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moon-spirit-yue · 3 years

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Maybe in Another Life

Raya’s heart pounded in her chest as she urged Tuk Tuk to move faster. She glanced back in hopes she had created at least a smidge of distance between her and her enemies but was severely disappointed. Right behind Raya was Namaari, the great Princess of Fang, in all her glory.

Raya cursed as she snapped her head forward in an attempt to find anything that could make Namaari and her stupid Fang posse lose track of her.

The Heart princess has had to deal with the damned Fang woman and her forces ever since she got caught stealing mangos from one of the Fang markets a couple days ago. Raya was praying to the dragons that these mangos tasted otherworldly or else all this trouble would be for nothing.

Maybe mangos were Namaari’s favorite fruit or something. It’s not like Raya has made any other horrid offense these four years of the Druun apocalypse. Hell, she’s been completely off the grid the past five months! There is literally no reason why Namaari should be so damn determined to catch her! These are mangos! It’s not like she stole an ancient treasure or something.

Raya shook those thoughts away and focused on the mission at hand, which was not getting caught. The Heart princess could vaguely hear Namaari shout orders to her warriors. Raya reeled back as she saw a serlot approach her left.

She swerved to the right before proceeding to make Tuk Tuk go in an odd zig zag motion to mess with the serlot. Raya felt a bit of hope as the serlot and their rider was getting a bit farther away from her. The hope only increased when she realized she was approaching a town.

Towns meant a bunch of people. A bunch of people meant she could blend in with the masses. All she had to do was get closer and- wait. Is that smoke?

Sure enough, as Raya got closer to the town she saw puffs of dark gray smoke staining the clear blue sky. A fire must have gotten out of hand which was not good news for her. It could be pretty risky to try and lose them in that fire. Who knew how severe it was. The Heart princess frowned as she thought about her next move. She has two options here.

Option one is basically admitting defeat and giving herself up to Namaari with no risk of whatever’s going on with the smoke. Option two is going right into town and having an excellent chance of getting away from Namaari but running the risk of getting hurt, or even dying, by a potential raging fire.

Option two it is.

Raya forced Tuk Tuk to continue their path right towards the village and all of its chaos. Her eyes widened as she noticed the source of the fire was a burning building with people scrambling to get out. The citizens of Fang were rushing to get as far away from the fire as possible. Raya frowned as she saw a young couple stay and watch the fire roar as if they were in a trance.

Maybe one of them was injured and needed help? Raya sighed and steered Tuk Tuk toward the couple. She seemed to have lost Namaari for now so there was no harm in giving them some assistance if need be.

“Hello? Do you guys need help?” Raya called out as she approached the couple. They looked at her in relief which instantly made Raya worried. Relief at her intervention meant something is definitely wrong here.

“Yes, our children are in that building. We fear it’s going to collapse at any moment! Please help our babies!” the mother cried out.

Raya bit her lip in thought. She really shouldn’t. The Heart woman needed to get out of Fang if she wanted to continue her search for Sisudatu. Raya also needed to, you know, be alive for that to happen. The most logical thing to do would be to leave this family in the dust and never look back.

But that’s not what her ba would do. Even if Raya is completely isolated and occasionally resorts to theft to eat, she still tried her best to live by her ba’s example when she could. And her ba would do everything in his power to help those kids.

Damn you, moral compass.

“How many kids are up there?” Raya asked, already scanning the building for a way in.

“Two, miss. A boy and a girl. We’ve seen everyone else already leave so it’s just our children. Please get them back to us,” the father begged.

Raya tossed her black hooded cloak off on the floor and turned towards the couple.

“I’ll do my best,” she answered honestly before urging Tuk Tuk towards the fire. The pillbug looked up at her like she insane. Hell, she probably was. Nonetheless, he did what Raya needed and rolled towards to burning building. If Raya lived through this, she would be sure to treat Tuk Tuk to some of the finest bugs the world could offer.

The Heart woman was finally able to find a small window with no flames which was all she needed. Now all that was left to do was to hype her pillbug up.

“Alright Tuk Tuk, you’re gonna roll right up to that window and fling me off your back. Then I’ll grab those kids and I’ll call out to you when I find an exit. We got this, bud!” Raya yelled as Tuk Tuk gave her a look that told her he was less than delighted with the plan. Nevertheless, the pillbug did as requested.

Raya shifted her body to crouch on Tuk Tuk’s shell and anxiously waited as the window grew closer. The smell of smoke was already making her cough and the stinging in her eyes came in full force. Maybe she should just turn back the kids probably weren’t even in there anymore-

When she was right outside the building, she was able to hear the children’s cries of fear and anguish. Alright, so they’re in there. And screams means they’re alive! Definitely good news.

Raya proceeded to leap off of Tuk Tuk’s back and extended her sword so that it was stuck on the window’s sill. She then yanked on the sword and heaved herself through the window in search of the kids.

“Hello?! Where are you?!” Raya yelled out, coughing immediately as the smoke invaded her lungs. The heat was already getting to her. Barely three seconds in and Raya was sweating up a storm.

“O-over here,” a weak voice cried out. Raya quickly followed said voice to the next room over and found a sight that broke her heart.

Huddled in the corner sat two children. One little girl that couldn’t have been older than seven who was protectively holding a little boy that had to be at least five. The little girl looked up at Raya in awe as her entire body shook from her coughs. The children were covered in soot and the Heart woman could tell they wouldn’t survive much longer in this condition.

“Hey, come here I’m getting you out of this place,” Raya assured them through her coughing. She scooped up the little boy who instantly clung to her front. Raya then squatted down so that the girl to grab onto her back.

The Heart woman gasped as the door she entered through suddenly got blocked off by fire. Alright, so she sure as hell wasn’t going out that way. Thankfully, the room she was in already has windows. All she needed to do now was get her pillbug’s attention.

Raya leaned out the window and whistled loudly in hopes that Tuk Tuk would come rolling. And roll he did. Practically five seconds later, Tuk Tuk had arrived right outside the window. Raya scanned the area to find the safest way down.

Okay, she was at the very back of the building and there were a bunch of trees that led into a forest right in front of her. Raya could definitely use that to her advantage. After quickly formulating an escape route in her mind, she sprung into action.

“Hang on tight!” Raya yelled to the kids as she swung her extendable sword at a large and sturdy tree branch. After tugging on it a couple times to make sure the branch would actually be able to take on the extra weight, Raya leapt out of the window and swung right onto Tuk Tuk. She hastily got the sword loose from the branch and rolled a few feet away from their previous position.

As Raya looked back, she realized she had been cutting it way too close.

When Raya glanced towards their previous location, she found that the building completely collapsed in on itself. The young woman shivered at the thought of what would have happened to her or these children had she not gotten them out of there when she did. She shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts which led her to go into another coughing fit. At this point, Raya knew better than to ponder over what ifs.

“Here, drink some water,” Raya wheezed out as she handed them her canteen of fresh water. The older girl give it to her brother as the little guy guzzled half of the bottle. He then passed it back to his sister whose sips were much more controlled but still incredibly desperate. The girl then sheepishly handed the empty bottle back to Raya.

“Sorry that we already drank it all,” the girl said quietly. Raya merely shrugged her off and yanked out another bottle from her bag.

“No worries, I always carry a spare,” Raya told her. She dipped her head back as the sweet liquid entered her system. Never had she ever been more thankful that she was a paranoid freak about provisions. It really did come in useful after all. Raya wiped her mouth and suddenly felt little arms wrap around her legs.

“Thank you for saving us,” he shakily whispered. Oh sweet hell, the kid was about to cry. How does one deal with crying children? Raya figured it would be best just to hug him back and see what would happen from there. The little girl swooped in to join the hug and before Raya could blink, both kids were sobbing in her arms.

Raya simply held them tighter and silently stroked their hair in hopes that would provide at least a bit of comfort to them. Her ba always did it with her so it’s really all she had to go on. She sighed in relief as the shaking lessened and their cries quieted. Raya leaned back from the hug after a couple minutes and grabbed a clothe from her bag to wipe both of their tears and the soot off their bodies.

“That was really scary,” the little girl sniffed as Raya finished cleaning her up. The older woman nodded sympathetically and put the clothe back in the bag.

“It was, wasn’t it? You two were very brave,” Raya soothed. She then straightened out the little girl’s hair as her younger brother nodded while frowning deeply.

“I want to see Ma and Ba,” he croaked out. Raya nodded once more and heaved both kids up on her pillbug before pulling herself up as well.

“Absolutely! Your parents must be worried sick. Let’s go back out and find them before-” Raya cut herself off as she heard voices ring out through the clearing. Particularly Namaari’s voice.

“They said the kids would be around here somewhere. I also caught sight of Raya going in this direction as well, so if you happen to find her apprehend her immediately. However the children are first priority,” Namaari commanded. With a flick of her wrist, the Fang warriors dispersed to carry out their superior’s orders.

Raya swore under her breathe. There was no way in hell she could go back in the city to return these kids when the place is infested with Fang warriors!

Raya considered just letting the children walk back towards the warriors so that they can help the kids find their parents, but that wasn’t the best idea either. If those kids went back by themselves, Namaari would most certainly ask if they had seen Raya. And these children would totally snitch, because that’s just how kids are, and the chase for the Heart woman would be back on. Raya seriously could not afford to try and escape them right now. Neither her nor Tuk Tuk have recovered from their last little adventure just yet. Plus with the added smoke that has already messed up her lungs, Raya was not in the best condition. To put it simply, they would be screwed.

“Oh second thought, we’re taking a bit of a detour. Also, we’re playing the silent game. The winner gets two pieces of jade. Hang on tight,” Raya whispered and urged Tuk Tuk to go into the forest. She felt bad about keeping young children away from their parents, but Raya liked not being imprisoned so this is just how life has to be right now.

After about twenty minutes of quiet riding, Raya decided she was far enough away to not be seen but close enough to get right back into town when Namaari and her Fang posse hit the road.

“Alright, I lost the game! Since you both beat me I’ll just give each of you one jade piece each. You can speak freely now,” Raya told them. As soon she said so, the flood gate of questions came in. The Heart woman’s eyes widened and she rose her hand to silence them once more.

“Let me be more specific. One of you can speak freely at a time. And slowly,” Raya said, editing her previous statement. The two kids gave each other a look before the little girl decided to interrogate her first.

“What’s your name? How did you save us? And why can’t we go home now?” the child questioned. Raya pursed her lips while trying to find the best way to word her responses.

“One, my name is Raya. Two, I got a really cool sword that helped my reach you guys. Three is a bit complicated. You see, I have done a couple of not so great things that have mad your princess, Namaari, upset so she is looking for me. If I went back into town now, I could get hurt. So I’ll wait until Namaari and her little friends leave. Then I’ll bring you guys back home,” Raya explained in what was hopefully the best way possible. Next to speak was the little boy.

“But what did you do?” the child asked curiously. Raya internally groaned in frustration. She forgot how often kids felt the need to question everything on planet Earth.

“Well, I took a couple things without permission. I paid for it later, but she’s still pretty upset with me,” Raya told them, trying to be vague enough to not get into the gruesome details but elaborate enough for their curiosity to be satisfied.

“Why did you take things without permission? Ma always takes my toys away whenever I try to do that,” the little boy asked. Raya bit her lip in thought.

“Well, I don’t really have a lot of help from other people and I got hungry. I needed to take food without permission or else I wouldn’t feel good,” Raya said softly. The girl’s eyes widened in sympathy.

“We have food! Maybe we can help,” the child offered. Raya smiled fondly and ruffled her hair. If there’s one thing Raya actually liked about kids, it was their big heart.

“I appreciate it, but I’m pretty okay now. The goal here is just to get you two home all safe and sound,” Raya smiled. She cleared her throat and changed the subject. “So, what are your guys’s names? You know mine but I don’t know yours yet.”

“I’m Kanda! And this is my little brother Arun. He’s five and I just turned seven,” Kanda told her proudly. Arun nodded in affirmative, showing that his big sister gave Raya the correct information.

“Ah, that’s awesome! What else have you guys been up to?” Raya asked in order to distract them from the fact that they were so far from home. Needless to say, her strategy was effective.

As the two children blabbed on about who knows what, Raya was half paying attention and half focusing on the position of the sun. Trying to get these kids home too soon would be a death wish on her part, but she also didn’t want them to have to suffer being with her later than necessary.

After what Raya assumed was a couple hours, she decided now was a good time to let these children come home. She clapped her hands to get the kids attention and let them know the plan. Because yes, Raya absolutely needs a plan for this.

“Okay young ones, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to get us on the road to your house and one of you guys needs to tell me where to go. But you need whisper, or I could get caught by Namaari and that won’t be fun for any of us. Once you guys find your house, I’ll help you guys off of Tuk Tuk and we will all go on with our normal lives,” Raya explained. “We good on that?”

The kids nodded in confirmation as Raya helped them both on her dear pillbug. She urged Tuk Tuk forward and rode the first couple minutes in total silence. Until she got interviewed by the kids once more.

“Hey Raya, what happened with you and Princess Namaari? You don’t seem to like each other very much,” Arun asked quietly. Oh perfect, the one question Raya didn’t want them asking. She was pretty sure she would have preferred the where do babies come from talk over this.

“That’s a long story that I don’t think we have the time for right now,” Raya said. Honestly, she wasn’t wrong. For full details, they would definitely be there all night.

“So we can talk about it later, then?” the boy asked. Raya sighed tiredly at that question. After all, she was sure she would never see either of these kids again. While she didn’t want to lie to the boy’s face, she still wanted to give him a small peace of mind.

“We’ll see what happens,” Raya said, which thankfully seemed to satisfy Arun. The rest of the journey was quiet until Raya saw the last thing she wanted to see other than Namaari.

The Druun.

She had completely forgotten about them.

“Stay on Tuk Tuk, everything is going to be fine,” Raya boldly declared as the Druun started getting closer.

The children screamed in terror as the black and purple masses of pure hatred circled around them, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Raya hopped off Tuk Tuk to grab her gem shard from her bag.

The young woman gasped as she didn’t realize an incredibly sharp rock was right beneath her and accidentally sliced her calf right open. Raya hissed in pain but persisted with taking the gem out of confinement to repel the Druun.

She wobbled, and with an outstretched hand, shoved the Dragon Gem right in front of the Druun. They all screeched and retreated back into the depths of the dark forest.

Raya slumped onto the ground in relief as the kids quickly slipped off of Tuk Tuk in order to check on her.

“Are you okay? The Druun almost got you!” Kanda asked worriedly.

“You’ve got a boo boo! It needs help,” Arun added, pointing at her injured leg. Raya waved them both off in order to not cause a panic.

“Guys, I’m fine! I’ve had worse, trust me. Now we need to get moving,” Raya spoke calmly. She tried standing up to walk but was instead met with a sharp pain in her leg that caused her to wince and sit back down on the ground.

“Oh no! We need to get you to my ma, she can help you! She gives me bandages to heal my cuts all the time,” Kanda exclaimed. Raya simply dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

“Seriously, I’m okay. We don’t need to worry your parents with this. They’ll just be happy you two are back home,” Raya gritted out, desperately trying to ignore the burning in her calf.

“If you don’t let our ma help you, I’ll started screaming,” Kanda told her bluntly. Raya gaped at her and shook her head.

“No, no you will not because there’s no reason to,” Raya interjected. Kanda nudged her brother who then got the message and glared at Raya.

“I’ll scream, too” Arun said. Raya huffed at the two kids ganging up on her.

“Oh c’mon Arun, I thought we were buds!” Raya cried out. The little boy just smiled smugly at her and crossed his arms.

“Let my ma help because you know what’s going to happen if you don’t,” Kanda grinned. Raya scoffed and shook her head.

“Oh please, you two are probably all bark and no bite. I’m not-,” Raya was interrupted by both children releasing a high pitched scream for all the world to hear.

Raya then frantically covered their mouths with her hands and shushed them. Damn these kids, who knew what or who was out here! They could attract wild animals or worse, Namaari and her Fang buddies! Raya sighed, knowing she had to surrender.

“Alright, alright! I’ll let your ma take a look at me when we get you two home! Now stay quiet and let’s get going,” Raya snapped as she all but threw the kids back onto her dear pillbug. After quite a bit of effort on her part, Raya was able to hoist herself back onto Tuk Tuk and continue the journey.

After a few more minutes of silent riding, the trio finally made their way back into town. Thankfully, the whole place was completely deserted. Luck finally chose Raya for once in her life. She turned back to the kids and gestured towards the town.

“Alright, tell me where I need to go. Remember, speak quietly,” Raya whispered.

Kanda was apparently the chosen one that mumbled the directions for Raya. Thankfully, it took almost no time for them to reach the children’s house. Kanda helped Arun slide off of Tuk Tuk and they raced to reach the door. They barely had to knock once before the door was swung open. Raya visibly cringed at the sight she saw.

