first, I thought maybe Elain wanted to find a way to become human again and that's why she asked Amren these questions. But, we've also been told that the Cauldron also gave her powers, plural. We still don't know the extent of them, so it might be possible that Elain can shapeshift into something/someone.

Add to that the fact that Elain is associated with light and spring and rebirth and the choice of names Sarah made for one her friends makes theorizing and speculating about it all the more interesting.

I also think there might a correlation with Ceridwen in the legend brewing potions and Elain asking the twins to teach her to bake/cook.

Life and death and rebirth Sun and moon and dark Rot and bloom and bones

Let's move on to Fionnuala :

*I'll keep this short*

The story of The Children of Lir revolves around Fionnula, Aodh, Conn and Fiachra (two sets of twins) who were cursed by their stepmother, Aoife, because she was jealous of them.

She took then to swim in Loch Dairbhreach, and when they were playing she cast a spell on them with a Druid's magic wand and turned them into "beautiful swans with feathers white as snow". Aoife had let them keep their human voices and "gave them the gift to sing the beautiful music of the Sidhe, which would be the most beautiful, peaceful music ever to be heard. The songs would calm the most troubled heart."

The children had to spend 900 years as swans until the curse could be lifted. 300 hundred years they would spend on Loch Dairbhreach, another 300 years on Sruth na Maoile and the last 300 years at at Irrus Domnann and Inis Gluaire.

Now to the part that stood out to me the most...

"The sentence would be lifted when they heard the first bells of Christianity and when a Man from the North lay with a Woman from the South"

There are more details that might be interesting about what happened to Aoife, but I won't mention them here.

Eventually, the bells of Christianity rang and the Man from the North and the Woman of the South had come together, so Fionnuala and her siblings where free at last. They died after they were baptized and it is said that they were reunited with their father and mother.

First things first, the name Nuala derives from the name Fionnuala. That being said, the legend of The Children of Lir bears a few similarities with Koschei, the curse put on Vassa, his confinement to the lake and the girls he imprisons.

Now, in the legend, one of the stipulations for the curse to be lifted was that "a man from the north" must lay with a "woman from the south".

The Night Court and Illyria are both located north. The human lands are located in the south.

Two women from the south have already come together and lain with two men of the north, Feyre/Rhysand and Cassian/Nesta.

What if SJM took inspiration from that, but instead of one man and one woman, she turned it to three brothers and three sisters? (It's pretty clear that the number 3 holds significance in the books)

And lastly, Cerridwen and Nuala in the books.

We literally know nothing about them, except 3 things :

They are half-wraiths.

They were trained by Azriel.

Their power is shadow manipulation.

What more there it to them? Where did they come from? Who are their parents? What is their story? Will Sarah pull from the real Nuala and Ceridwen's stories and turn it into something unique? Perhaps, they have another sister that is trapped in Koschei's lake?

I'm stating again that all this is just pure speculation.

#elain archeron #nuala #cerridwen #nuala and cerridwen #pro elain #pro elain archeron #elriel #pro elriel #elain kingslayer #elain and azriel #elain x azriel #elain acotar #elain nuala and cerridwen #acotar speculation #azriel x elain #azriel and elain

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knightofhylia · 1 year

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Hello there, how do you get into the trance state? As I want to go into a trance to connect with spirit.

Also, how is your relationship with Hylia like to you?

Hello! I learned everything about how to do trances from Doors to Past Lives & Future Lives: Practical Applications of Self-Hypnosis by Joe H. Slate. I read this book once and was able to put myself and multiple others under trances. I'll cut to the chase and share the method I started out with which is a very typical hypnosis procedure of moving your eyes and counting backwards called EM/RC (Eye Movement/Reverse Counting). It is also very similar to the sleepover game Doors to the Mind.

I used this method when I was trying to get my most in-depth results but I don't find it necessary for every trance. The above book is specifically about doing a trance where you go to a corridor and each door is a past life, but I think that's a little much for connecting with spirits. It's a good method for practicing letting your mind wander. The feeling you are looking for is similar to daydreaming. Any time you've spaced out is technically a hypnosis/trance! If you are having trouble I suggest trying out some guided trances/meditations on youtube to practice going under. I'm also not going to legally suggest using the aid of alcohol or drugs like marijuana, but I use them in moderation and it helps. just be conscious enough that you can still focus on the spirit and don't just fall asleep or get sick.