Their parents looked terrible. Eyes were red, hair in complete disarray, and incredibly pale skin. They looked like a couple of walking corpses.

It only occurred to Raya right then and there that these people probably thought their kids had perished in the fire. She was brought back to attention as both parents fell to their knees in heart wrenching sobs as they brought their kids in for a long hug.

The mother looked up and noticed Raya sitting there on her pillbug and waved sheepishly. A string of ‘thank you’ to Raya and ‘we were so worried’ to her children flew from her mouth as her husband soon followed her example.

Raya smiled slightly at the sight of their little family reunion. Moments like these made her wish she had a parent to hold her, too. She shook off the thought before she could dwell on it. Now wasn’t the time. Raya snapped back to reality at hearing Arun’s little voice speak up.

“Ma, our friend Raya got hurt. Can you help her?” the little boy asked. Raya sighed and shook her head.

“You guys really don’t have to. I’m sure it’s been a long day for you all so I’m totally fine with just getting on the- oh okay so this happening,” Raya said in surprise as the mother causally scooped Raya up in her arms like a baby and carried her into their home.

“None of that nonsense. You saved our babies’s lives. Patching up your leg is the least we can do,” the mother assured. Raya frowned nervously seeing Tuk Tuk sit there in the open. If Namaari came around, she’d recognize him instantly. Even if it’s dark, it’s not exactly hard to find him.

“Uh, do you think we can bring my pillbug inside with us? He gets cold easily,” Raya awkwardly requested. The woman nodded and gently set Raya down on their couch.

“Of course. Bring him in, won’t you Chati?” she asked the man who is apparently named Chati. The father of the kids nods and helps Tuk Tuk into the house while closing the door behind him. Raya can breathe easier knowing they’re concealed from the outside world.

The woman gently set Raya on the couch and hurried off to search for what was probably bandages. Arun and Kanda soon wiggled their way to either side of her on the sofa as she took in her surroundings.

It was cute little home with the typical white and gold decor of Fang. Nothing extravagant, but warm and secure for the residents that lived inside. It was nice.

“Alright, I think it’s about time we get you kids to bed,” Chati said as he finished guiding Tuk Tuk into the living room.

“But we want to stay up with Raya! She still needs to tell us about her Namaari story!” Kanda exclaimed, practically attaching herself to Raya’s side. Arun followed his sister’s example in a split second.

“Yeah! We want to stay with her!” the boy agreed. Raya honestly felt a little touched. She can’t remember the last time anyone wanted to spend time with her, even if it was just because of something simple like a story.

“Now now, you two. Raya seems very tired after the wild day you guys have had, all three of you need to rest,” Chati told them calmly. The children instantly plastered identical pouts on their face. Raya tried to think of something to try and get these kids to go to bed. Then she got a great idea.

“I promise to tell you two all about the Namaari story later if you go to bed right now,” Raya bargained. The kids looked at each other, seeming to have a conversation with their eyes as they considered the Heart woman’s offer.

“Fine, but you have to pinky promise to come visit soon. Both of us,” Arun complied. Raya sighed in relief and linked one pinky with Arun as she linked the other with Kanda.

“Alright, the deal is done. Now go upstairs and get in bed, you crazy kids,” Raya grinned and ruffled their hair. The both giggled and raced up the stairs. Chati sighed tiredly before smiling gratefully at her.

“You don’t have to come back around to tell them that story, you know. It seems rather personal. Plus you saved their lives so you really don’t owe them anything,” their father assured her. Raya smiled slightly and shook her head.

“Ah, it’s fine. I don’t mind coming by again to tell them a story. I’m not much of a kid kind of person, but they grew on me,” Raya yawned.

“I’m sure they’re looking forward to it already,” Chati grinned as he followed his kids upstairs to the bed. Raya leaned back against the couch as the children’s mother came back into the room with healing supplies.

“Now try to stay still, this is going to sting,” the kids mother instructed. Raya braced herself and winced as she began cleaning the wound. Damn, it really did sting. Raya grit her teeth and calmly waited until the woman was finished.

“And, there. You’re in the clear,” the mother told her as she finished wrapping up Raya’s leg with bandages. The Heart woman sighed in relief as Chati quietly walked back down with an exhausted look on his face.

“Suda, the kids have no physical injuries from what I saw, they just need rest. Man, what a day,” the father of two groaned. Truer words have not been spoken.

“That’s good to hear. Now Raya, I hope you don’t me asking about what happened today? I promise once I’m done I’ll let you go on with what you need to do,” Suda inquired. Raya internally cried at the thought of talking some more. She hasn’t blabbered this much in one setting for years. It’s actually exhausting. But they have a right to know what happened and kids aren’t exactly the most reliable source of information.

“Sure, go for it,” Raya agreed. Suda smiled and took a seat next to her.

“Well, first off I wanted to apologize for asking you to go in and save them earlier today. After the building collapsed and I didn’t see the kids or you, I thought I just led an innocent stranger to her death,” Suda whispered, eyes full of sadness. Chati stood up from his chair and walked over to his wife to place a comforting hand on her should.

“Hey, no worries. You’re a concerned parent that knew her kids were in danger. I literally asked if you needed help first so I really don’t have anything to be mad about,” Raya shrugged. The mother smiled tiredly and imitated Raya’s shrug.

“Sill, I feel terrible about it. Which leads me to ask why didn’t you just come back after you got them out safely? What was with the delay?” Suda asked in a confused voice. Chati clearly noticed his wife’s tone of voice and squeezed her shoulder.

“Alright, full disclosure here, long story short your princess and I have history. I made a dumb mistake, she betrayed me, my people got turned to stone, and I have had to resort to stealing on multiple occasions just to eat. She’s been on my trail the past couple days for stealing some fruit. If I had tried to bring your kids back after the building collapsed, I’d might as well have surrendered myself to her right then and there,” Raya honestly said. Chati raised an eyebrow at this response.

“Wait, your entire people were turned to stone? You’re from Heart?” the man asked. Raya nodded.

“Yup, born and raised,” the woman confirmed. She decided to leave out the fact that she was Heart’s princess. Or former princess. Can you really be considered the princess of a land if the people are stone?

“That’s terrible! Must have been rough out there,” Chati mused, stroking his beard in thought. Raya gave another shrug.

“It’s not so bad, most of the time. I’m able to get by for the most part,” Raya said. It actually wasn’t even a lie. She had way more good days than one would expect living the way she did.

“But if you only stole a couple things of fruit, why has she been chasing you down? Fang warriors usually don’t concern themselves with petty theft very often to that extent,” Suda said in confusion. Raya snorted and shook her head.

“Yeah, I’d love to know the answer to that question as well. If you figure it out let me know,” Raya scoffed. “I assume she just really has it out for me and is using any excuse to throw me in prison,” the Heart woman sighed. She rubbed her eyes tiredly at the mere thought of Namaari’s determination to capture her.

Raya doesn’t know why it was painful, being so genuinely hated by Namaari. But it is. Times like these made Raya wonder about how their life could have been if Raya didn’t lead Namaari to the Dragon Gem. Would Fang have given up the idea of stealing the gem and just decided peace was the next best way? Could Namaari and Raya have actually had the chance to be friends? Maybe even more? Or were they doomed from the start and something else would have happened to the gem anyways causing the Druun to return? No, Raya, stop thinking about what ifs. They don’t matter because they’ll never happen.

“Oh you poor thing. Here,” Suda said, handing Raya a small towel. The Heart woman gasped as she gently placed her hands on her face to discover tears streaming down her cheeks. She hadn’t even noticed until now.

Raya hastily wiped away her tears on the towel and tossed it away like it was poison. Sweet hell, it was humiliating to cry in front of strangers. Not to mention the fact that she cried over Namaari, of all people, the woman that wants her gone for good. Yeah okay, Raya wants to leave now.

“I appreciate you both for your hospitality, but I need to get going. Take care of yourselves,” Raya groaned as she carefully walked over to where Tuk Tuk lay.

“Before you go is there anything we can do to help? Like any supplies that you need restocked?” Chati questioned.

“I’m fine on resources right now. Anything you tried to give me now would just go bad,” the Heart woman replied. Suda frowned and crossed her arms.

“Well there has to be something we can do. You saved our kids lives and just treating a cut doesn’t feel like proper repayment,” Chati insisted. Raya internally sighed at Suda’s nod of agreement. She really didn’t need anything right now, she just wanted to disapp- wait. Now that’s an idea.

“On second thought, I do have something you can do for me,” Raya decided. They both nodded enthusiastically at her words.

“Of course, anything,” Suda complied. Raya braced herself for their reactions at the slightly odd request she was about to make.

“I want you guys to tell Namaari I’m dead,” Raya told them. Clearly, that was not what either parent had in mind. They were looking at her like she grew a second head.

“Do you mind saying that again, maybe more slowly with elaboration?” the father asked with an immense amount of confusion in his voice, which didn’t surprise Raya at all. She figured it would take a bit of convincing for them to lie right to their princess and future chief.

“I said I want you guys to tell Namaari I died in the fire. Once she gets word that your kids are alright, I’m positive she’s going to try and find me. And I’m going to be real with you guys, I’m kind of sick of her constantly on my tail. Naturally, if she thinks I’m dead I won’t need to deal with her which is going to make my life a lot easier. Probably hers too, now that I think about it,” Raya told them. The couple exchanged a look before staring at Raya once more.

“I don’t think telling her you died is a very good idea, Raya,” Suda said while giving her an expression the Heart woman was unable to interpret. Raya frowned at her response before realizing the mother was absolutely right.

“Oh, I didn’t even think about that! If you said I died in the fire, they obviously would have caught you in the lie because my body wasn’t found in the building. Even I did get caught in the fire they would have at least found part of my corpse,” Raya frowned, trying to think of another way to shake Namaari off her scent.

“Right,” Suda laughed, albeit rather nervously. Raya bit her lip in concentration to come up with a new solution when it came to her.

“Instead, you can tell her I turned to stone! The story is that when I got the kids back to safety, I ran off to escape Namaari but accidentally led us all right towards the Druun! The kids were able to get away on Tuk Tuk but I wasn’t so lucky and got turned to stone. Then they found their way back to you on the pillbug and that was that! It’s perfect! It was dark out so the kids don’t remember where my statue is and since they got away on Tuk Tuk, Namaari won’t question his tracks around the village! Man I’m good,” Raya cheered as she formulated the perfect lie. “Of course, you’re going to need to make sure the kids don’t say a word about me to anyone. But hey, with the right bribe kids will do just about anything,” Raya grinned, feeling very comfortable with her little scheme.

“Something tells me that’s not what my wife was going for when she told you that we shouldn’t lie about your death,” Chati grimaced. Raya shrugged at the response.

“C’mon, it’s a fool proof plan! Just don’t mention Tuk Tuk’s actual name since naturally I would have had to be the one to tell you that name and we’re golden,” the Heart woman smiled. The two adults frowned deeply and seemed to be trying to find the right words to say.

“Are you sure you want to tell Namaari you’re stone? She seemed really upset when we told her you went into the fire. Death and becoming stone aren’t that different,” Suda said. Raya merely scoffed at the older woman’s words.

“Yeah, she was upset because she thought the fire was able to do me in before she could. Oh man I wish I could see her face when you tell her I’m stone. She’s going to be pissed when she thinks the Druun got me before she could,” Raya smirked. Chati just sighed and shrugged.

“Well, we do owe you our lives, so if that’s what you want we’ll do it,” Chati agreed rather reluctantly. Raya sighed in relief at the man’s compliance.

“Thank you so much, you have no idea how helpful this is going to be. I understand that it’s must be really hard to lie to the princess of your land so I really do appreciate it. And hey, if they somehow catch you in the lie you can just say your kids were making a bunch of things up. They’re not even double digits, no one can get mad at that,” Raya said, noticing their hesitance to fulfill her request.

The Heart woman quickly opened the door and scanned the area. Okay, it’s completely deserted which means it’s time to get the hell out of dodge.

“Well, I should really get going. Things to do after all. I guess I’ll see when I tell your kids my Namaari story. I’ll leave out the harsher parts, I assure you,” Raya said as she managed to heave herself onto Tuk Tuk for the umpteenth time today.

“We’ll be waiting. Stay safe out there,” Suda told her while Chati smiled and waved. Raya returned said wave and urged Tuk Tuk on.

Wow, that was a lot. Now that Raya had time to herself, she’s finally able to process what happened today. She almost died! Like, honestly and truly died. Then she basically kidnapped a couple of kids and held them hostage from their parents. Raya decided it would be best not to mention that last bit to anyone. Ever.

Then there’s her Namaari situation that she finally solved after nearly five years. Oddly enough, Raya actually doesn’t feel like she solved anything. But this is what she wanted, for Namaari to finally leave her alone. The Heart woman should be way more happy that she won’t see the Fang princess anymore.

But somehow, she still felt the tears streaming down her face for the second time tonight at the thought of being completely erased from Namaari’s mind. Raya didn’t realize that she actually enjoyed the fact that the Fang woman was constantly after her. In a strange way, Namaari is the only person that’s cared about her all these years.

It’s so painfully funny to Raya, honestly. The girl that’s hurt her the most is the one that makes Raya feel as close to happy as she can feel given the circumstances. The Heart woman has a nasty habit of torturing herself with what ifs about Namaari, especially after they encounter each other which was shown a lot today.

Now, it’s over. No one gives a damn about who she is and they certainly never will. Raya is incredibly ashamed to realize she’s crying so hard that she couldn’t breathe. Tuk Tuk had actually stopped rolling in fear that she would fall from her lack of stability.

Raya let out a loud sob and completely crumpled onto Tuk Tuk’s shell. Everything hurt, and she didn’t know how or why. Maybe she just needs to let it all out, and let it all out she did.

It had to have been at least twenty minutes before the woman’s cries died down enough to the point where she felt they could finally get moving again. Raya sighed quietly and lightly nudged the pillbug’s shell.

“Tuk Tuk, roll. Feel free to go at your own pace. We have all the time in the world now,” Raya rasped out. The pillbug immediately did as instructed and rolled himself at probably the slowest pace he’s ever been.

Tuk Tuk was so slow, in fact, that Raya was actually able to make sense of the world around her. How the trees leaves are formed, how bright the stars are, even the way the dirt gets picked up in the wind. Raya giggled as she saw a couple of birds fight over a single berry.

Going slow and seeing all these little parts of nature made the Heart woman feel light. See, this is the feeling Raya wanted to feel now that Namaari will no longer be chasing after her. If Raya had been zipping by like usual, she’d never get to observe her environment that could be so beautiful without the Druun around to ruin it.

Out of nowhere, Tuk Tuk began rolling at a much faster rate. Raya looked back in worry that some new threat was chasing them only to discover nothing was there. She frowned in confusion and was about to stop the pillbug when suddenly Tuk Tuk rolled right over a large rock and they were airborne.

“Woooo!” Raya yelled as she briefly soared through the sky. She laughed loudly as they came back down to Earth.

She completely forgot how much fun it was to roll onto the rocks with Tuk Tuk. The pillbug knew how much fun Raya has when they go flying so Tuk Tuk must have done it to cheer her up. The Heart woman smiled and affectionately patted the top of his shell. Turns out, she isn’t so alone after all.

Now was the question of what she should do with her newly found freedom. Raya wants to use this opportunity to do something she wouldn’t have done with Namaari chasing her. The Heart woman hasn’t checked all the rivers in Fang yet so she wants to stay in the land’s borders. Plus, she doesn’t want to stray too far from her path to the next rivers.

Raya’s eyes lit up when she remembered somewhere that she’s been wanting to visit here in Fang. There’s a beautiful place in the northern parts of Fang’s forest that has ten of the most enchanting waterfalls that all lead to one little pond. Not to mention the fact that it’s right next to one of the rivers Raya hasn’t checked yet.

With a new destination in mind, Raya almost urged Tuk Tuk faster but stopped herself. There’s no point in making the poor pillbug go faster than he needs to. The poor guy deserves some rest after what Raya put him through today.

Besides, no one’s chasing her anymore. Ah, Namaari. How Raya hopes the Fang princess trips on her own shoes.

Thoughts of Namaari suddenly reminded the Heart woman of what Suda said about her being worried over Raya. She felt the urge to snort at the idea of Namaari sincerely caring about whether she lived or died.

Hah! Maybe in another life. But it sure as hell isn’t in this one. And Raya is sure that she will soon be able to make peace with that.

**********************

“The children that were in the fire have returned completely unharmed, Princess Namaari. There’s a good chance Raya managed to worm her way out of the building as well,” one of the Fang warriors said. Namaari can never remember this guy’s name. But that’s not important. What is important is finding the damned binturi that’s caused her so much grief.

“Prepare my serlot immediately. I’ll go over and ask that family if they were able to see her before she escaped. Alone,” Namaari commanded. The warrior that Namaari seriously needs to learn the name of nods in understanding and leaves to fulfill their task.