My method nowadays is pretty typical of most meditations. I lay down or sit usually with my head tilted back or forward, listen to music and focus on my intention (usually I want to talk to xyz). Highly suggest Weightless by Marconi Union, Inside the Deku Tree, or Awen by Mind Orchestra ). I recommend making a 'safe place', basically where you want to meet these spirits. Most of the time people choose forests or the book talks about oceans, any sort of calming scenery. It's best to keep an open mind because most times you aren't going to see what you expect! Many spirits will talk in the forms of animals, other people, fire, water, or have no form at all. When I first started I was doing hour long meditations talking to spirits and now my visits are about 20-35 minutes long now. It's better to do many short trances than long ones.

I like to think my relationship with Hylia started when I was a kid, but I didn't OFFICIALLY meet her/commit spiritually to her until March of this year (2022). I have always felt a very intense spiritual connection to the Zelda series and it was a big part of my childhood. I had a lot of dreams about being in the world, specifically, I had a very jarring dream as a kid of the Shadow Link encounter in Ocarina of Time. Later in my 20s I had another dream about Twilight Princess Kakariko Village that I wrote a poem about it for class. Even as a kid I believed that the songs had power and would sing the Song of Healing and Song of Time in spells (I've been doing magic since I was in middle school). I did a trance to ask my main spirit guide to help me figure out what the connection between me and the Zelda series was. My guide then took me to a giant golden owl and when I asked her who she was she said 'Hylia' so suffice to say I was shocked!! She looked like this (except she did NOT have a purple triangle on her forehead)

She sounded like Fi from Skyward Sword, Like there was three people speaking at once and once of them was a robot. She grabbed my shoulders with her claws and we flew into a TV screen to Hyrule Field from Ocarina. The entire time I was absolutely TRANSFIXED by her piercing glowing eyes. She said that she was very close to my main spirit guide and I just haven't really questioned it since.

I treat her as I do any of the other deities I work with and she fits in well with the spirits in my house. A lot of my wedding ceremony was also based on Zelda stuff (the Couples mask, my ring is the Zora Sapphire) I have an altar for her, I also have a master sword tattoo that I see as our 'bond'. To me, she is a light spirit. The closest I can think of in similarity is Apollo (light, music, prophecy are all things associated with both).I charge her tarot deck with sunlight and feel her presence most when outside in nature. She uses bird imagery a lot in her signs. She also doesn't mind using technology to communicate and loves music. She seems to be a bringer of hope and creativity! She talks to me most when I'm trying to fall asleep and likes jokes. I have not yet FULLY sworn myself to her but she has told me the means by which to do so, which I will be sharing once I am ready!

Okay, I know that was a lot, let me know if you have any questions or want any clarifications! I am more than happy to share my practices and methods!

Thank you for the ask!

#mudora #mudora magic #hyrulian pc #hyrulean pc #pop culture magic #pop culture pagan #pop culture deity #hylian pc #legend of zelda #witchcraft #pop culture witchcraft #pc magic #pc pagan #hyah!#bokh dva'

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snowbird-down · 11 months

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Character Summary: Laelia (jen) Belisar

alias/nicknames: Lee, Jeanne, Snowbird, Valkyrie

gender: female

age: 23

zodiac: ----

abilities + talents:

A highly skilled if not batshit reckless pilot who can pull off stunts that probably shouldn’t be possible in all manner of machina

A crackshot gunslinger with the kind of draw time that Marty Robbins writes ballads about

Cooks a mean plate of spaghetti

alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath

virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience

languages: Fluent in Garlean and Common, can speak haltingly conversational Ala Mhigan (but only in the present-tense) and knows all the swear words in Old Elezen.

family: Justus Belisar (father), Tacitus Belisar (older brother), Marco Belisar (younger brother), Verina Belisar (younger sister), Alfonso Belisar (estranged cousin)

friends: While the survivors of III Squad are by technical definition her ‘friends’, the bond that exists between them is probably more familial than anything. Laelia is quite literally inseparable from Victoria Castellus and Maxima Sawyer, and she’d do absolutely anything for either of them. Ride or die? You bet.

More recently she’s gotten close to Arym Ord, who she shares a love of adrenaline (among other things) with. She even would have considered him an ‘honorary’ squad member who they’d ‘adopted’, except he’s being Very Difficult right now.

For some reason fate keeps sending her through hell alongside a girl named Reima Awen, so the two share a mutual understanding of each others’ trauma and do their best to support each other while dreaming of -- and striving for -- better days.

The healer Norhi Morovine helped her settle into Gridanian life back when she first deserted Garlemald and was hiding out in the Shroud, and continues to be her go-to for all manner of Eorzean expertise.

And while she thinks that Ser Basile Bellerose is currently just her friend (with extensive benefits), the reality is that she is much, much closer to him than she realizes.

sexuality: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other

relationship: single / partnered / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating yet / it’s complicated

libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent / who knows

build: slender / average / athletic / muscular / curvy / other

hair: white / blonde (platinum) / brunette / red / black

eyes: brown / blue / gray / green / black / other

skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / dark / other

height: 6'0"

scars: Surprisingly few for all the stunts she pulls. There’s a puncture wound from an arrow on the back of her left calf; by the way it healed it looks like it got infected at one point. There’s a hand-sized patch of burnt skin over her ribs on her righthand side. And there’s a more recent bullet wound in her left shoulder.

dogs or cats || birds or bugs || snakes or spiders || coffee or tea || ice cream or cake || fruits or vegetables || sandwich or soup || magic or melee || sword shield dagger or bow gun|| summer or winter || spring or autumn || past or future present

A few songs that remind you of them:

Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Green Day - Holiday ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Some Nights - Fun

D’Angelo - Unshaken

The Ecstasy of Gold -- Ennio Morricone

Coyote Kisses - Six Shooter

Primo the Alien - Heart on the Run

Hunter as a Horse - The Train :)

Tagged by: @rhotanored Thank you this was due for an updatew fhweuidkfjhewrkjdghkjer

Tagging: @high-and-away @autochthonousone @endangered-liaison @norhimorovine @daughter-of-fire-and-dreams idk who’s done this forgive me!

#character memes #tag memes #laelia belisar

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feytouchedtwilight · 1 year

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I used to be really into witchcraft and paganism. I thought I had found my calling, like the religion/spirituality I finally felt comfortable in. It’s weird to think that was nearly ten years ago. My health collapsed and degraded and I completely lost touch of my spirituality, I lost touch of everything about myself. I want to get back into it, I feel like my soul is malnourished or whatever. But I can’t find what actually feels right for me?

I’ve never been one for spells or deity worship although I really tried at first. I tried to make it work. But if I’m being honest it all feels silly and fake and like I’m playing pretend. I see all these other pagans/polytheists/witches really vibing with their practice and truely believing in it, talking to spirits and deities. I can’t… I can’t seem to do that? It makes me feel… disconnected? alienated? from humanity, the fact that I can’t. Because religion and spirituality are deeply human things- the drive for ritual and tradition is so engrained into us as a species. And I can’t? seem to do that?? no matter how hard I try??? I don’t really know how to describe it and it might be connected to being schizoid. Barely anything feels truely real to me because my ego is split (the “false” self that is presented to the world and the “true” self locked high in a tower away from any emotions). It’s a personality disorder, I don’t know if the split will ever heal. So what am I to do?

Genuinely, I have no idea where to start. I know I feel strongly called towards my ancestors and the things they believed. Irish, Scottish, and Welsh polytheism/paganism calls to me and so does Quakerism. But I don’t know if I believe in any deities in the sense of them being deities. I vibe with animism- with believing that everything has “god” or spirit or “awen” inside of them. Humans are just another animal that exists within nature. And maybe deities don’t exist in the sense of them being a named person from a certain culture but like… maybe they are a spirit representing/originated from/inhabiting different domains and ideas and concepts. Like a spirit that contains war and battle and sovereignty in all that it means (even though that god would have different names in different cultures) or a spirit that contains hospitality and shelter and hearth fire and healing. I’m not sure I’m expressing this properly. I’m not even sure this is right.

I just…….. I’ve never ever had the experience of something speaking to me. or touching me. or reaching out to me. any of it. I’ve never had the sense that gods and spirits truely do exist. And I can’t force myself to just believe. Even though that’s what “faith” is at its core. I’m just……. I’m too logically minded, too cold hard facts. My psyche is completely split away from faith and beliefs and hope and such. but oh gods am I tired of feeling like this is all play acting. I want it to feel real. but maybe that’s asking too much when I can’t actually feel even baser human emotions like love or happiness.