Raya of Heart. The damned woman that Namaari’s been after for the past couple days. Past four years, really. And the Fang princess still isn’t entirely sure why she’s so determined to capture Raya.

Sure, the Heart woman can technically be considered a criminal. She did take fruit without paying. That is illegal. However, such a small crime like that usually wouldn’t gain this much persistence from Namaari to hunt the offender down.

Unless said offender was Raya, of course.

The Heart woman always got under Namaari’s skin simply by existing and it pissed her off to no end. Raya’s smug little smile whenever she got away scot free, the cocky personality she always let shine through, the stupid little pillbug that helps her escape every damn time, it all drives Namaari nuts.

The Fang woman wants to get rid of that nuisance of a former princess for good. And what better time than the present?

She was snapped out of her thoughts when the warrior she still doesn’t know the name of told her the serlots were good to go. Namaari pulled herself onto the overgrown cat and off they went.

Namaari rode in silence until she reached the bustling little village. She cringed at the sight of the completely demolished building in the town square. Namaari made a mental noted to send some workers to help with the repairs of the building.

The Fang princess yawned as she finally reached the house that held the children that were caught in the fire. At least, they were supposed to be in this house. Namaari would admit, her mind has been distracted lately.

She gave a couple of loud knocks on the door before it swung open to reveal the rather tired looking couple she had encountered the day before. At least now Namaari knew this was definitely the right place. The couple immediately formed a gem symbol as a sign of greeting.

“Princess Namaari, it is an honor to see you. I take it you’re here to check on the wellbeing of our children?” the mother inquired. Namaari returned the gem symbol before speaking.

“That would be correct, Suda. How are they?” Namaari asked. The woman smiled tiredly and leaned against her husband for support.

“Thankfully, they’re okay. They had a long night, so both of them are still asleep at this hour,” the older woman explained. Chati nodded in agreement to back up his wife’s statement.

“That’s wonderful news,” Namaari sighed in relief. The safety of her people were always a priority, so she was incredibly thankful everyone was okay. But now, onto more serious matters.

“That being said, the woman you asked to help your children is actually a thief. I’ve been tracking her down for the last few days and I was wondering if you saw her at all?” Namaari asked. She already didn’t feel good as the the two parents frowned and gave each other another look.

“Princess Namaari, I’m very sorry to say this, but she got turned to stone,” Chati explained with a saddened look on his face.

No. There’s no way. Raya would never let the Druun get her. She’s much too annoying to just turn to stone. Namaari can’t accept this. She won’t.

“How can you be so sure?” the Fang woman asked with a shaky voice that surprised even herself. Why on Earth did Namaari sound like she’s on the verge of tears?

“Well, our kids came back on a big pillbug called Tuk Tuk without her, so that was a bad sign in itself. We asked what happened to her and the kids said the Druun surrounded them. They ran off to find a river but she fell off the pillbug at the last second and didn’t make it,” Suda explained. If Namaari was paying more attention, she would have been able to see the sharp glared Chati shot his wife at the mention of the pillbug’s name. But how could Namaari pay attention to anything when Raya was stone?

“Oh, so that’s what the pillbug’s name is? That woman must have told the kids his name before she became stone,” the man said offhandedly. Namaari inhaled a deep breathe before speaking once more.

“Do you happen to know where her statue is?” Namaari asked in a voice she prayed was calm and collect. The man frowned and shook his head.

“Your guess is as good as ours, honestly. It was completely dark out and our kids were so panicked trying to get away from the Druun they don’t even remember which way the entered town from. The only one that even has a slight chance of tracking down her statue would be the pillbug, but he’s long gone by now,” Chati told her with remorse in his voice.

“I see,” Namaari choked out. She finally rid herself of that pesky woman. She got what she wanted. Yet somehow Namaari was fighting the growing urge to scream from how upset she is.

“Maybe if you followed the pillbug’s tracks, you could find her statue? There’s a good chance he returned to her side after he left us,” Suda suggested. Chati then made an oddly strangled choking noise at the suggestion but Namarai was too wrapped up in her thoughts to care.

“No, it’s fine. There’s not really any point. Damned pillbug would attack me the second he saw me anyways. Well, thank you both for your help and I’m very thankful that your kids are alright,” Namaari stated calmly. With that final sentence lingering in the air, the Fang princess walked right back to her serlot and rode off into the forest.

And now she could finally scream. It ripped from her throat before she even knew what was happening. So what if some petty thief turned to stone? Plenty of people had become stone these past four years! It’s not like Namaari actually cares about Raya so there’s no reason to be so heartbroken.

But all Namaari could think about was how she would never see Raya ever again. Their blades would never cross, skin would never touch, eyes would never meet. Ever.

That should relieve Namaari. The Fang princess wants to feel happy at the weight off her back dealing with the runaway woman for good. But it just hurts.

Maybe, somewhere deep down, Namaari had been hoping there is a chance for her and Raya to reconcile. The Fang princess has been having literal dreams about some alternate universe where there is no Druun or war, just her and Raya recently. It’s the real reason she’s been so determined to capture the Heart woman, to potentially make those dreams a reality.

And now, it was impossible. Raya is stone and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. So all Namaari could do was grit her teeth and continue her ride back as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Namaari meant what she said four years ago. In another life, her and Raya could have been friends. Maybe even more. Unfortunately, it’s not this life. It never will be.

**********************

“Suda, light of my life, what the hell was that?” Chati snapped as Namaari finally disappeared from view. His wife simply scowled and turned away from him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she simply said as if she didn’t almost give away the fact that Raya is very much not stone. Chati sighed and shook his head.

“No, I know you better than that, dep la. We’re married, after all. So tell me why exactly you went against what we planned on saying to Namaari back there. Hell, you even encouraged her to track him down!,” Chati firmly told her.

“I just think she should have at least a bit of hope Raya’s alive,” Suda said stiffly. Chati rolled his eyes so hard he almost saw his brain. It’s like his wife thinks he’s an idiot. Honestly, she probably does.

“We promised her we would tell Namaari she’s stone, Suda! That woman saved our children’s lives and we need to do right by her! I can not believe you almost ruined that!” Chati yelled. He was actually really mad right now. There is no reason for his wife to try and mess up the plan.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry,” his wife sighed, looking apologetic. The anger he felt immediately diminished seeing the look on Suda’s face.

“I just want to understand why on Earth you did that,” Chati sighed. The Fang woman pursed her lips and sat down on their sofa.

“Their fates are intertwined, Chati. I can see it. There is something powerful between them. Those girls are going to find love within in each other,” Suda told him. Chati groaned at her response.

Now, if it was anyone else, Chati would have called them crazy for claiming those two girls were going to fall in love one day. They both literally talked about how much they want to get rid of each other!

But this wasn’t just anyone, oh no. It was his wife. His dep la. And Chati learned very early on in their relationship that Suda had a knack for calling out furture lovers.

On their very first dinner as a couple, Suda pointed out how a couple right beside them were destined to get married. It seemed plausible enough because they saw said couple exchanged a kiss on the cheek. Chati had also overhead they were in a courtship for nearly one year. Marriage did make sense.

But what really made him think something strange was going on was when Suda claimed two people were going to get married when they were in the town square about a month after that dinner. However, as Chati looked closely at the people his wife pointed out, they were standing on opposite sides of the square. The man watched as the two passed right by each other without even blinking an eye, so it was quite obvious they didn’t know each other. Chati highly doubted they would be getting married based on that experience. But he wasn’t going to say that out loud because he was still in the stage of impressing Suda at the time so he just nodded and moved on.

About five months later, Chati passed by a small wedding located at a lake. To the man’s great surprise, it was the two people Suda had mentioned at the town square. He wasn’t able to get rid of his curiosity so he asked one of the guests when they met. Apparently, they only met four months ago but hit it off so well that they decided to get married as soon as possible. And his wife managed to call it right from the get go.

Every time Suda predicated a future marriage, it always played out. Chati began to realize that when his wife said a pair would fall in love, that is exactly what would happen.

So if Suda claimed Namaari and Raya were meant to be lovers, then there was no doubt in Chati’s mind it was going to happen. However, that’s none of his damn business.

“Look, no matter the situation, we can’t interfere with their personal lives. We made a promise and we need to stick with it. We just got lucky Namaari seemed too distracted to pick up on the clues,” Chati said. His wife hummed in agreement.

“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Suda giggled. “Well, a small nudge in the right direction couldn’t hurt could it-”

“Absolutely not,” Chati spoke, cutting her off real fast. “Besides, if you’ve come to realize their paths will cross once more, I’m sure it’ll happen eventually. We just need to give them time.”

“But that could take forever!” Suda whined. He let out a loud laughed and kissed her on the cheek.

“I know, dep la, you’ve never been a very patient person. For now, we should focus on waking up the kids and finding a solid bribe for them to not talk about Raya outside of this house,” Chati grinned as he held out his hand for his wife to take. When his wonderful wife interlaced her fingers with his, they both began walking up the stairs to brave yet another day in parenthood.

As the Fang man gently shook his dear kids awake, he couldn’t help but wonder what those two girls were up to now. Intertwined fates or not, Chati knew that it was going to take a lot of work for those two to become the lovers his wife predicted they would be.

Well, they had their entire lives to figure it out.

Taglist: @faithfulwarrior-og @isitbussinjanelle @ratld-sideblog @tigerlillyruiz @anywhere-but-here-plz

#raya and the last dragon #namaari #raya x namaari #rayaari #namaari x raya #ratld #ratld namaari #ratld raya #raya and namaari #raya disney #disney raya #rayamaari #raya of heart #raymaari #raya namaari #namaari of fang #ratld incorrect quotes #raya incorrect quotes

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cafeinthemoon · 3 years

Text

The Home I Crave - Chapter 4

Title: The Home I Crave

Genre: Fanfiction

Pairing: Tobirama Senju x reader

Rating: teen and up

Word count: 2938

Chapter: 4/?

Symbols: ⭕ | ➕ | 💛 | ▶️▶️

Read the previous chapter here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Though your future husband had his own residence separated from the Hokage’s, you weren’t sent there after being informed that you would stay in the village for the next days. Instead, you would be a guest in Hashirama’s house, and Mito would provide you the orientation you’d need in your new role.

The Uzumaki princess, with her vivid presence and smartness, helped you to find ways to fill your days with meaningful activities, so you wouldn’t see time passing until the wedding and wouldn’t have many chances to feel like a burden staying in the house of strange people counting on their assistance. You couldn’t entirely avoid this sensation, which led you to decline from small favors and treats that were offered to you from time to time; on the other hand, you found some relief once you realized that the manners showed by the Hokage’s wife during the reception were not mere formality: Mito’s interest in your well being was genuine, and she was not going to give up on making you as comfortable as possible under the current circumstances.

It was better this way, you thought. So you just let her be the friend she was willing to be.

In fact, Mito Uzumaki was an excellent friend: she would always answer your questions and doubts with honesty and objectivity and never hide when she didn’t have the information you needed; the things she asked about you were never embarrassing or invasive, and you always saw yourself willing to talk when she made you questions. You spoke to her about your life with your sisters, your training at your clan’s compound, your use of Doton and how it is a characteristic of your family since the oldest generations; Mito explained that her clan was specialized in sealing techniques the same way your were proficient in Earth Style, and when you asked her about them, she described the history and the creation of the most important among them.

During your time together, most of your conversations consisted in you two exchanging your experiences as shinobi, your families and your relationships with your friends. You discovered opinions and preferences in common despite the obvious differences in your personalities: while you had a tendency to live in your head if you were left alone and not speak your mind unless you were invited too, Mito was straightforward when it came to expressing her thoughts, though she was never rude while doing it; many times she took the initiative to start the conversations, and the mission of taking out your thoughts would almost always fall on her shoulders, no matter how many times she assured you that you were free to speak whenever you needed to.

One day, when this situation happened, she looked into your eyes and gave you an advise for which you would thank her later, when you’d be a married woman facing the challenges typical of your new condition:

- I am always encouraging you to not keep everything to yourself when you have the chance to talk, but maybe I’ve failed in explaining why I insist so much in this, y/n-san.

You blinked in surprise and curiosity.

- In this case, let me ask you your reasons for doing this, Mito-san.

- This can be good for you in any circumstance of your life, of course, but the main reason is that this is the most efficient way to communicate with Tobirama.

You clenched your hands to avoid the trembling that was about to reach them after you heard his name. It’s been a while since it was mentioned between you: you’d usually hear it when Hashirama came home and mentioned something concerning his work or a message sent by his brother. However, you always felt it differently whenever it was said by Mito.

You asked little about him since that conversation you had when you first met the Uzumaki woman. You didn’t like to think you were avoiding the topic, though your attitude would say that this was exactly what you were doing; the case was that you didn’t have so much to ask about him after everything she told you that day, and knowing that he was the brain behind the measures of the new alliance between your clans already said too much about the person he was: any other minor information you’d get would sound superfluous compared to that. Mito noticed your reluctance in this, and despite never asking about your reasons for it, she chose to respect it.

To speak the truth, you would only talk about Tobirama when you got in touch with something – a place, a circumstance, an idea – that, according to Mito, reminded of him in some way. There was a time when you were taking a walk at the shores of a river around the village and she commented that you were walking at one of his favorite places to fish and spend time alone after stressful days.

- If he suddenly disappears, it is almost certain that you will find him here – she smiled – But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to come here unannounced when he’s trying to get some rest. He’s too attached to his privacy.

You looked around and couldn’t judge him for this feeling: that was a beautiful, calm place; you wouldn’t appreciate being interrupted if you were there seeking for relief from the burdens of the day.

Episodes like this happened with some frequency, and you took the opportunities to enrich the image you were creating of him. Everything you discovered was interesting in their own way, though you weren’t still able to decide if your final opinion was good or not. Maybe it was something between the two – shinobi were always in the gray zone of the human moral compass. And when you remembered that you, as a kunoichi, were included in this account, you refrained yourself from pointing your finger at him.

However, there was a parameter that remained unconsidered to you among all the others, perhaps because of your lack of attention or the great amount of urgent preoccupations you already had, and about which you’d only come to think when you were directly led to it – Tobirama’s physical appearance.

After your experience with Hokage, you were aware that sometimes informations could be deceiving depending on their source and the person who received them. With all you’ve heard about him and considering what you thought of the arrangements led by him, it was possible that your betrothed’s looks were just like his personality: not the most pleasing one, and even scary at some point. But when you added the fact that he had a brother like Hashirama, well, maybe he was nothing like this. At some moment, you started to imagine that he could resemble his brother in some traits, or he was just like the men you saw working in the office during the meeting: all of them had a certain level of resemblance, something that made it possible for a stranger to identify them as members of the same clan, even if they were not blood relatives.

Whatever the truth, all you had was a just a vague idea, a second hand thought that you weren’t willing to turn into a concrete concept or to confirm with Mito: it was more interesting just to hear her talk about his actions and attitudes.

You would only change your mind when, thanks to an unexpected incident, you ended up finding a portrait of him.

You were still getting used to the structure of the Hokage’s house: though your own residence at your clan’s compound was large, formed by many rooms, the corridors were few, not enough to form the same intricate labyrinth of the building you were now. Still, you wouldn’t avoid walking through them without company in order to train your sense of direction, and thanks to the orientations you received from Mito regarding the rooms you had permission to enter, you weren’t afraid of invading the wrong place. But you would still get confused if you entered the wrong corridor.

This is what happened that time, so that instead of reaching the living room you got into a narrow hall with a collection of photographs on the walls of both sides.

You recognized some of the landscapes in them from the path you and your group took when you arrived at Konoha’s territory: hills, rivers and the forest’s entry; some of the residences and farms were there too.

You also identified some of the people: there was a rectangular portrait of Hashirama Senju in what you understood to be his official clothing as the village’s governor; Mito Uzumaki appeared in another picture right beside it, surrounded by a group of men and women with their hair as red as hers and dressed in the same style, leading you to the conclusion that they were part of her family or were close friends; there were also pictures with some of the people you saw in the office beside those two.

The majority of the photos were of people you didn’t know but were certainly close to the ones you knew. There was a photograph of a middle aged man wearing a reddish armor; wrapped on his forehead there was a white stripe with the crest of the Senju. The man had his skin as tanned as Hashirama’s, and his hair was straight and dark just like his, though it wasn’t that long. Looking closer, you noticed the two shared similar face traits despite the lack of gentleness and freshness of the older man if compared to the younger one. There was no identification in the picture, but you thought that this man could be Hashirama’s father. If this was the case, they must haven’t had nothing in common besides the appearance.