#witchblr #szpd #neurodivergent #fey talks #am i alone in this?#does anyone else with schizoid personality disorder feel like this?#i hope this doesn’t offend people I’m just really struggling #some of this feels like things other people would see as heresy #i feel like there’s more to say I’m just too tired for words #I’m hoping maybe mushrooms can connect my broken psyche the two halves of my ego

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culmaer · 1 year

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@sleepysshadows : #why do people put Canadians with Americans for these polls#if you want to know if it’s regional stop lumping us together with a country that doesn’t even spell colour the same way as we do#we use different forms of English#misc

because there are a limited number of options one can include in the poll, so compromises have to be made. and grouping North American varieties together is the simplest way to do it (especially when it comes to spoken or informal varieties). at least in step one. after the initial, broad data is collected, then you can do more specific and nuanced polls.

also note that RP speakers, working-class folks in Yorkshire and people from Edinburgh all speak vastly different Englishes too, and yet they're grouped together as "British" (and furthermore grouped with the Irish). same goes for varieties in all the rest of the Angolsphere

@carys-awen : #going out on a limb but i suspect the canadians are with the rest of the commonwealth on this one#never seen ex in a formal context

perhaps surprisingly, no ! I'd never seen ex either, and the mutual who sent me that ask pointing out that it's a thing happens to be Canadian. since posting the poll, a few Canadians have tagged it with #ex as well. however idk if "ex." is officially accepted, this is just tracking actual, everyday use

would make for an interesting follow-up poll though

another interesting follow-up would be aimed at the people tagging it #both... like why ? what's their distinction between ex. and e.g. ?

#and the people tagging it ie.#i'm being so brave about that

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hochgouez-nerzhus · 2 years

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Mediosamonios also says Alban Eifin, midtsommer

Mediosamonios also says summer solstice or Saint-Jean, Litha, Alban Eifin (Alban Hefin variant), Mediosamonios and Midsummer. In Scandinavia, we speak of Sankthans, Jonsok, Johannesvake, or Midtsommer.

We know this festival well, which has current resonances in the "fires of St Jean". At the summer solstice, the Sun makes its longest course from northeast to northwest.

The days are at their maximum amplitude and the solar energy is at its maximum activity. It is also a particularly favorable period for picking magic and medicinal plants that are traditionally collected at the dawn of the solstice.

Among the sacred plants lunar mugwort, solar St. John's wort and verbena officinalis which creates the link between the two.

Mugwort

Verbana officinalis

St John's wort

There are others, the list is long, fern, ground ivy, stonecrop, loosestrife, piloselle hawkweed, warbler mint, figwort, yarrow... So many plants which were not only endowed with powers over illness but also over luck and bad luck. It is enough to hang a bouquet of these plants on the threshold of the house or the barn to ward off bad luck.

The Sun has become a handsome, vigorous male, he 's at the peak of his strength. And paradox, in doing so, already presents the germ of its fall. Solstitial rituals are complex and are often held in several parts. The observance of the vigil, the dawn ceremony and the noon ceremony.

The vigil is held near the mounds or places of memory, they are an inner quest, a quest for vision at the same time as the occasion for exchanges, discussion, music or poetry The dawn ceremony is a homage to the Sun and an appeal to the life force of the Sun.

The following ceremony welcomes the coronation of the King and honors the ancestors and Tradition.

One of the most famous ceremonies is held on the site of Stonehenge and sees hundreds of people flocking to celebrate the sunrise in this place. Celebrations take place every year in this place. They are often marked by joy and a certain eccentricity that has always been characteristic of pagan celebrations.

The solstice is a moment of extroversion, we dance, we jump, we sing, we make music.

Sometimes sun wheels or firebrands (bures) are turned to celebrate the triumph of the Sun. Moments of jubilation that are accompanied by moments of reflection because we know that the Sun at its highest is already beginning to decline.

Fire, its implementation, its maintenance and the offerings made to it, are important elements in the art of the Druids. It is beneficial by the protection, the health, the illumination that it offers. It is said that the strength of a Fire is related to the art of its construction: "Mog Ruith said to Cennmhar: 'Light and prepare the fire. Cennmhar got up and arranged the pyre thus: he formed it like a churn with three sides and three angles, but seven gates, whereas there were only three gates in the northern fire.

Midsummer fire

Making the “bed of fire” is still part of the druidic arts.

Druidic Fire Rite

The Fear lasraichean will come forward to build the bonfire, with the 7 sacred woods that will have been chosen before the ritual, think about having beautiful logs and twigs to light, paper and everything else too.

The 7 sacred woods for this rite are: Fir, Birch, Beech, Elm, Chestnut, Apple and Oak.