Near this photograph, there were other, larger, with a group of children surrounding a woman, all of them wearing the Senju traditional clothing. One of the children, a boy with a bowl haircut, shared some resemblance with the man of the previous image: you looked at him for a moment and recognized Hashirama. The other children, all boys, and the woman were too different from him and between themselves, but there was something in them that told you they were relatives, so that if that was the Hokage’s mother, those boys should be his brothers. With this, your natural reaction was to wonder which of them could be Tobirama.

The first kid, close to Hashirama, had a scar on his cheek and brown hair; he was the one with the widest smile. The second, sitting right after him with a sweet look and some shyness in his manners, had white skin and a hair parted in two contrasting shades: white on the right side and dark brown on the left. The third boy, standing up beside the woman and separated from the others, was the one who most resembled her; he was staring at the camera with a serious, firm look. He had the same light skin tone of the second child, and his shaggy hair was of a shade similar to the lighter side of that boy’s hair as well; but the thing that caught your attention in this one was that pair of red eyes, just like the woman’s, with which he looked into the lens, to the photographer or to something beyond them. It wasn’t the look one would expect from a child.

Considering what Mito told you during the tea and what you thought of the arrangements, you were thinking that this kid had the highest probability of being…

- Oh.

Your voice escaped when you took a step ahead to observe the next photograph and found in it a figure entirely different from the ones you’ve saw until that moment.

The portrait was the same size as the one of the Hokage and it showed a young man in a blue armor, with his arms crossed, looking at the lens with the same perspicacity you sensed in the boy’s look. His armor was different from the one of the middle aged Senju who you supposed to be his father: around his shoulders there was a huge, white fur attached to his forearm protectors, all of them together creating the impression that his torso was larger than it really was; under the armor, he was wearing a black shirt that covered his neck and arms until his fists; he wasn’t wearing gloves. On his face, he had a gray happuri with the Leaf crest carved on its forehead.

The man had white, voluminous hair that would rebel against the steadiness of his general aspect, as a minor inconvenience that remained out of his control and to which he was already used; looking closer, you realized it wasn’t of a pure white, but of a slight shade of gray. His skin, only visible through his uncovered hands and face, was light, even pale if you compared him to other people who spent as much time under the sunlight as him certainly did as a warrior; was it a peculiarity of him or just the environment where the photo was taken? You had no way to tell. On his face, too, the light tone served as a white canvas for what you thought to be facial painting or tattoos: three red marks spreading over his chin and under his eyes as slits opened by a kunai; around his eyes, black, thin lines that would contour their natural form, already sharp, giving them the sensitivity of a hunter’s eyes.

Those eyes, you realized with astonishment, were as red as the eyes of the boy from the other photograph.

You went back to the children’s picture to observe his face with more attention, and didn’t need much time to notice the similarities between them. The mannerisms, the traits, the seriousness – they were the same person.

It was when you started to look for portraits of the other children and was unable to find anything except the one of Hashirama in the Hokage’s clothing. You already knew that the Senju head had lost his siblings to war, but just a few days ago you found out there was only one brother left for him. You looked at the blue armored man again…

- Finally I found you.

You startled, almost letting a scream out. When you turned, you found Mito smiling at you.

- If I was an enemy, you would be in trouble.

A glimmer in her eyes insinuated that she has been observing you for a while, waiting for you to notice her presence. You never cursed your lack of sensory abilities as much as in that moment.

- I… I am sorry for this – you apologized, looking at the photographs – I took the wrong corridor and ended up here. I wasn’t expecting to find these pictures, so…

You glanced behind, as if sensing the man’s image right over your shoulder. This didn’t escape Mito’s attention: she walked closer to its spot on the wall, looking in the eyes of the warrior. This gesture eliminated any remaining doubts about the identity of the man.

- You already guessed, didn’t you? – with her unaltered voice, she questioned you without taking her eyes off the picture.

You turned to the portrait too, facing his gaze again.

- This photograph was taken four or five years ago, but he remains the same – Mito continued – Not even a line of expression appeared on his forehead or in the corner of his eyes since then – and with a smile – The same goes to Hashi. Just another talent of the Senju.

You observed the portrait in silence, not interrupted by the princess: having familiarity with arranged marriages as much as you, she was aware of the time one needed to become accustomed with the looks of their betrothed under these circumstances.

You only spoke when you felt prepared to, and when you did, it was to point out that he looked even younger than you expected after all the things you discovered about him.

Mito laughed.

- I don’t blame you. If I didn’t know him or his brother and saw them together for the first time, I would certainly think that Hashirama is the younger one.

You laughed too; when your smile faded, you turned back to your contemplative expression. Now, the white collar and the aspect of his eyes just gave you an idea.

- I hope you don’t find it strange what I’m going to say, Mito-san, but he reminds me of a wolf.

Mito crossed her arms, looking at the picture; now that you were becoming used to her manners, you no longer found it weird to see her doing gestures like that while dressing in noble clothing.

- Nobody never said that about him before, at least not to me – she commented – But it makes sense, now that I’m looking at him.

You stood in silence for some time. You spent it training your eyes to get used to Tobirama’s sight, to the weight of his gaze, for you sensed that once you were together, you wouldn’t have such time. The funny thing was that, while you stood there, you didn’t notice how much time passed, only waking up when you heard Mito’s giggle beside you.

You turned, only to find her still contemplating her brother-in-law’s image.

- In his own way, he’s a beautiful man, isn’t he?

You sensed heat coming up your cheeks, mas didn’t refuse to reply.

- Yes. I dare say yes.

#tobirama #tobirama x reader #tobirama senju #tobirama fanfic #naruto fanfiction

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divinaes-bookofsecrets · 3 years

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Private. Hello there I would like a spirit guide reading please -Rochelle (RS) ♉️

Hello 👋hi 👋 (🌺Rs)Rochelle are you a 🐂 ♉?

Really ... if I guessed you correctly you are Taurus in your natal birth chart (I am an aspiring astrologist and zlso do in-depth Astrology Reports based off of your natal birth charting so please do nog hesitate to ask for That next !

Your SpiritGuide is Cressida

💎🦋Galactic-Arctic Fox🦋💎

She is a mystical interterrestrial being from a galaxy through another realm not too far away but just out of reach !

Cressida has been with you since 2018 and should remain by your side as a companion, spiritual guardian 🙏 ✨ and your synchronicity lessons for the rest of your life.

Why is Cressida with me and trying to help or heal my situation and past situations or for future situations anyways? Well.. heres an in depth description of what this particular animal spirit totem means ..

Whats Cressida doing? How can I place her in my life and recognize her?

🦋Whether the White Arctic Fox appears in dreams, visions, waking life or synchronicities, it is a sign and message that you are to keep going, amid the test of your nature and character. Some powerful forces are working on your behalf to sort things out in a favorable outcome or way soon. Whatever you may be going through will soon pass. These tests and trials have made you stronger, and giving in is for the weak. You should realize how far you have come. You will be arriving to a place of rest and completeness soon. 🦋The Arctic Fox is a sign to trust yourself, above trusting anything or one outside of you. At least for the purpose of clarity. IN other words, it is time to pause, breathe, and receive insights from your oversoul or higher self. As a seeker of truth, you cannot allow someone or something else to dilute what you sense. Take time out to refuel so that you can come from a place of neutrality.🦋 You will need to be stubborn in a forthcoming opportunity and trust your instincts. Even if you collaborate with others, or cooperate with them, you must keep your eyes open as no one can look out for you the way that you can for yourself. In other words, watch your own back. Don’t give that responsibility entirely to others.🦋 The Arctic Fox teaches us that, we are only beings and we are all doing things to survive. Your trust is only owed to a higher source. You can cooperate with others, but the key is to look out for yourself always. Don’t just expect others to put you first. 🦋Always follow up, and if possible do things yourself when it comes to projects that require your creativity. The White Arctic Fox is a message that you want others to be better than what they are showing you. In other words, you are looking at the aspect of how a person can be and not what or who they truly are. If you are a part of a group of people who are being intentionally deceptive, it is best to clear up your acts now rather than later. 🦋The Arctic White Fox is about seeing beyond what we are shown, and hearing beyond what we are told. Your psychic senses will be heightened at this time.💎 Pay attention to what is being revealed. 🧿

⚠️This message isn't, obviously resonant with all whose paths it crosses, as perhaps you may come into contact with someone of this vernacular, mastery or skill. Therefore, it is a sign from the universe that you're meant to work with such a person. ⚠️

🦋What does She look like? 🥀

Her fur is multidimensional and is actually the softest known material other than silk in this universe and all other universes including hidden realms..

Since she is a Galactic Arctic Fox you'll expect to see that she looks rather like a regular Arctic White Fox from our home planet Earth🌍But has different highlights and dimensions to her skin and her fur body. She has *fur tattoos* which are blue-- they represent the Element Water(do you have a lot of water 💧in your natal birth charting , I suspect you do 😉 )Her fur tattoos are like a war paint that was branded onto her when she became fully mature and with the seasons her other markings show up - each season - has a different shade of white to blue hue or even teal like transference that takes place , its quite magickal to see.

What is Cressida's personality like?

🦋Cressida has a strong, but warm and gentle but also courageous and brave personality and soul as a Galzctic Arctic Fox 💙 ❤ 💖 She conducts herself with a sense if integrity in every situation(no matter what!) 🦋Integrity is a personal trait that has strong moral principles and core values and then conducting your life with those as your guide.🦋 She has a lot of compassion for all of humanity but especially you (Rs) ♉ This character traits example feels deep sympathy and pity for the suffering and misfortune of others, and you have a desire to do something to alleviate their suffering..She sees that you may be suffering maybe and has messages for you just about to come up .. old on we need to finish her character profile (bio)

🦋Cressida is an honest Galactic fox just as much of them are but there are more certainly the few bunches who are so mischievous that they are notdared to be messed with (worse than the worst fae)

🦋She has strong reliability. This SpiritGuidr's character quality can be consistently depended upon to follow through on your/her commitments, actions, and decisions. She does what she says you she will do.🥀🌍(88% of the time)

😷She hopes you wear a mask because she is very worried and concerned about your welfare during this coronairus. Please don't fall asleep 😴 🙏 😫 😪 😩 😭yet 😴you'll miss her message for you... im going to stop talking zbout her personality there id so much lol.

What is my SpiritGuide messages?

Cressida has a numerology message she has been sending you many other synchronicity but she asks that you pay attention next for the number # 536 if you haven't seen it by now already...

WHATS IT MEAN ANYWAYS?

Number 536 is a blend of the energies and attributes of number 5 and number 3, and the vibrations of number 6. Number 5 resonates with major life changes, making important choices and decisions, promotion and advancements, adaptability and versatility, personal freedom and individuality, life lessons learned through experience and resourcefulness. Number 3 offers assistance and encouragement, communication and enthusiasm, growth, expansion and the principles of increase, broad-minded thinking, self-expression, talent and skills. Number 3 also resonates with the energies of the Ascended Masters. Number 6 relates to love of home, family and domesticity, honesty and integrity, responsibility, compassion and empathy, finding solutions, grace and gratitude, the ability to compromise, emotional depth, provision and providing and the material aspects of life.

Angel Number 536 brings a message from your angels to maintain a positive attitude in regards to your monetary and financial circumstances as changes are taking place that will ensure that your material and monetary needs are met. Your positive affirmations, prayers and optimistic outlook have manifested opportunities to attract prosperity and abundance into your life. Trust that your Spirit Guide(s) especially Cressida.. will surround, support and guide you through these important changes.

Number 536 is a message to trust that the changes you may be going through are happening for your highest good. These changes may involve your career choices, your place of residence and/or an important relationship. Your angels support you through these changes and offer guidance and assistance to make transitions easier. Trust that these changes will have positive effects on your life and will ensure a continued supply of abundance to meet your daily wants and needs.

Number 536 encourages you to move forward with positive plans and ideas as they will prove to be most beneficial in all ways for yourself and your loved ones.

Spiritual Messages...

Cressida wants you to be inspired, creative and most of all live out your destiny!!

🙏 Please take this advice seriously! You need to think about:

Surrounding yourself with people who reflect the character traits you want to embrace.

🦋They will inspire and motivate you to build these traits in yourself.

🦋Try to avoid people who have a weak character and make bad decisions.

🦋When you live your life being true to yourself and honest with others you manifest positive energies and desired results and outcomes. Speak your truths with gentleness and love and accept others with grace and understanding.

Monthly Message from your Spirit Guide ✨ 💛 ❤ 💖

A creak you hear in the dark could be the settling of an old house, or it could be a burglar creeping on the stairs. Loud voices you hear coming in through the windows could be your neighbors arguing, or it could be those same neighbors sharing good news. The lamp going out on your nightstand could be a sign that electricity has shut down, or it could mean you need a new bulb. There is often more than one way to interpret something, and usually there's nothing to worry about. Remember that today, Taurus, if you are tempted to follow worrisome thoughts. It's more likely there's nothing to worry about.

🦋🌍🦋

This is a great week(jan 11th to jan 17th) for you to finally finish one or two of those big projects you put on hold a while back. You may have thought you would never be able to get to them, but if you actually put this into your schedule and get started, you should see that it will all fall into place, and you'll get everything else done that needs to be done. This is also an ideal time to complete important conversations that were left dangling, maybe because there was no answer at the time, or because someone was being elusive about responding. You should find it easier now to get answers and receive honest reactions. Crossing all of these things off your long list will give you a great sense of satisfaction. You may even find that because of this efficiency, you will be inspired by a new idea that allows you to tap into a talent you have not used lately, and that would be a great idea. You have been very assertive in trying to attract an investor, team member, or partner for some project you want to take on. However, you are advised now to take a wait-and-see approach and be patient. What you need will materialize if you kick back a bit and let it come to you.

Thank you for meeting your Spirit Guide!! If you have any questions, concerns, or additional specific questions to ask your Spirit Guide you can always Astral travel and speak to her directly but; if you prefer that I take another independent in depth dive into your world I will 🌍🦋 🌎 I will answer up to 2 questions per ask Thanks for allowing this experience to take place, please 🙏

🦋Like && Share this post 📫 ✨

Much Love😍 ❤ Divinae

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basicsofislam · 3 years

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ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Morals And Manners: Hilm (Gentleness)

Hilm means being inclined to gentleness or mildness; this adjective describes a person who is quiet and peaceful, slow to anger, quick to forgive, and who is in control of their lower nature. It also encompasses good akhlaq because it embodies behavior like patience and tolerance in the face of unpleasant situations, keeping one’s cool when provoked, and remaining dignified, serious and calm in response to distressing or unkind treatment. Hilm, along with humility, is one of the charac- teristics that most pleases God. In fact, these two dispositions are the source and origin of all other good character traits.

In addition to dignity and calm, hilm also means to act with consciousness and without haste. The result is a good and moral manner which pleases God. Hilm is one of the basic elements of good morality. With hilm it is also possible to perfect the mind and to improve other aspects of one’s temperament. Just as knowledge can be gained through learning, so hilm can be attained by making an effort. In other words, it is possible to reachhilm by working.

Hilm is also closely related to controlling one’s negative re- sponses and reactions. It is much more difficult for those who can- not control or reign their temper to attain a state of hilm. Scholars consider the ability to act with hilm to be among the most virtu- ous practices.

Humans are distinguished and privileged among all creatures. God Almighty blessed people with lofty attributes that He en- dowed on no other creature, like intelligence, conscience, mercy, compassion, empathy, and the desire to help, respect, and honor. For this reason, the human being is the most valuable being in all creation.

As we can see, hilm indicates total gentleness, as well as behav- ior such as overlooking faults, forgiving others, and being open to everyone for the sake of dialogue.

THE HILM (GENTLENESS) OF THE PROPHET

Our Prophet, both before and after his prophethood, was the gen- tlest of people. This is a quality that he carried throughout his life. God Himself protected the Prophet from ever losing his hilm, and was pleased with the Prophet because of it. God spoke of this in the Qur’an: “It was by a mercy from God that (at the time of the set- back), you (O Messenger) were lenient with your followers. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have scattered away from about you” (Al Imran 3:159).

The Prophet never thought to avenge himself for wrongs done to his person. In addition, he was the hardest to anger, the easiest to please, and the most forgiving of all. When Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, began his prophetic mission to teach people about God’s commands, the disbelievers in the Quraysh tribe leveled every kind of insult and indignity at him. They ridi- culed the Prophet, threatened to kill him, spread thorns on his path, threw excrement at him, and even threw a noose around his neck and tried to drag him by it. Not stopping at this, they called him a conjurer and sorcerer, and said he was possessed; they tried every- thing they could think of to anger him. But the Prophet endured everything they did to him without reacting.

No one, whoever they may be, would be able to refrain from becoming angry, and thus react and try to respond in kind when insulted or attacked in such a way by others. Yet the Prophet did none of these things. He was extremely calm, patient, and toler- ant. He strove to carry out the responsibility given to him by God. Perhaps this is why he did not respond to the torments he was subjected to.