When the stake is ready, the officiant comes forward and says:

“O power of Nature and the ascents of Awen I honor you. By this feast of Tantad here in the height of the season of Light. I light a Druidic fire to pay homage to the Gods. »

And say the following Druidic prayer:

“Give us, O Gods, your support.

And with your support, strength.

And with strength, understanding.

And with understanding, science.

And with science, the science of what is right, the power to love.

And by loving, the love of all living beings.

And in every living being, the love of the Gods.

Elder Gods and just good! »

Mediosamonios is therefore a celebration of Fire, Fire of life, fire of Men. A fire kept up all night, during the vigil, while waiting to be able to greet the fire of Heaven, the Sun of Dawn which is “the eye of Belen”, or even the eye of the Day.

It is even said that fairies sometimes join in the feast of the living as Mediosamonios is also a night of the spirits like Samonios and Belotennia.

Druides OTHA

#mediosamonios #alban eifin #alban hefin #litha #midsummer #druidry #druidic #druid #druidess #hedge druid #paganism #celtic paganism

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phrootsnacks · 1 year

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Spring Semester Language Study Plan 🌸

so... you wanna study four languages while taking 22 credits and doing extracurriculars, hm?

just me? ... ok

tbqh im a lil nervous for this coming semester, because my schedule was already busy and then it suddenly got busier, so...

The gist of it is I’m going to focus on Spanish (because I have to) ((because I’m taking two Spanish classes this semester)), but also consistently review my other languages (Toki Pona, Arabic, and ASL). I can spare 10 - 30 minutes each day going thru flashcards, reviewing notes, and for Toki Pona writing a little bit. Then, on the weekends, I’ll take more time to learn new content and to practice speaking, listening, reading, writing, signing, etc.

(as per, longish post so...)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- español

Ya tengo dos clases de español este semestre, y por eso voy a concentrarme en el español. Fuera de mis clases, quizás leyere este libro que recibí como un regalo de Navidad, Parallel Text Short Stories in Spanish...

El libro contiene cuentos de autores diferentes y una traducción en cada dos páginas. No sé si tendré el tiempo para leerlo, pero si lo leo, voy a cubrir el lado ingles con una hoja de papel.

Aparte de eso, hablé sobre mi problema con recordar palabras nuevas en mi publicación anterior. Entonces cuando encuentro una palabra nueva (en este libro o cualquier contexto), voy a escribirla y crear tarjetas.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- toki pona

tenpo pini la, suno ale la, mi sitelen e toki pona lon ilo Snapchat (mi sona ala e ni: nasin pi toki pona e nimi “Snapchat” a a a). ken la mi sitelen e toki pona lon ilo Tanpa? mi lukin e toki pona lon ilo Tanpa mi la, mi pilin pona. sona mi la, jan ante li pilin sama. mi wile toki e toki pona mute. taso, tenpo awen la ilo Siko li pana e monsuta tawa mi a a a. tenpo kama la, mi lukin kepeken ona.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- العربية

For Arabic, I really just need to learn more vocabulary and how to form sentences. I’m still going thru Arabic Khatawaat’s Arabic Language for Beginners playlist, as well as MSU library’s Elementary Arabic I textbook. As I mentioned in a previous post, I also have quite a lot of physical Arabic resources as well...

I’ll be honest, the textbook A Textbook for Beginning Arabic Part One is kinda intimidating (what with it being so big and so red), so I’m supplementing with the book Arabic Verbs and Essentials of Grammar (which is much smaller lol).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- American Sign Language

I’m still following Bill Vicars’ YouTube videos and taking notes as I go, and I might also make flashcards as I see fit. I’ve also started reading Introduction to American Deaf Culture by Thomas K Holcomb...

Despite it being a textbook, it’s not dry or boring or difficult to read at all. I really appreciate the inclusion of art, poems, and personal stories. I’ve already learned a lot about both Deaf culture and hearing culture.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

and that is all! let’s hope I make it thru the semester in one piece :,)

#langblr #language #spanish #español #toki pona #arabic #asl #american sign language

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eldritchsurveys · 6 months

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1144.

What was the best thing to happen to you this week? >> this week has been hell, internally, so I think the two best things to happen to me were an encounter with Bruni and the walk I took to Ah-Nab-Awen to go sit by the river for a bit. but these didn't just passively happen to me, I had to give them to myself

Where do you put your keys when you get home? >> I have a small bin for keys, sunglasses, and wallet pouch on my vanity

Do you prefer hot coffee or iced coffee? >> I don't have a general preference, it's just whatever I feel like having at the time

If you could move to any country, what would it be? . Have you ever seen a snake in the wild? >> have

What’s your favourite movie from the 80s? >> that's impossible to determine, many of the movies I love are 80s movies, particularly ones from the wet gross gory body-horror genre that reached its zenith in the eighties

Do you have any posters, paintings or other artwork on your walls? >> I have posters and paintings, yeah

Would you ever take a trip to space if given the chance? >> absolutely

How do you cope with anxiety? >> THC and time

Are you expecting any phone calls or emails? >> amn't

What’s the weather like in your part of the world right now? >> sunny (for once), but chilly What was the last takeout food you ate? >> post-Cabaret du Mortel Wendy's

Do you know anyone with the same middle name as you? >> I don't

What did you have done the last time you saw a dentist? >> wisdom tooth extraction follow-up (had to get antibiotics for a minor infection) What does a successful relationship look like to you? >> I don't think "successful" is a word I'd use for a relationship What do you like to put on your baked potato? . What field of science interests you the most? . What’s the closest shop or restaurant to your house? >> there's a coffee shop on the corner nearest to me and then a restaurant across the street from there and another restaurant on the opposite corner from that one

Do you have any family that live in another country? .

What colour is your couch? >> goldenrod, I think it could be called

Do you know how to care for plants and keep them alive? >> my aloe and my spiderwort are still kickin and that's the most success I've ever had in keeping plants alive. anything more complex or fastidious than those and I'm definitely gonna kill it somehow

What was the most memorable birthday you’ve had? . Would you rather go to the beach or the mountains? >> I don't have a preference, they both have their merits

What do you do for work? . Have you ever been to see the circus? >> haven't

Are there any words that you hate or make you cringe? >> absolutely. "wholesome" is one What is the best house you’ve ever lived in? .

What was the first CD you ever bought? >> I only remember the first CD I stole, not the first one I bought, lol

Do you look in the mirror before you leave the house? >> sure What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? >> what defines a food as unusual...

Have you ever seen someone quit their job in a dramatic way? >> haven't

What movie reminds you of your childhood? >> The Prince of Egypt, although that came out when I was 11. I don't have any movie-related associations to earlier childhood

Do you know why your parents named you what they did? >> I know why he named me what he did. I don't care, though

Do you have any bills that need to be paid? >> they're all paid except for the phone bill which comes out on the 17th

What do you like to dip your fries in? >> I usually use ketchup because that's what's readily available but I'ma be real with you... I'm not crazy about it :/ I just don't know what else to try

Is your house clean or messy right now? >> it's pretty much always messy everywhere outside of my room

What was the last email you received? >> update to a Substack I'm subscribed to, The Neighborhoods (photographer does deep-dives into various NYC neighbourhoods)

Do you know someone who speaks without a filter? >> I don't know anyone like that. I'm suspicious about the concept as a whole, I think some people just have different filters from others and if someone's filter doesn't operate the way yours does it's easy to assume they don't have one at all

Are you in any social groups? >> amn't, not totally sure what that looks like either

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? >> closer to 8, I think What’s your favourite kind of museum? >> space or science

Do you believe in alternate universes? >> the multiverse is a concept foundational to my existence

Whose house did you last visit? >> the only other people's house I'm ever at is either Sparrow's parents' or Sparrow's sister's

What games do you play on your smart phone? >> Jewel Hunter, Ocean Match, Smithing Master, Usagi Shima, and I also have Postknight 2 but I like never play it

Have you ever been to Los Angeles? >> haven't

What was the first concert you ever went to? >> Avenged Sevenfold + Coheed & Cambria Do you know anyone who is colourblind? >> probably What’s your favourite season and why? >> summer because I'm in love with the Sun and being warm

Are you the youngest, middle or eldest child in your family? .

If you had to make something for a potluck, what would you make? >> I wouldn't

What kinds of decorations do you put up at Halloween? . How many tabs do you have open right now? >> six What’s something you’ve been meaning to do but keep putting off? >> a wardrobe cleanout. I really don't want to face how few actually-wearable clothes I have 😩 What’s the first thing you check on your phone at the start of the day? >> the time, and then my email usually

Have you ever flown a kite? >> haven't What are three things you usually always have in your fridge? >> some sort of cheese, some sort of fizzy drink (my water and/or Sparrow's soda), some old ass salsa

#survey #random survey

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hedgewitchgarden · 7 months

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I recently saw a social media post where an atheist showed a picture of someone wearing a cross and said:

I don’t advertise my non-belief on my body. Why do Christians feel the need to advertise their belief?