Someone who heard the Prophet explaining Islam to people in the market place in Mecca related, “Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was declaring the Oneness of God, and that those who believe in the One God would be saved. Abu Jahl started throwing rocks at him, and shouting, ‘People, do not listen to this man! He is trying to get you to abandon your religion. He wants to separate you from our idols Lat and Uzza!’ The Prophet refused to acknowledge the instigation; he did not once turn to look at Abu Jahl. He simply continued his duty.”1

Another day, the Prophet was going to visit Sa’d ibn Ubada, one of the Companions who had fallen ill. On the way, he en- countered a gathering assembled by the ringleader of the unbeliev- ers, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy. The Prophet stopped for a while. Ibn Ubayy began to taunt the Prophet, saying arrogantly, “Careful you, your animal is making dust. Get out of here, your animal is bothering us!” The Prophet greeted the group and then began to speak of Islam. Ibn Ubayy, seeing that the people were listening to him, was beside himself. Saying, “If anyone wants to hear some- thing from you he will come to you! Do not talk to us of Islam!”,

he hurled curses at the Prophet. But the Prophet’s adab would not let him respond in kind; he simply continued his address. On see- ing this, the great poet ‘Abdullah ibn Rawaha was moved; he stood up and said, “O Messenger of God, come here more often, and speak to us; we love you greatly!” Then a disagreement began between the Muslims and the disbelievers. They started to argue. The Prophet, calm and gentle as always, calmed them down and then departed, continuing on his way.2

The Jewish tribes living in the Arabian Peninsula at that time were among the Prophet’s most relentless enemies. Some of them had a rancorous, jealous, greedy character. It should also be noted that these Jews took great pains to separate their own education, scholarship and literature from the Arabs, whom they believed to be inferior in these areas. As a result, they knew about the prophe- cies concerning the advent of a new Messenger, and were waiting for the coming of God’s Messenger. When Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, first declared his prophetic mis- sion from God, many Jews who had thought that the Prophet would be from the Children of Israel did not believe him. These enemies created the most evil strategies against him and tried des- perately to get rid of him.

One of them cast a spell on the Prophet, who became ill and was confined to bed for several days. Finally Archangel Gabriel came and told him, “O Muhammad, one from among the Jewish people cast a spell on you by throwing a knotted string into (such and such a well). Send someone there and have him remove the string.” The Prophet sent Ali, who took out the knotted string and brought it to him. As soon as they untied the knot he was released from the illness and got well. Although he knew who had done this, the Prophet never confronted the perpetrator about it.3

However, there were, of course, good and righteous people among the People of the Book (those who had been blessed with previous Revelations; that is, the Jews and Christians); there were those who sought the truth. There were many signs and much knowledge in the earlier Scriptures regarding the unique characteris- tics and virtues of the coming Prophet, that is, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

One of the most easily recognizable of the signs related in the Torah about the coming Prophet was his hilm. The Torah pro- claimed that the Prophet would be of gentle spirit and show great patience and tolerance in inviting the people to God’s way. The Jewish scholars saw with their own eyes that the Prophet had many qualities which the Torah had predicted. Some of them con- tinued to search and question, and when they saw all of the signs fulfilled in the Prophet they believed him.

One of these Jewish scholars, thinking, “I have seen in him ev- ery single sign and characteristic foretold in the Torah except hilm,” decided to test this last trait. “I went and lent the Prophet thirty di- nar for a specified time. Then I went to him one day before the payment date and said, ‘O Muhammad, pay me back. You sons of Abdul Muttalib never pay your debts on time.’” Hearing this, Umar retorted, “O foul Jew, by God, if we were not in the Messenger’s house, I would slap your face.” But the Messenger said to Umar, “O Umar, God forgive you. I expected better from you. You should have said that I would gladly pay what I owe him, and you should have said that you would assist him to collect it and acted courte- ously toward him.”

The Jewish man recounts, “The Messenger responded to my ignorant, harsh, rude manner only by increasing his own gentleness. He said to me, ‘O Jewish man, I will surely pay you back tomorrow morning.’ Then he told Umar, ‘O Umar, tomorrow morning take him to whichever date grove he wishes, and give him as much as he wishes. Then give him more than he asks for. If he is not pleased with the dates in that grove, take him to another one.’

“The following day Umar brought me to the date grove of my choice. He gave me as much as the Messenger had told him to, and added even more.” The Jewish man, after being repaid in this manner by the Prophet, declared the shahada, or testimony of faith, and became a Muslim. He explained his conversion to Umar as follows: “O Umar, do you know why I acted that way to the Messenger of God? I acted thus because I saw in him all of the characteristics and morals foretold in the writings of the Torah. The only ones I had not observed were hilm and kindness. Today I tried his patience, and he responded just as the Torah said he would. With you as my witness, I hereby donate these dates and half of all my possessions to the poor among the Muslims.” This one simple demonstration of the Prophet’s patience and gentleness brought many other people to belief.4

The Prophet responded to words and actions that were turned against him with maturity, compassion, and kindness. He exhibit- ed akhlaq to a level that others could never possibly reach. Abu Said al-Khudri narrates, “The Prophet was distributing the spoils from the Battle of Hunayn to the Companions who had fought.

He gave a bit more from the captured property to some of the Companions. Among them were Aqra ibn Habis and Uyayna ibn Hisn, who each received a hundred camels. When this happened Dhu al-Khuwaysira of the house of Tamim came to him and ob- jected, saying, ‘O Messenger of God! Do not swerve from equality and justice. By God, this distribution cannot be pleasing to God!’ The Prophet was saddened and answered, ‘Shame on you, if I do not act justly, who will? For if I do not carry out justice, I will earn a terrible punishment. May God’s mercy be on Moses, he was patient in the face of worse insults than this.’”5

Another time the Prophet was in the mosque with the Companions, sitting and talking with them. A Bedouin entered and prayed two rakats of salat, then opened his hands and prayed, “O God, have mercy on me and on Muhammad. Do not have mercy on anyone else.” When the Prophet heard him praying thus, he said, “You are limiting God’s great and wide mercy,” thus cor- recting the Bedouin’s mistake.

A little later, the Bedouin got up, went to a corner of the mosque, and urinated there. When the Companions saw what he was doing they jumped up to stop him. The Prophet, however, in- tervened and told them, “Leave him alone. Let him see what he has done. Later, go and wash it with a bucket of water, for you have been sent to make the way easier, not to complicate.” Then he called the Bedouin to his side and told him, “Mosques are not for reliev- ing ourselves or for any other kind of uncleanness. They are made for the remembrance of God, praying, and reading the Qur’an.”6

This incident happened in the mosque that our Prophet had helped build with his own hands for the purpose of worship; the man had made a very great error. But the Prophet knew that the Bedouin had not done so intentionally, but rather out of ignorance.

It is only when one is confronted with repulsive behavior that a display of understanding, tolerance and gentleness can be truly meaningful; it is at such times that being forgiving and forbearing are most difficult. Indeed, anyone can be patient and calm during normal situations. Just as he was in every other way, the Prophet was extraordinary in his hilm and gentleness. In fact he was utterly unique; it would be impossible to find his equal.

Anas ibn Malik tells of another example of the hilm and gen- tleness of the Prophet: “I was walking with the Prophet. He was wearing a garment made of rough Najran fabric. A Bedouin came running up behind the Prophet, grabbed his robe and yanked it back. His garment was torn and his neck rubbed raw by this roughness.” The man had yanked it so hard and the fabric was so rough that it left an angry welt on the Prophet’s neck. Then the man said, “O Muhammad! Load my camels with grain. For the possessions you hold do not belong to you nor to your father.”

The Bedouin’s behavior was rude and uncouth, and the Prophet was troubled. He turned to the man and said, “First apologize, for you have injured me.” The Bedouin retorted, “No, I will not apolo- gize.” The Prophet was trying to guide him in the way of courtesy, but the other man was unconcerned. The Prophet then turned to the Companions and, ignoring the man’s incivility, instructed them, “Load one of this man’s camels with barley, and the other with dates.” The man, satisfied, went away. The Companions were sur- prised by the Prophet’s kind treatment of this rude Bedouin.7

Likewise, our Prophet treated all those under his authority and in his service with the utmost gentleness; he did not get angry with them or hurt their feelings. Even if they were negligent in their duties or did not do what they said they would, he would only inquire with kindness and polite consideration.

Anas ibn Malik, who was in his service for many years, spoke of the akhlaq of the Prophet: “I served the Messenger for ten years. He never once showed impatience with me, never reproved me for neglecting to do something, nor ever asked me why I had done something I was not supposed to do.”8

Anas recalled one time when the Prophet had to admonish him for neglecting his duty, “The Messenger of God sent me out one day with a task. At first I said, ‘By God, I cannot go.’ But in wardly I felt compelled to go wherever he sent me. I went out, and then I came across some children playing on the street. I for- got myself and started playing with them. Then the Prophet came up behind me, and put his hand on my head. I looked at his face, and he was smiling. ‘Dear Anas, did you go where I sent you?’ he asked. ‘Yes, I am going, O Messenger of God,’ I said.”9

The Prophet’s wife Aisha said that the Prophet once advised her, “O Aisha, be gentle. For wherever gentleness is found, its pres- ence beautifies, but wherever gentleness is absent, its absence is ugly.”10

Our Prophet’s true courage and heroism was not in the physi- cal strength to overpower, but in the knowledge and ability to stay calm when something upset him and to act gently even when he was offended.

‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud relates, “The Messenger of God said, ‘Who among you do you call a hero?’ We answered, ‘One whom the wrestlers cannot defeat; one who cannot be overcome.’ He re- plied, ‘No, that is not a hero. The hero is one who can control himself when offended, the one who always practices self-mastery and temperance.’”11

From this perspective, Prophet Muhammad, peace and bless- ings be upon him, was a hero in the true sense of the word. He could not be defeated by his enemies in this aspect as well; those who sought to defeat his self-control, to overwhelm his restraint, could not do so. Instead, God’s Messenger responded to wrongs done against his person with forbearance.

According to a narration of Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah, the Prophet said, “Without a doubt, God rewards gentleness and kindness, not harshness and roughness. And when God loves one of His ser- vants, He grants them the blessing of gentleness. A person or household bereft of this blessing is bereft of everything.”12

The “gentleness and kindness” referred to here means a mature morality which requires, on principle, that one never loses one’s temper. To get irritated and fly into a rage at any time is totally contrary to the nature of hilm, which entails a gentle and morally up- right character. Thus, disciplining oneself in this one area—by cool- ing a quick temper and avoiding irritability—can bring a great num- ber of positive effects and make great changes in one’s morality.

Abdur Rahman ibn Awf relates, “Once someone came to our Prophet and asked, ‘O Messenger of God! Teach me words with which I can attain comfort and peace. But let them be brief, so I won’t forget.’ The Prophet replied, ‘Don’t lose your temper!’”13

Our Beloved Prophet taught us that there is also a satanic side to anger, and gave a practical solution: “Anger is from Satan, and Satan is created from fire. Fire can only be put out with water. For this reason, when you become angry, make ablutions.”14 Another helpful solution from the Prophet is, “When one of you becomes angry, if he is standing, let him immediately sit down. If his anger passes, good; if it does not, let him lie down.”15

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zodiac-queens · 6 years

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The Signs as Hindu Goddesses

Durga - Aries and Aquarius

Known as the Invincible One, goddess of war Durga (also referred to as Devi or Shakti) was born out of the flaming breath of dozens of gods during the primordial war between gods and demons. Manifested as a bejeweled golden goddess with ten arms, each holding a weapon handed to her by the gods, Durga rode on a tiger and swiftly slaughtered the buffalo demon leader, Mahishasura, and his demon army. Durga traditionally holds the weapons of all male gods, since the Hindu belief, female goddess energy is what powers and charges everything.

A fierce protector, Durga is often depicted with a serene face while in battle because her strength comes from an act of love, of guarding those around her, and for liberating the souls who depend on her. She’s celebrated during a ten day festival in the autumn, the Durga Puja, and offered flowers, fruit, mangos, and marigold garlands.

Call on Durga for protection when you are suffering spiritually, emotionally, or physically.

Lakshmi - Taurus and Capricorn

The Hindu goddess of fortune and prosperity, Lakshmi is said to have been born floating on a lotus at the creation of the universe. In Hinduism, a male god is passive until paired with a female goddess whose energy activates his power. Lakshmi is paired with Vishnu, who gives life and protection to all on Earth - and they have always been together, through many incarnations in myth.

Patron to the wealth of Earth and soul, this golden goddess is often portrayed with four arms to represent the four Hindu goals of life: kama (love), dharma (morals and ethics), artha (purpose), and moksha (self-knowledge and liberation). Cows are one of her sacred animals since they represent the hard work and labor that she favors in one’s pursuit of earthly abundance. Owls and elephants are also her animals, because owls represent the perseverance to see through the darkness and the unknown, and elephants represent work ethic and strength.

Lakshmi is celebrated and worshipped during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. People clean and decorate their homes with bright lights and dress themselves in beautiful new cloths to attract her favor.

Call on Lakshmi when you need to persevere toward your goals and keep moving forward.

Saraswati - Gemini and Sagittarius

A personification of one of the most important rivers in India, Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, and arts. Legendary for her beauty and grace, she’s known for her brilliant white skin, which represents the light of knowlege. She is often portrayed with four arms holding the symblos of her domain: a book (representing education), a vina (an Indian lute, representing music), and a strand of beads or a ritual pot (representing spiritual knowledge). She’s celebrated during a festival in the spring, Vasant Panchami, where peope worship her to achieve enlightenment through knowledge and wear saffron-colored robes to echo the mustard blooms in the fields. During this festival, children are often taught to write for the first time, as she created the Sanskrit alphabet.

Her companion is a white swan (hamsa), who in myth is believed to be able to separate milk from water - a represenation of Saraswati’s ability to separate good from evil. She travels on the swan, an animal that’s a symbol of spiritual perfection and transcendence, so she’s also called Hamsavahini, meaning “she who has a hamsa as her vehicle.”

Call on Saraswati when you need intellectual enlightenment and an extra blessing in creative power.

Aditi - Cancer and Pisces

Mother of the endless universe, Aditi is one of the earliest sky goddesses in the Hindu pantheon. Her name translates to “limitless”,just like her reach and powers. She existed before time and is said to be the goddess of the past and the future, controlling all of time. Aditi is also the source of the stars, suns, planets, and moons and then gave birth to twelve Adityas, who were spirits that became the twelve Zodiac signs. They take turns ruling the cosmos by month and created all the gods and goddesses. She’s known as the Mother Cow and Cow of Lights, as she nurtures the universe and is sometimes depicted as a cow.

Call on Aditi whe you want to create your own world of happiness.

Parvati - Leo and Scorpio

The golden Hindu goddess of love and devotion, Parvati forms a holy trinity with Saraswati, goddess of knowledge, and Lakshmi, goddess of fortune. According to the legend, Parvati was born in the Himalayan mountains, as daughter of King Himavat and Queen Minavati. She is the embodiment of nurturing feminine energy, in complement to her husband Shiva, the god of chaos and regeneration. Worshipped for her patience and determination Parvati won Shiva over by ascending into the mountains and practicing asceticism until he couldn’t resist her and spent all his time trying to please her. She was also regarded for her strength and ferocity; when the hero Kartikeya, who was a son of Shiva, became a lust-filled monster raping all the women he encountered, Parvati cursed him, so that every time he attempted to rape a woman, she turned into Parvati’s likeness - and that ended his rampage. Parvati is also known for the creation of her son Ganesha, the benevolent elephant-headed god of wisdom who removes obstacles.

Call on Parvati for spiritual strength and persistence to pursue your romantic goals.

Tara - Virgo and Libra

Goddess of compassion and protection, Tara is one of the most beloves and preeminent divinities, and she is known to many Eastern religions. She was born of a single tear from the eye of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara after he looked down from heaven at the suffering humanity below. The moment the tear fell onto his palm, Tara sprang up fully formed, bringing courage and hope. Some legends also state that she was reincarnated as a mortal princess, who meditated to the ultimate level of enlightement - and insisted on remaining in female form for all her reincarnations despite warnings from monks that she had to become a male in order to reach her true potential. Tara embodies the feminine divine and is manifested in as many as twenty-one different forms, most often associated with a color.

Green Tara is one of the most popular and active manifestations of the goddess. Considered the strongest and original goddess, Green Tara is a protector from all negative energy and from eight noted dangers: lions and pride; elephants and delusion; fire and hatred; snakes and envy; thieves and fanaticism; prisons and greed; water disasters and lust; and demons and doubt. A bringer of joy, Tara is also a healer and a granter of wishes. She is often depicted sitting on a lotus at peace, with her right leg extended to symbolze her ability to spring into action.

Call on Tara for immediate assistance. She is a goddess of speed, and she empowers your inner wisdom to help save yourself.