I’m not going to attempt to speak for Christians. Some of their reasons overlap with mine and some are their own. But I want to respond to the question from my perspective as a religious Pagan.

The assumption behind the question: the public square should be religion-free

This wasn’t a neutral, value-free inquiry. This was a “hey, I’m just asking” question where a particular viewpoint is assumed to be correct.

The question assumes that the purpose of religious clothing and jewelry is advertising. Now, let’s be honest: some Christian apparel is all about advertising, especially the in-your-face t-shirts like those I sometimes see advertised on Patheos. But that’s far from the only reason people – Christian or Pagan or other – wear religious items.

Beyond that, it assumes that wearing such items is a bad thing. It assumes that the public square should be free from all religious displays and be entirely secular.

When governments put up religious displays, that’s a bad thing. When government officials and employees promote their religion in their official capacities, that’s a bad thing. When the gatekeepers of the public square allow some religious displays but not others (hello, Satanic Temple…) that’s a very bad thing.

But individuals wearing Jesus t-shirts or hijabs, crosses or pentacles, yarmulkes or turbans? That’s all part of the glorious garden of religions we have in this, the most religiously diverse society in the history of the world. And that’s a very good thing.

Atheists do this too

The original poster may not advertise their religion on their body, but some atheists do. Search for “atheist shirts” on Amazon and you get over 3000 results. Those aren’t all being bought by fundamentalists who want to burn them. Some of them are accurate, some are funny, and some are needlessly offensive.

Some atheists insist they have no religion. I take them at their word, but non-theistic religion is still religion. And at least some non-theists like wearing clothing and jewelry that identifies them as non-theists. Whether that makes them religious or not is a matter for them to decide, but it sure looks the same as what theists of every variety do.

For visibility of a minority religion

Nobody likes watching commercials on TV or looking at the ads here on Patheos (but that’s the only way the writers get paid, not that any of us get paid anything close to minimum wage). But in an economy built on commerce, advertising is a necessity… although some advertising crosses the line into malefic magic.

Advertising isn’t a necessity for those of us who practice non-proselytizing religions. I’m not trying to “win the world for Cernunnos” – and if I was, I think He’d tell me I had my priorities mixed up.

At the same time, visibility is a good thing. If nothing else, I want people to know we’re here, that there’s a religion (or a group of many religions) that sees the Divine as many and Nature as sacred. And I want people who are looking for what we have to be able to find us.

Wearing a Pagan t-shirt or my Awen pendant silently says “hey, we’re here!”

To remind ourselves of our commitments

Read any wedding vows – traditional or contemporary – and you will see words of commitment from spouse to spouse. “With this ring I thee wed” and such. Wedding rings aren’t there to tell the world someone is “off the market” – they’re there to remind the spouses of their commitments to each other.

The same can be true with religious jewelry. When I wear my Cernunnos pendant, I am reminded that I am His priest and that I have made certain commitments to Him. My Awen pendant reminds me of my commitment to this path of Druidry.

To fulfill a requirement

There are no clothing or jewelry requirements that apply to all Pagans. But I have friends who have a geas to always wear certain items of clothing, or to not wear others. It’s not a fashion choice. It’s not a choice, period – that’s what a geas is. It’s a religious requirement. Some have items they are never allowed to remove for any reason, or only allowed to remove in certain places around certain people.

This isn’t advertising or visibility or even a commitment. It’s a requirement, a command, something a person was instructed to do by their Gods. And so they wear it, even if it upsets Christians and atheists… and the Pagans who don’t like the idea of Gods who make demands.

I’m thankful I have no such requirements. I rarely wear jewelry outside of ritual – I don’t like the way it feels on my body. But some do, and I respect their dedication.

As amulets and talismans

Anyone who grew up on classic horror movies knows you wear a cross to repel vampires (and those of us who read Anne Rice as teenagers know it doesn’t always work that way). Some of our Pagan jewelry isn’t just religious – it’s magical.

The pentagram is a symbol of protection – a pentacle (a 3-dimensional pentagram) serves as a shield against harmful spirits and energies. Some crystals and stones do the same thing. Others draw certain energies and spirits to the wearer.

Pagan jewelry can have a functional aspect.

Because we like the way they look

Not everything has to have a deep meaning or functional use. Sometimes we just like the aesthetics of something.

When you’re dealing with aesthetics in the context of religious and spiritual traditions, the question of appropriation always comes up. Christians have complained about pop stars wearing crosses since at least the early days of Madonna. In 2017 we were arguing about the “basic witch” trend – I wrote The Aesthetic of Witchcraft and the Return of Real Magic where I said that my work “keeps me so busy I can’t spend much time worrying about those who just want to look like a witch.”

But you can’t appropriate your own tradition (you can misuse or disrespect it, but that’s another topic). If you’re a witch who likes to dress in ways stereotypical of witches, have at it. My wardrobe has a lot of black in it, in part because of its association with witches, but also because I just like black. I’ve worn tons of black since kindergarten.

And sometimes we dress against tradition, because we like other things too. I’m a Druid – sometimes I wear a white robe, and sometimes I wear khakis and a polo shirt.

As a Pagan, I will gladly ally myself with anyone who will help in the work to build a better world here and now – which includes the work to keep governments from establishing, supporting, or promoting any one religion over others. But those who want a religion-free public square are fighting needlessly and for the wrong things.

#paganism #atheism #religions #spirituality #john beckett

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bookoformon · 8 months

Text

Alma Chapter 32. "Bad Seeds, Shoddy Clothes."

Alma teaches the poor whose afflictions had humbled them—Faith is a hope in that which is not seen which is true��Alma testifies that angels minister to men, women, and children—Alma compares the word unto a seed—It must be planted and nourished—Then it grows into a tree from which the fruit of eternal life is picked. About 74 B.C. "Insolence continues."

In this section there is a nouveau departure from Egypt, which is slavery to keeping slaves. Slavery to ignornace, to an impoverished underclass, to the politicians and clergy that preach the Words of God but contribute to the entrenchedness of poverty is forbidden:

1 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach the word in their streets.

2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they began to have success among the poor class of people; for behold, they were cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of their apparel—

3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness; therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their brethren as dross; therefore they were poor as to things of the world; and also they were poor in heart.

4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were those of whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart, because of their poverty as to the things of the world.

Onidah= understanding of troubled times, how they work and work out.

און

The verb און ('wn) appears to mean to experience a lot, to be subject to much. It doesn't occur in the Bible but in cognate languages it's either negative and means to be tired and troubled, or it's positive and means to be at rest and enjoy a life of plenty.

Nouns און ('awen) and תאנים (te'unim) are of the first category, and mean trouble, sorrow or toil. Noun און ('on) is of the second and describes an surplus of vigor or wealth and specifically of reproductive powers.

5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty, yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our exceeding poverty; and we have dno place to worship our God; and behold, what shall we do?

6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word.

7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly penitent, and said unto them:

8 I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are ye.

9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?—for we are cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.

10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship God save it be in your synagogues only?

11 And moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only once in a week?

12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble.

13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.

14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?

15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.

16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.

17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a asign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.

18 Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he knoweth it.

19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?

20 Now of this thing ye must judge. Behold, I say unto you, that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it shall be unto every man according to his work.

21 And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word.

23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them many times, which confound the wise and the learned.

24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out—now I do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you only according to that which is true—

25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances they might.

26 Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith? I say unto you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect knowledge.

30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good; for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. And now, behold, will not this strengthen your faith? Yea, it will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed? I say unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own likeness.

32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

34 And now, behold, is your knowledge bperfect? Yea, your knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant; and this because you know, for ye know that the word hath swelled your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth begin to expand.

35 O then, is not this real? I say unto you, Yea, because it is light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge perfect?

36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.

37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

There is one way to sew this one up - and that is the fruits of one's actions are verily also the identity in which one is clothed.

"With the tools of the Kabbalah and the Holy Zohar we can now begin to strip the layers off the garments of the Torah, to get back to Adam and that is where God is, in the Garden of Eden waiting for us to connect to Divine Oneness."

Shoddy clothes - identifications with ideals that are odds with Divine Unity are indeed not to be worn in Synangogue or outside, nor are the conditions of poverty, the bad seeds of the sour soil of a uncivilized society to be allowed.

see v. 3:

As Alma, the National Spirit said, the struggle in and out of poverty is not without solutions, it only lacks a derivative. As we study the Book of Mormon we will learn more about just exactly what that means.

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