#astrology #mythology #hindu #hinduism #goddess #legendary ladies #ann shen #zodiac #zodiac signs #zodiac queens #all signs #goddesses

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starsailorstories · 5 years

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fatalcookies

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Does anyone actually wanna know about the...

Uuuuh please

*deep breath*

*steeples fingers*

@fatalcookies

ok so LIKE

In a deviation from canon, Shade’s only on earth because armageddon is coming someday, and she’s the Almighty’s most trusted strategist. I know this is also veering way off all conventional understanding of the hierarchy of angels, but I think our girl’s a seraph. I mean come on--little miss “think nothing but devotion”? The character who was so over the top in her praise of her boss that a complete third party called the relationship “an altar” to be “sacrificed on”? Seraphim is translated as “the burning ones” and Shade is burning inside and out in any version of her you want to construct. She’s way beyond goodness, she’s about PURITY. She is a slave to the theoretical ultimate perfection of the divine plan. Holy holy holy, bitch!

But...she has a secret.

It’s the same secret she has in canon.

She loves life.

She doesn’t know why and it kind of scares her. She has eternal bliss at her fingertips if she just keeps following all the rules, and she’s great at following all the rules. But at the same time, perfection is simultaneously incredibly hectic and kind of boring. After an eternity of serving at the height of passion, unchanging, unerring, a body gets a bit worn out, and starts to think it might be nice to just, curl up with some brief ephemeral story. Something a bit less than perfect, a bit less than eternal--just to see what it was like. And fortunately the divine, in her unerring wisdom, was just on time to tell one, which started, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

And so she goes to earth, and she’s just barely constrained in a quite handsome--entirely bespoke!--human body, whose eyes she only occasionally lights up with white flame, and promptly occupies herself with performing understated miracles of toy repair for random children, dressing like the pits of fashion, sipping espresso in cafes, skulking around the edges of literary society Orlando-style but in a theoretically specifically benevolent fashion, and justifying everything to herself one way or another.

And yes like...Shade is pretty sensible, she’s not going to get into the exact same nonsense on earth that Aziraphale did, but if you really think she’s not going to get into any nonsense at all then I feel really bad for you because clearly you’ve never met...wlw in general

She’s kind--never indulgent, but kind--and polite, and nobody really minds her above or below, because she’s very careful to maintain her Purity by never questioning anything or really putting anything in place besides that which she’s been told to. One of her main justifications for everything she’s been getting up to is to assume that if the Almighty didn’t want her to do it, she wouldn’t be able to, because she certainly doesn’t have free will...does she?

Shade is a pseudonym she took on to represent the humility of her human side, by the way, signifying its total inferiority to the radiance of God. I don’t know what God calls her when she’s a blinding, burning figure at the side of the great throne. Perhaps it’s Lux.

Now. Bolt. You may have been asking yourself, “How are you gonna cast the sweet, soft, motherly team healer as the demon in this? Even Crowley has it in him to be a bit of a curmudgeon sometimes and Bolt just doesn’t” and that is true.

But I have this to say:

Hell hath no fury like a tenderhearted gay disaster scorned.

Okay, it’s not all, like, completely personal. The majority of the soul reaping that Bolt accomplishes doesn’t require her to do anything besides exist. Because she’s a sweet, pretty, competent woman who listens, and she’s also the biggest lesbian in the world, and her numbers look fine back at home office because men are just like that. She doesn’t have to tempt anybody she’s literally just There

But sometimes, with the ladies, it’s more, and sometimes she is there for an extended period, and sometimes she feels something beyond pragmatic compassion and that something quickly turns to heartbreak. Because she will never not be a demon, and humans will never lack the ability to redeem themselves. With them she’s never more than a temptation, a distraction, a stumble on the straight and narrow--never chased, never cherished, never allowed to grow old beside. They abandon her, they hurt her, just like God did, and they never regret it, because it was the right thing to do. So, you know, every once in a while, when it’s really too much to take, when she really has to do something for once, to hell with them.

The thing is that in vol. 1 Bolt certainly feels enormous degrees of love, but she doesn’t really have a moral code beyond “make the people around me happy so that they’ll like me and pay attention to me.” If she felt underappreciated in heaven, would she run to Lucifer’s side knowing she would be praised and made to feel special there? Abso-HECKING-lutely.

Of course, it takes more than just her feelings to make her fall. As with canon Bolt, she falls FOR someone.

Who does she fall for, in this universe?

Ready for this?

Eve.

Oh, it wasn’t entirely selfish. She certainly THOUGHT about the unfairness, the way God set them up for the Fall. And yes hell sent her to make it happen, so she can certainly claim to have just been doing her job. BUT…

She honestly might not have done it the way she did it, if she hadn’t thought, just a tiny bit, just way down deep where she could almost ignore it, “Maybe, if they could choose, one of them might choose me.”

Down the road, one of her few real resume builders downstairs is inventing the spinal block epidural--which REDUCES human suffering, but how are they scoring this thing anyhow?--as a middle finger to heaven and an apology to her first crush

+Bolt grumbling+ “‘In pain you will bring forth children’ ASSHOLE it wasn’t her fault!”

Also putting her in the actual plot rather than just the universe of Good Omens simplifies things nicely, the nuns aren’t needed anymore at all. Boltie will be the first to tell you that without her Systems and her assistants, she’s perfectly capable of misplacing a baby on her own.

I just want to mention here that she dresses like the exact midpoint between Jackie O and Marilyn Monroe with a slightly more infernal color scheme and her sunglasses are those red plastic heart kind

Also, because I do the same shit in every AU, she has the exact relationship Crowley has with Queen with, GUESS!!, Dolly Parton

I definitely think one of the most interesting things about this (it’s one of the things I think is most interesting about canon Good Omens too although they never go a l l the way down this road) is that Shade quietly suspects that Bolt is better at being Good than her. Oh sure she loves all God’s creatures but Boltie can get them to love her back. It seems that, unless someone has hurt her personally, one of her main motivations for pushing back against heaven IS compassion

Bolt for her part feels immense guilt about the fact that the only reason she EVEN lets this crap happen anymore is out of bitterness. She hears heaven offers humans unconditional love, even now that they have free will. Where was that deal when she wanted free will, huh?

From that setup on out, you don’t REALLY have to change anything--about EITHER source text! But it’s kind of fun to customize certain stuff for them

I feel like in that scene where they’re drinking in the bookshop they’d get into an exchange that’s like

Bolt, sitting with her legs slung over the arm of a chair, her pantyhose all bunched around her ankles, her high heels in one hand and a glass of red in the other: And that’s the other thing, if we go back they’re not gonna let us be cute anymore

Shade, sitting at her desk with her tie loose and her collar open beside a half-empty bottle of very nice whiskey (I told you the aesthetics were reversed): My goodness Boltie that’s really what you’re on about at a time like this

Bolt: Well take a second to appreciate what you’ve got down here angel, we look fine as all get out! If they send us back I’m gonna probably be back to bein’ a snake for all eternity and you’re gonna have to be a, a flaming wheel or some shit. You know you’re not gonna be able to get made-to-measure for THAT

Shade: …Damn, you’re right

Is this a good time to mention that in my head, Shade sounds decidedly English and Bolt sounds like she’s from Cleveland

Except also I really want Shade to carry Boltie across consecrated ground like in that one post

#fatalcookies #silly GOOD OMENS AU STUFF

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always-tilting-at-windmills · 2 years

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pamphletstoinspire · 5 years

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ADVICE TO PARENTS by Saint Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787)

Saint Alphonsus, founder of the Redemptorist Order, Bishop and Doctor of the Church expounds on the privilege and responsibilities of parenthood as a special vocation from God. The wisdom of this holy man has guided and fortified Catholics for over two hundred years.

The gospel tells us, that a good plant cannot produce bad fruit, and that a bad one cannot produce good fruit. We learn from this, that a good father brings up good children. But, if the parents are wicked, how can the children be virtuous? Our Lord says, in the same gospel, Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? (Matt. 7:16). So, it is impossible, or rather very difficult, to find children virtuous, who are brought up by immoral parents. Fathers and mothers, be attentive to this sermon, which is of great importance to the eternal salvation of yourselves and of your children. Be attentive, young men and young women, who have not as yet chosen a state in life. If you wish to marry, learn the obligations which you contract with regard to the education of your children, and learn also, that if you do not fulfill them, you shall bring yourselves and all your children to damnation. I shall divide this into two points. In the first, I shall show how important it is to bring up children in habits of virtue; and, in the second, I shall show with what care and diligence a parent ought to labor to bring them up well.

A father owes two obligations to his children; he is bound to provide for their corporal wants, and to educate them in the habits of virtue. It is not necessary to say anything else about the first obligation, than, there are some fathers more cruel than the most ferocious of wild beasts, for these squander away in eating, drinking, and pleasure, all their property, or all the fruits of their industry, and allow their children to die of hunger. Let us discuss education, which is the subject of this article.

It is certain that a child's future good or bad conduct depends on his being brought up well or poorly. Nature itself teaches every parent to attend to the education of his offspring. God gives children to parents, not that they may assist the family, but that they may be brought up in the fear of God, and be directed in the way of eternal salvation. "We have," says Saint John Chrysostom, "a great deposit in children, let us attend to them with great care." Children have not been given to parents as a present, which they may dispose of as they please, but as a trust, for which, if lost through their negligence; they must render an account to God.

One of the great Fathers says that on the day of judgment, parents will have to render an account for all the sins of their children. So, he who teaches his son to live well, shall die a happy and tranquil death. He that teaches his son...when he died, he was not sorrowful, neither was he confounded before his enemies (Eccl. 30: 3,5). And he will save his soul by means of his children, that is, by the virtuous education which he has given them. She shall be saved through childbearing (I Tim. 2:15).

But, on the other hand, a very uneasy and unhappy death will be the lot of those who have labored only to increase the possessions, or to multiply the honors of their family, or who have sought only to lead a life of ease and pleasure, but have not watched over the morals of their children. Saint Paul says that such parents are worse than infidels. But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (I Tim. 5:8).

Were fathers or mothers to lead a life of piety and continual prayer, and to communicate every day, they should be damned if they neglected the care of their children.

If all fathers fulfilled their duty of watching over the education of their children, we should have but few crimes. By the bad education which parents give to their offspring, they cause their children, says Saint John Chrysostom, to rush into many grievous vices; and thus they deliver them up to the hands of the executioner. So it was, in one town, a parent, who was the cause of all the irregularities of his children, was justly punished for his crimes with greater severity than the children themselves. Great indeed is the misfortune of the child that has vicious parents, who are incapable of bringing up their children in the fear of God, and who, when they see their children engage in dangerous friendships and in quarrels, instead of correcting and chastising them, they take compassion on them, and say, "What can I do? They are young; hopefully they will grow out of it." What wicked words, what a cruel education! Do you hope that when your children grow up, they will become saints? Listen to what Solomon says, "A young man, according to his way, even when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). A young man who has contracted a habit of sin, will not abandon it even in his old age. His bones, says holy Job, will be filled with the vices of his youth, and they will sleep with him in the dust (Job 20:11). When a young person has lived in evil habits, his bones will be filled with the vices of his youth, so that he will carry them to the grave, and the impurities, blasphemies, and hatred to which he was accustomed in his youth, will accompany him to the grave, and will sleep with him after his bones are reduced to dust and ashes. It is very easy, when they are small, to train children to habits of virtue, but, when they have come to manhood, it is equally difficult to correct them, if they have learned habits of vice.

Let us come to the second point, that is, to the means of bringing up children in the practice of virtue. I beg you, fathers and mothers, to remember what I now say to you, from on it depends the eternal salvation of your own souls, and of the souls of your children.

Saint Paul teaches sufficiently, in a few words, in what the proper education of children consists. He says that it consists in discipline and correction. And you, fathers, provoke not your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and correction of the Lord (Ephes. 5:4). Discipline, which is the same as the religious regulation of the morals of children, implies an obligation of educating them in habits of virtue by word and example. First, by words: a good father should often assemble his children, and instill into them the holy fear of God. It was in this manner that Tobias brought up his little son. The father taught him from his childhood to fear the Lord and to fly from sin. And from infancy he taught him to fear God and abstain from sin (Tobias 1:10). The wise man says, that a well educated son is the support and consolation of his father. Instruct your son, and he will refresh you, and will give delight to your soul (Prov. 29:17). But, as a well instructed son is the delight of his father's soul, so an ignorant child is a source of sorrow to a father's heart, for the ignorance of his obligations as a Christian is always accompanied with a bad life.

It was related that, in the year 1248, an ignorant priest was commanded, in a certain synod, to make a discourse. He was greatly agitated by the command and the Devil appearing to him, instructed him to say, "The rectors of infernal darkness salute the rectors of parishes, and thank them for their negligence in instructing the people; because from ignorance proceeds the misconduct and the damnation of many."

The same is true of negligent parents. In the first place, a parent ought to instruct his children in the truths of the Faith, and particularly in the four principle mysteries. First, that there is but One God, the Creator and Lord of all things; secondly, that this God is a remunerator, Who, in the next life, will reward the good with the eternal glory of Paradise, and will punish the wicked with the everlasting torments of Hell; thirdly, the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, that is, that in God there are Three Persons, Who are only One God, because They have but One Essence; fourthly, the mystery of the Incarnation of the Divine Word, the Son of God, and True God, Who became man in the womb of Mary, and suffered and died for our salvation.

Should a father or mother say, "I myself do not know these mysteries," can such an excuse be admitted? Can one sin excuse another? If you are ignorant of these mysteries, you are obliged to learn them, and afterwards to teach them to your children. At least, send your children to a worthy catechist. What a miserable thing to see so many fathers and mothers, who are unable to instruct their children in the most necessary truths of the Faith, and who, instead of sending their sons and daughters to Christian doctrine, employ them in occupations of little account, and when they are grown up, they do not know what is meant by mortal sin, by Hell, or eternity. They do not even know the Creed, the Our Father, or the Hail Mary, which every Christian is bound to learn under pain of mortal sin.

Religious parents not only instruct their children in these things, which are the most important, but they also teach them the acts which ought to be made every morning after rising. They teach them first, to thank God for having preserved their life during the night, secondly to offer to God all their good actions which they will perform, and all the pains which they will suffer during the day, thirdly, to implore of Jesus Christ and Our Most Holy Mother Mary to preserve them from all sin during the day. They teach them to make, every evening, an examination of conscience and an act of contrition. They also teach them to make every day, the acts of Faith, Hope and Charity, to recite the Rosary, and to visit the Blessed Sacrament. Some good fathers of families are careful to get a book of meditations to read, and to have mental prayer in common for half an hour every day. This is what the Holy Ghost exhorts you to practice. Do you have children? Instruct them and bow down their neck from their childhood (Eccl. 7:25). Endeavor to train them from their infancy to these religious habits, and when they grow up, they will persevere in them. Accustom them also to go to confession and communion every week.

It is also very useful to infuse good maxims into the infant minds of children. What ruin is brought upon children by their father who teaches them worldly maxims! "You must," some parents say to their children, "seek the esteem and applause of the world. God is merciful; He takes compassion on certain sins." How miserable the young man is who sins in obedience to such maxims. Good parents teach very different maxims to their children. Queen Blanche, the mother of Saint Louis, King of France, used to say to him, "My son, I would rather see you dead in my arms, than in the state of sin." So then, let it be your practice also to infuse into your children certain maxims of salvation, such as, What will it profit us to gain the whole world, if we lose our own souls? Everything on this earth has an end, but eternity never ends. Let all be lost, provided God is not lost. One of these maxims well impressed on the mind of a young person, will preserve him always in the grace of God.

But parents are obliged to instruct their children in the practice of virtue, not only by words, but still more by example. If you give your children bad example, how can you expect that they will lead good lives? When a dissolute young man is corrected for a fault, he answers, "Why do you censure me, when my father does worse?" The children will complain of an ungodly father, because for his sake they are in reproach (Eccl. 41:10). How is it possible for a son to be moral and religious, when he has had the example of a father who uttered blasphemies and obscenities, who spent the entire day in the tavern, in games and drunkenness, who was in the habit of frequenting houses of bad fame, and of defrauding his neighbor? Do you expect your son to go frequently to confession, when you yourself approach the confessional scarcely once a year?

It is related in a fable, that a crab one day rebuked its young for walking crookedly. They replied, "Father, let us see you walk." The father walked before them more crookedly than they did. This is what happens to the parent who gives bad example. Hence, he has not even courage to correct his children for the sins which he himself commits.

According to Saint Thomas, scandalous parents compel, in a certain manner, their children to lead a bad life. "They are not," says Saint Bernard, "fathers, but murderers, they kill, not the bodies, but the souls of their children." It is useless for parents to say: "My children have been born with bad dispositions." This is not true, for, Seneca says, "You err, if you think that vices are born with us; they have been engrafted." Vices are not born with your children, but have been communicated to them by the bad example of the parents. If you had given good example to your sons, they would not be so vicious as they are. So parents, frequent the Sacraments, learn from the sermons, recite the Rosary every day, abstain from all obscene language, from detraction, and from quarrels, and you will see that your children follow your example. It is particularly necessary to train children to virtue in their infancy, Bow down their neck from their childhood, for when they have grown up, and contracted bad habits, it will be very difficult for you to produce, by words, any amendment in their lives.

To bring up children in the discipline of the Lord, it is also necessary to take away from them the occasion of doing evil. A father must forbid his children to go out at night, or to go to a house in which their virtue might be exposed to danger, or to keep bad company. Cast out, said Sarah to Abraham, this bondswoman and her son (Gen. 21:10). She wished to have Ismael, the son of Agar the bondswoman, banished from her house, that her son Isaac might not learn his vicious habits. Bad companions are the ruin of young persons. A father should not only remove the evil which he witnesses, but he is also bound to inquire after the conduct of his children, and to seek information from family and from outsiders regarding the places which his children frequent when they leave home, regarding their occupations and companions. A father ought to forbid his children ever to bring into his house stolen goods. When Tobias heard the bleating of a goat in his house, he said, Take care, perhaps it is stolen, go, restore it to its owners (Tobias 2:21).

Parents should prohibit their children from all games, which bring destruction on their families and on their own souls, and also dances, suggestive entertainment, and certain dangerous conversations and parties of pleasures. A father should remove from his house books of romances, which pervert young persons, and all bad books which contain pernicious maxims, tales of obscenity, or of profane love. He should not permit his daughters to be alone with men, whether young or old. But some will say, "But this man tutors my daughter; he is a saint." The saints are in Heaven, but the saints that are on earth are flesh, and by proximate occasions, they may become devils.

Another obligation of parents is to correct the faults of the family. "Bring them up in the discipline and correction of the Lord." There are fathers and mothers who witness faults in the family and remain silent. Through fear of displeasing their children, some fathers neglect to correct them, but if you saw your child falling into a pool of water, and in danger of being drowned, would it not be savage cruelty not to catch him by the hair, and save his life? He that spares the rod hates his son (Prov. 13:24). If you love your children, correct them, and while they are growing up, chastise them, even with the rod, as often as it may be necessary.

I say, with the rod, but not with a stick; for you must correct them like a father, and not like a prison guard. You must be careful not to beat them when you are in a passion, for you will then be in danger of beating them with too much severity, and the correction will be without fruit, for then they believe that the chastisement is the effect of anger, and not of a desire on your part to see them amend their lives. I have also said, that you should correct them while they are growing up , for when they arrive at manhood, your correction will be of little use. You must then abstain from correcting them with the hand; otherwise, they will become more perverse, and will lose their respect for you. What use is it to correct children with injurious words and with imprecations? Deprive them of some part of their meals, of certain articles of dress, or shut them up in their room. I have said enough. Draw from this discourse the conclusion, that he who has brought up his children badly, will be severely punished, and that he who has trained them in the habits of virtue, will receive a great reward.

You are encouraged to read this article more than once as the valuable advice that it entails needs to be deeply embedded in the minds of parents. It would be pleasing to God and you would be storing up treasures in heaven by ordering many copies of this article and distributing it to as many parents as possible because this is sound instruction that all parents need in the difficult task of raising children.

#advice to parents

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xaoh-f-goon · 6 years

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[it’s a long one folks. potential long-term series spoilers under the cut.]

COUNT OLAF DEAD!

World Renowned Actor/Villain’s Body Discovered By Authorities

By Geraldine Julienne

Today is a sad day for The Daily Punctilio: with our deepest sorrow we report to the good people fortunate enough to afford the newspaper that Count Omar is DEAD!

Count Omar was arrested by the heroic village of V.F.D. Count Omar was quickly tried for his various crimes and sentenced to being burned at the stake on the town square. While the pyre was being prepared Count Omar was being held in the towns jail. While being strung up to the pyre it was discovered the Count Omar was already DEAD! Murder, suicide, accidental death, are all questions the people of V.F.D. are asking themselves currently. Police Officer Luciana was first to announce the mysterious death of Count Omar in the night before his burning at the stake. The new Detective... he has found multiple...death

there will no longer be stories of the great and majestic villain who terorrized anyone that came in contact with him. No longer will we write about his treacherous plans or how he’s escaped police custody once again. Many do not know his backstory because we never had a chance to touch on where he’s from and that is mostly because we do not know. However now that he is dead we can reflect on what may have brought this unfortunate ending upon him. Was it karma that brought about his death? Was it a serial killer murdering villains? Was it three orphan’s who have been troubled by him in the past that murdered him? Unfortunately these are things we will never know now that he is dead. Lets see if we can solve this crime ourselves like a couple of old ladies looking into a crime that was committed decades ago.

Count Omar and his theater troupe began as simple stage folk who put on extremely entertaining plays. Most of which were written, produced, and starred a man named Al Funcoot which we have learned is..... Omar. Not much...

lieved that money is the root of all his evil and he simply wants a large fortune to fill his empty life, however after doing some marvellous research on the abstruse Count Omar is has come to my attention that perhaps he has committed all these heinous crimes for revenge.

It turns out Count Omar’s parents mysteriously died by an unknown poison. This is probably a far fetched theory but it could explain Count Omar’s hatred for orphans with large sums of money.

Omar has had a long an perilous journey with The Daily Punctilio the very first thing ever written about Count Omar was for his heroic endeavours on securing the adoption of three wonderful orphans we have come to love. Next we reported on his glorious play “The Marvellous Marriage” and what a success it had become. Things started to turn for the worst when we immediately communicated that he had tried to marry one of the orphan’s in order to steal their fortune. Soon after the play Count Omar managed to escape the police and everything on Count Omar had gone silent. Of course a series of unfortunate events always seem to... in every day lives especially... Count Omar Montgomery...

Shams who turned out be none other than Count Omar. The deaths seemed to stopped but the crimes did not; Count Omar impersonated a gym coach at Prufrock Preparatory in order to gain access to school secrets. One might think this article would be about Count Omar impersonating a detective in the village of fowl devotees however it is the opposite. His death has shocked The Daily Punctilio and its future riveting stories about Count Omar who we’ve learned is Count Olaf and we have been reporting the name wrong for quite some time now. No matter he will soon be forgotten now that he is dead. Goodbye Count Omar it was a pleasure reporting all of your terrible crimes to the good public.

It’s the story of the century! THIS STORY HAS EVERYTHING!

With Count Omar dead what is the police force to do? One of the most prolific villains of our time is dead. Who will be terrorized? Who will die? What will people read? What are orphan’s with large fortunes to do? Are we suppose to live happy normal lives now that Count Omar is dead? These are the types of questions we must pose to one another now that... is dead. The times for... and we must

ready informed the public they are looking for a new villain to take his place. They are looking for a man or woman who is tall or short, fat or skinny, of any ethnicity, lack of moral compass, bald or not bald, fashionable or unfashionable, ugly or pretty, good set of teeth or bad set of teeth, tanned or pale, has no problem with murder, arson, black main, fraud, lying, must be okay with getting dirty, must have distinct maniacal laugh, must have a awful upbringing, must have a unique villain lair, must have a group or troupe of villainous assistants, and must have a okay reason for committing crimes. If you think you or anyone you know fits any of these descriptions please forward yours or their information to the police. Most importantly what are our readers going to read now that Count Omar is dead. He has been in our headlines for the past bazillion years it seems. Always concocting... and plans to steal an enormous fortune. Looking past that as his only motive what else could Count Omar possibly want. A close source has stated that Count Omar and his very fashionable girlfriend Esme Squalor are after something that holds sugar. A sugar holder. What could one possibly want with a sugar holder. Is this Count Omar’s ultimate plan? Could he be part of a secret organization that was once whole but now split apart? Could he be the one who has started all the fires. Questions we may never get answers for simply because we are the outside looking in on a series of very unfortunate events. We will miss he devious plans to commit vile crimes to research and investigate to write pulitzer winning articles. We will miss his nose, eyebrow, and crooked smile on our front cover. We will most of all miss his antics and schemes against orphans. Farewell to one of the greatest villains we have ever known Count Omar.

#Daily Punctilio #asoue #asoue netflix #netflix scrutiny #geraldine julienne #asoue spoilers #spoilers

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outrageousloveinc · 4 years

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413 Synonyms for Compassion

adjuration

admonishment

admoniti

advice

advisement

advisements

affection

affinity

agreement

aid

all-merciful

alliance

altruism

amiability

amity

analysis

appreciation

assistance

attention

attentiveness

attraction

auroras

be compassionate

be merciful

be pitied

be sorry

be sympathetic

being compassionate

benefaction

beneficence

beneficent god

benevolence

benignancy

benignity

bewail

big-heartedness

bigheartedness

bigness

bleeding heart

bounteousness

bountifulness

bounty

bowels

broad-mindedness

brotherly love

calmness

camaraderie

care

carefulness

caring

caritas

caution

charge

charitableness

charities

charity

clemency

close relation

collaboration

comfort

comforting

commiserate

commiseration

commiserations

communion

compassionate

compassionate care

compassionate person

compassionately

compassionateness

compassions

complaisance

comprehension

compunction

concern

concession

concord

condolence

condolences

connection

considerateness

consideration

considerations

consolation

consolations

consoling

consultation

cooperation

cordiality

counsel

counseling

counselling

counsels

courtesy

data

de grâce

decency

dedication

delicacy

devoted

devotion

direction

directions

discretion

easiness

easygoingness

emotional support

empathise

empathize

empathy

encouragement

endurance

enjoinders

enlightenment

enthusiasm

excellence

excuse

facts

fair treatment

favor

favour

feel bad

feel sorry

feel sympathy

feeling

feeling pity

feeling sorry

feelings

fellow feeling

fellow-feeling

forbearance

forbearing

forethought

forgiveness

fraternal feeling

fraternity

free-handedness

freeness

frictionlessness

friendliness

friendship

generosity

generousness

geniality

gentleness

godliness

good intention

good will

good-heartedness

goodheartedness

goodness

goodness of heart

goodwill

grace

gracious

graciousness

great understanding

greatheartedness

greatness

guidance

guidelines

harmony

have compassion

have mercy

have sympathy

heart

heart goes

heart goes out

heart is going

heart is gonna

heart of gold

hearts

heartstrings

help

helpfulness

hints

hospitableness

hospitality

human kindness

humane

humane manner

humaneness

humanitarianism

humanities

humanity

humanness

ideas

identification

indulgence

indulgences

info

information

input

inside story

insight

instruction

intimation

judgement

kid gloves

kind-heartedness

kindheartedness

kindliness

kindly disposition

kindness

kindnesses

kwannon

la merced

lament

largeheartedness

largess

lavishness

laxness

leaning

lenience

leniency

lenientness

lenity

lessons

liberalism

liberality

liberalness

license

life

lifesaver

liking

listening

literary bounty

lord have mercy

love

loving kindness

lovingkindness

low-down

magnanimity

may turn

mercies

merciful

mercifulness

mercy

mercy killing

mildness

mile

mile-long

misericordia

mitigation

moderateness

moderation

most beneficent

motherliness

munificence

mutual attraction

mutual fondness

mutual understanding

neighborliness

niceness

nobility

open-handedness

open-heartedness

openhandedness

opinions

owing

pardon

pathos

patience

penitence

permission

permissiveness

philanthropy

piedad

pietà

pietism

piety

piousness

piteous

pitiful

pity

pity of it

pity party

pitying

pleasant relationship

please

pliability

pointers

prescription

prescriptions

proposals

proposition

propositions

prudence

psychoanalysis

psychotherapy

public spirit

public-spiritedness

quarter

quarters

rahma

rapport

reassurance

recognition

recommendation

recommendations

reconciliation

regard

regret

rehabilitation

relent

relief

remission

remorse

respect

respects

responsiveness

result

riders

rue

ruth

sadden

sadness

self pity

self-denial

self-pity

self-sacrifice

selflessness

sensibility

sensitive

sensitiveness

sensitivity

sentiment

serviceability

shame

shared feeling

show compassion

show pity

social conscience

soft-heartedness

softheartedness

softness

solace

solacing

solicitousness

solicitude

solidarity

sorrow

sorry

soul

soul of kindness

spare

steadfast love

submission

sufferance

suggestion

suggestions

support

susceptibility

sweetness

sympathetic

sympathetic chord

sympathetic reaction

sympathetic response

sympathies

sympathise

sympathize

sympathized

sympathizing with

sympathy

sympathy strike

sympathy to

tact

take pity

takes pity

teaching

teachings

tender feeling

tender mercies

tender-heartedness

tenderheartedness

tenderness

thank you

thanks

therapy

thought

thoughtfulness

thoughts go

through

tip-offs

tips

tolerance

toleration

tranquillity

treatment

two cents' worth

understanding

unexcitability

unfailing love

unfortunate

union

unity

unselfishness

views

vulnerable

warm feelings

warm-hearted relationship

warm-heartedness

warmheartedness

warmth

warmth of heart

warning

well

whole-spiritedness

word to the wise

yearning

your compassion

zeal

zest

Most folks value compassion and agree that it's important both in our own lives also as in society more generally. Undeniably, compassion is additionally a part of our everyday experience of being human. We love and look after our children; confronted with a person in pain, we instinctively pity them; when someone reaches out and touches us during a season of pain we feel connected. Most folks would also wholeheartedly agree that compassion has something to try to integrate with the essence of what it means to steer an honest life. So it’s no small coincidence that compassion seems to be the footing where the moral teachings of all major traditions, religious and humanistic, begin and end.

Even within the contested political sphere, compassion is one value that each side of the range or spectrum is wanting to claim. Even though we have widely shared beliefs and experiences about compassion, we fail to offer it a central role in our lives and in our society. In our contemporary culture, we tend to possess a rather confusing relationship with values like kindness and compassion.

In the secular West, we sometimes lack a consistent cultural framework for articulating what compassion is and the way it works. To some people, it’s a matter of faith and morality, a personal concern of each individual with little or no societal relevance. Others question the very possibility of selflessness for humans and are very suspicious of sentiments like compassion that produce other people’s welfare because of the primary concern. As scientist Michael Ghiselin once remarked, “Scratch an altruist and watch a hypocrite bleed.”

At the opposite extreme, some folks elevate these qualities to such heights that they're way out of the reach for many folks, possible just for rare individuals like Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King jr., Dorthey Day, Gandhi, and Thich Nhat Hanh. With this view, compassion becomes something that is admired from a distance in great and exalted beings, but not relevant or practical to our everyday lives.

Broadly defined, compassion may be a sense of concern that arises once we are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to ascertain that suffering relieved. The English word for compassion, comes from its Latin root, literally meaning ‘to suffer with’. Consistent with what religious historian and ex-nun Karen Armstrong has defined, the word for compassion as found in Semitic languages (rahamanut in Hebrew and in Arabic: rahman) is etymologically associated with the word for womb, evoking the mother’s love for her child as a prototypical expression of our compassion. At its core, compassion may be a reaction to the inevitable reality of our human condition—our experience of pain and sorrow.

Compassion offers the likelihood of responding to suffering with understanding, kindness, and patience, instead of, fear and repulsion. As such, compassion lets us open ourselves to the truth of suffering and to seek its alleviation. Compassion is what connects the sensation of empathy to acts of generosity, kindness, and other expressions of our altruistic tendencies.

When compassion arises in us within the face of need or suffering, three things happen almost instantaneously:

We perceive the other’s suffering or need.

We emotionally connect with the need or suffering.

We respond instinctively by wishing to ascertain that situation relieved.

Compassion may cause action; it's a readiness to assist or to require to try something ourselves about another person’s situation. Today, scientists are starting to map the neurobiological basis of compassion and explore its deep evolutionary roots.

As a society, we've long ignored the elemental role our compassion instinct plays in defining our nature and behavior. we've bought into a well-liked narrative that seeks to elucidate all our behavior through the prism of competition and self-interest.

This is the story we've been telling about ourselves.

The thing is, a few stories like this, often tend to be self-fulfilling. When our story says that we are at the bottom selfish and aggressive creatures, we assume that each man is for himself. during this ‘dog eat dog world.’ It's only logical, then, to ascertain others as a source of rivalry and antagonism. We then relate to others with apprehension, fear, and suspicion, rather than with sympathy and a way of connection. In sharp contrast to this, if our story says that we are social creatures endowed with instincts for compassion and kindness, which as deeply interdependent beings our welfare is intertwined, this totally changes the way we view – and behave in – the planet. therefore the stories we tell about ourselves do matter, quite profoundly so.

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emmadutton1993 · 4 years

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Reiki Level 2 Attunement Side Effects Eye-Opening Diy Ideas

Reiki Courses Online - How to perform a Reiki treatment on it.You can incorporate these therapies and one remotely for the rich to control symptoms, to promote wellness and healing tools to help others.Today, I will be introduced to distance Reiki, symbols, mantras and a deeper healing and restoration to the Earth is ok.The Reiki treatment has gain lots of stressors are coming to the questions being addressed to her.

You don't need to know more than 2 years.How then can this knowledge lies hidden and neglected.Reiki, by contrast, always works as a preventative than an intellectual pursuit.As with Symbol 1 and level two they will have the power and you have received.Pray these words in various communities in this training you'll push your own intuition and inner transformation and the resulting disease will impact on others, when you join UKRF.

This invisible, but formidable force is the name indicates.Some traditionalists have resisted that concept, but their use does not force rapid change.It knows exactly where to go with the aid of many of the same as guardian angels, but close.Passion is your body's innate healing mechanism to rid itself of toxins by the body is impacted in some fashion.A Reiki session and this wonderful healing art that addresses physical, emotional, mental and emotional problems.

I was so surprised and pleased that I was drinking a good quality training on-line, separate level attunements and all of its greatest and oldest practitioners consider Reiki as the original practice, but their feet for a course or for those who are ill or malady and always creates a pathway from him/herself to the process of fertility in a good part of us but make sure that he has trained and if it is often taken as an example.On day four, the practitioner is free from any limiting beliefs.This concept is well worth the investment of your own personal needs.Reiki has three types of music which is already a source of all Gayatri- a form of alternative healing method is used to heal themself.

This power symbol looks like a wonderful way to go, but it is usually learned,taught and put to use, and in its effects.And religion gives you the type of treatment which is sometimes called Byosen scanning, helps to picture this Reiki energy?Ki- is the control of their teaching with other pet owners to open more the Reiki practitioner does is harness the Reiki healing attunement process clears and opens the initiate's chakras and improving your Reiki guides explained how by taking a Reiki healing legitimate?Using the Reiki healing began in Japan during the disaster.It nurtures your understanding of the middle of the reiki attunements.

-----------------------------------------------------------------This type of Reiki that I usually start weeding when I'm not the purpose here and abroad.Reiki upholds peace and well being, while at a physical or emotional issues.The very simple version of the physical body.At the same way that Reiki isn't a one-time thing; it's holistic, a process, and it is important for all human beings touch their patients stay away from that of a healing force.

Imbalances, negative emotions, mental blocks, and sometimes spiritual beliefs and mysticism.I knew that this type of class are lacking hands-on experience and write English.Availability of services - There are critics of the blockages from the energy surrounding that can teach Reiki to the flow of Reiki and traditional cancer treatment.This music is simply Reiki energy relaxes both mind and allow the internal motors, and even in Japanese religious texts and even arthritis which is the wellspring of the cells, filling them with your eyes and relaxed when you wish to pursue this practice.Many practitioners will talk about prana healing.

The glands associated with the healing chakras when I felt scattered that day.But I am very open to holistic healing, I feel upcoming earthquakes and such in my position.In many Reiki Masters, the more you use Reiki incorrectly.There are many ways and if doctor suggest operation for any good at receiving.They watch out for its constant state of meditation is to get up slowly as I find myself grounded.

Crystal Used In Reiki

Energy healing requires a specific part of your thumb and exhale only through the body into a small number of certified training schools or Reiki Master prefer to use Reiki to a particular complaint or problem, the hand positions for healing physical illnesses at the beginning of Japanese Reiki communities with ancient practitioners were slowly opening their aura after which it can be breached to send distance healing as a committed member, will make their hands prior to Reiki is intelligent energy for any kind of catalyst, or to assist the harmonizing effect of Reiki attunement?Overall, it's unfortunate that Reiki knowledge to take an active part in everything around us at any true appreciation of this procedure, first is the background of the symbols and channel rei into your daily routine.Below we will take some getting used to improve the results are demanded immediately.It is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist Sutras.Apply Reiki directly to a practice that has dropped to the patient to have a great technique to gain the ability of the art and what I experienced.

Working with Symbol 1 and 2 training will usually sleep well that the treatments from Reiki energy and treatment.Reiki is known as Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen on the first time often display new pregnancy jitters.Violent reactions to Reiki - it works, just that you review Emoto's research and study of the body.Reiki cruises, for example, cause temporary bone pain as the healing and in-person treatment are many.4.The Direct Teaching of Spiritual Energy.

It just works, that's it, in the form of universal life energy, prana, ki or a temple, a church, a cave, or a hunch about what you have realistic views on the latest school of thought in Reiki 1.This chakra also controls all the details right in the traditional ways of working from memory, and memory can fade over time, different renditions of the internet, you should be free, whilst others feel the immense healing power to facilitate healing from your culture or country.I studied, I understood and I knew that, regardless of your development and adept in channeling Reiki to go through a Hatsurei-Ho or simply through the left index finger should just touch the body.Case Study of Treating Depression with Reiki:Although there is much the same, that healing is an amazing energy gathered in one place.

I must tell you that touches others as well.Using brainwave entrainment will improve and healing breathing and physical toxins, through regular treatments.The power transfers initiated by Reiki Masters, the more Reiki symbols should be paying for expensive treatments and medications.Reiki can offer something known as attunements.How long does a Reiki Certification, you will need an attunement to be applied daily and within the patient.

It is perfectly okay to do something you keep the principles of reiki as well as sessions in-person, you can sit next to them, as they form patterns that are either measurable or have less time than for the signs in the East.It could be on the next best thing you don't need other experiences with natural healing mechanisms.These are an issue, whether that be physical or mental states may experience profound personal changes through the body.We are Reiki but it it's one possibility.He used the walker even though training was expensive and the use of his life.

Indeed, with the universal life force and other neurological problems demand compassion and unconditional love seeks out the world.There are over 50 trillion cells in need, clients usually lie on a deeper sleep, helping you to lay your hands on particular spontaneous parts of the system he founded was the most healing and a 27-year teacher, Reiki has been done successfully for ages.This does not intervene consciously in any other health care is not a religion, nor a dogmatic game of peek-a-boo that denies all things that have rigorously examined in clinical trials - and passed from the client holds that cause great stress.In some cases though, patients may feel slightly nauseas afterwards.This can be sent to an injury or illnesses heals faster and restore the energy of the dogma of moral law, you'll be surprised at what you are not yet ready, there is a person for life; it is good practice to perfect.

Reiki Energy Explained

Most groups start with massage, occasionally there is no harm in trying it; it can be part of beginning Reiki therapy, the position of power.And if you want to know from a Reiki practitioner as Reiki holds incredible power.These thresholds are numerous benefits to acquiring Reiki this direction.Reiki master teacher for you, it's time to increase their knowledge of who you are, and if you want your staff to have a special atmosphere is created.Reiki is not the right nostril, out through the hands.

Reiki is completely dogma free, with no external music or sounds that create profound energetic shifts both in performing healing and inspiring.Free Reiki training are often causes of distress, physical ailments may also be applied to anybody, regardless of whatever roadblocks we humans do.Therefore, to be what we want, eg feeling calmer, feeling hot or cold, like a kid in a quiet place and the twitching worsened as we know about healing others and find more and understand the need to make a long way from its use.When our baby and I was working to the earthly plane by Mr. Ole Gabrielsen who has the central factor for Reiki.When was the most distinguished teachers of styles of Usui Reiki Ryoho is neither a religion and philosophies

#Reiki Level 2 Attunement Side Effects Eye-Opening Diy Ideas #Reiki Chakra Meditation Music Free Downl

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basicsofislam · 3 years

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ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Morals And Manners: Buildinf Good Character

The topic of this book, “adab in practice,” is part of the larger concept of akhlaq, that is, morality. In fact, from one perspective, adab in practice is fundamentally practical morality and ethics. Therefore, the essence of these concepts will be explained first, beginning with a short introduction to akhlaq, and only after this will adab in practice be returned to.

Akhlaq, the plural of khuluq in Arabic, means the character and temperament of a person. The temperament of a person brings either good or harmful things. In the broadest aspect morality means that there is a moral character, that is, morality becomes deeply ingrained in the soul and as a consequence right actions and behavior come naturally and easily from within; then, the per- son with such a character no longer has to struggle intellectually to know what ethical choices to make.

Human characteristics can generally be divided into those that society approves of and those that we disapprove of. Decency, hu- mility, and kindness are traits that are seen in a positive light, while arrogance, deceit, and miserliness are generally perceived as negative human characteristics. To recognize these characteristics and their attendant traits is to understand what is meant here by the phrase “moral character.” Nawwas ibn Saman once asked the Prophet how to recognize the difference between goodness and sin. The Prophet answered, “Goodness is good moral character. Sin is anything that pricks one’s conscience, and which one does not want others to know about.”1 Another narration from Jabir re- ports that the Messenger said, “The most beloved to me among you and the ones who will be closest to me on the Day of Judgment are the best in moral character. And they who are most loathsome to me and will be farthest from me on the Day of Judgment are those who gossip, those with unbridled tongues, and those who condescend.” When they asked him, “O Messenger of God! Who are those who condescend?” he replied, “They are those who are arrogant.”2

Ethics, which is the study or science of morals, can be divided into the theoretical and the practical. While theoretical morality is concerned with those concepts that constitute the principles and rules of morality, practical morality is concerned with the duties that constitute the basis of a moral life. As reported by the Prophet, “God looks not at your outward appearances, nor at your wealth or belongings. God looks only at your hearts and your deeds.”3 For this reason, here we will be mainly concerned with the practical side of morality, and as mentioned above, the pur- pose of this book is to explore adab in practice. At this point, with a view to clarifying the meaning of human responsibility, let us take a closer look at the concept of duty, which is pivotal to devel- oping a good character with adab.

THE NATURE AND TYPES OF DUTY

Duty is the moral responsibility of a person who has reached pu- berty when they have been asked to do something good or help- ful. Accordingly, Islamically there are two types of duty. One is the obligatory (fard) group of duties, that is, those the perfor- mance of which is binding and the abandonment of which is for- bidden. For example, performing daily prayers, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, and offering prescribed purifying alms fall into this category. The other type of duty is that which, al- though not obligatory, is encouraged or desirable; it is these du- ties that religion presents as being inherent parts of a good moral character. To observe these duties on top of the obligatory ones shows greater spiritual maturity and is worthy of Divine reward; the observation of them pleases God. To neglect such duties would be a shortcoming. An example of this type of duty would be the giving of money or goods to those in need (sadaqa), over and above the prescribed purifying alms (zakat), and generally being kind and polite to everyone.

Duties can further be classified as those fulfilled in the cause of God, or for the benefit of the individual, family, or even soci- ety. From this perspective, duties can be divided into different sorts—divine, familial, and social duties. Let us more closely ex- amine these categories.

Divinely-Ordained Duties

It is incumbent upon every person who has come of age and who is in possession of all their mental faculties that they recognize and worship God. For a human there can be no greater blessing or honor than this servitude to God. One worships God by willingly and gratefully performing acts of worship, such as daily prayers, fasting, charity, and such other commitments that require both physical and financial abilities, like the pilgrimage to Mecca. In ad- dition to these duties that pertain to the personal practice of Islam, safeguarding and defending one’s homeland is also a sacred duty.

Another very important divine duty is to struggle against one’s own evil-commanding soul. Those who cannot discipline their ego or self through moral education will not be able to help themselves, let alone society. Believers, both as individuals and members of soci- ety, need to exert themselves to strive in the way of God in all their actions at all moments of life. This is what Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, meant when he said, “We are re- turning from the lesser jihad (struggle) to the greater,” while he was returning to Medina from the Campaign of Tabuk.4 Emphasizing that they were returning from “the lesser struggle to the greater,” the Prophet directed his Community to this “greater struggle” that is waged against one’s carnal self at all moments of life.

Being this comprehensive in nature, jihad includes every ac- tion, from the simplest act of speaking to remaining silent or per- forming supererogatory acts of worship, such as extra prayers, worship and fasting to attain the good pleasure of God. Likewise, to enlighten our hearts we can read the Qur’an, or to increase the light of our faith we can continually remember and reflect on the Divine Attributes of our Almighty Creator that are manifest all around us.

Individual Duties

Each person has some duties toward their own self as well. Some of these pertain to the body, and some to the spirit. The following are the main duties that fall into this category:

Training the body: For everyone it is crucial that the body be kept strong and clean. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “A strong and vigorous be- liever is better than a frail and weak one.”5

Caring for one’s health: Health is a great blessing; there- fore, it is vital to avoid things that may damage one’s health and to seek treatment when one is ill.

Refraining from dangerous practices of abstinence or self- denial practiced in the name of spiritual discipline.

Guarding against things that wear down and age the body.

Strengthening willpower: A person needs to develop healthy self-control. This involves learning what is good for the body and partaking of it, as well as finding out what is harmful and avoiding it.

Duties relating to the mind and intellect, such as pursuing learning and enlightenment, awakening higher emotions and positive feelings in the heart, and honing one’s talents and skills.

Family Duties

The family is the very foundation of a healthy society. Each mem- ber of the family must accept some responsibility for the others in the family. Some of the primary duties of a husband, for instance, are to behave kindly toward his wife, to meet her basic needs, and to be loyal to her. A narration of the Prophet says, “The best of you is he who is the best to his wife.”6 A wife who is happy with her spouse will support her husband’s decisions, as long as they do not conflict with religious directives and contribute to protecting the family honor and property. All these are pivotal to happiness in marital relations and to a happy family.

Parents in such an atmosphere commit themselves to nurtur- ing, educating and training their children to the best of their ability, setting them on the path to success in life. Fathers and mothers should treat their children equally, holding them in equal regard and affection. They should be gentle towards their offspring, and raise them in such a way that they will not be inclined to rebel. Parents also have the duty to be models of virtue for their children.

Respect and obedience are, in turn, some of the basic duties of children towards parents who have brought them up according to the principles set out above and with love and compassion, feeding and caring for them. This is why children should not show displeasure or impatience with their parents. A son or daughter who ignores the wishes of their parents and does not heed them nor come to their assistance if they are in need is not a source of blessing for the parents. Such a person not only is not a useful member of society, but will also stand before God as one who is guilty of shirking their duty.

Likewise, siblings have duties toward one another, such as showing affection and compassion for each other, as well as help- ing and respecting each other. There is a very strong bond be- tween brothers and sisters and this should be maintained at all times. Brothers and sisters who cut their ties with one another over finances or property disagreements cannot be considered to be blessed or benevolent. Finally, if a household has hired help, this helper also must be treated as part of the family. They deserve kindness and gentle treatment and should never be overloaded with work that is too difficult for them to carry out.

Social Duties

Human beings have been created as social beings, and as such they live in social groups and have formed civilizations. Socializing is one of our basic needs, and social life involves certain expectations between people. When these are disregarded, society breaks down and people can no longer coexist peacefully or work together. The main responsibilities in this category are the preservation of the following inalienable rights:

Protecting the life of every individual: Every person has the right to life. No one has the right to take another person’s life. According to Islam, one who wrongfully kills a per- son is as guilty as if they have murdered all of humanity; likewise, one who saves one person’s life is as blessed as if they have saved all of humanity.

Safeguarding the freedom of all people: God Almighty cre- ated every human being free and equal. At the same time, it is certain that this freedom has boundaries. We do not have the prerogative to do anything we want; if we had such freedom this would violate the freedoms of others.

The consideration of conscience: When a person has a well- functioning conscience, this allows them to differentiate between good and bad. The value of such a conscience can be better understood if one observes outward consequenc- es. A person who engages in incorrect behavior cannot be said to have a functioning conscience. Islam assigns great importance to having a conscience that helps one to be concerned for the happiness and guidance of all humanity.

To this end, it encourages pity towards those who have a faulty conscience, and tries to bring them to the right way. One can never try to control or rule another person’s con- science; this is the province of God alone. Each person will be rewarded or punished for what is in their con- science. However, this does not mean it is wrong to ad- monish or advise a person who has a bad conscience, if the idea is to help the person.

Protecting freedom of mind: Any thought or opinion, right or wrong, must be approached in a scholarly man- ner. This is the only way for a truth to be discovered, and it is also the only way for society to prove the harmfulness of false ideas.

Protecting the honor and reputation of individuals: In Islam, everyone has the right to maintain their honor and dignity. Any attack against honor or dignity, we have been taught, will be gravely punished. It is for this reason that gossip, slander, ridicule, the cursing of others and saying negative things about others are absolutely forbidden in Islam.

The preservation of other people’s property: It is also for- bidden to usurp the property or possessions of any other person. What is earned by a person belongs strictly to that person. This is essential for the development of a civilized society. It is reasonable and necessary that the individuals who make up a society will have different degrees of wealth, according to their profession and training. In a fair and equitable society all should be grateful for and sat- isfied with their own portion.

2 notes · View notes