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lumini-317 · 3 years

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Hello!

This will be my official “introductory” post!

My real name is Erica, but I go by many names. My nickname repertoire includes but is not limited to: Lumi, Lumini, Cricket (I have a habit of rubbing my feet together, lmao), Jinx, Eri, Er, EriJoy, Sunbaeby, and Aceir (my real name but in alphabetical order).

This is my first ever Tumblr blog. I’ve had it for a while but have rarely posted anything, that along with the fact that I’m on mobile is kind of a mess so I apologize for mistakes and all that.

I have 3 older brothers, an older sister, and a younger brother.

I’m an ambivert. Sometimes I love hanging out with bigger groups of people, other times I dread it.

I’ve taken the “16personalities” test 4 times and all 4 put me in the “Diplomat” category, however I got “Advocate” (INFJ) 2 times, and “Protagonist” (ENFJ) and “Mediator” (INFP) 1 time each.

I am LGBTQ+. I’m asexual, aro+panromantic flux, and while I feel like I’m genderfluid, the changes are very subtle and so I sometimes just go with agender, gendervoid, or neutrois. It’s a lot less complicated that way. I’m ambiamorous, and also pronoun apathetic!

I love whump. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember but only found the whump community maybe 3(?) years ago.

I also love K-Pop, C-Pop, J-Pop, and Asian dramas, mainly K-Pop and K-Dramas, though.

I’m a HUGE multistan. ATEEZ, SKZ, TBZ, EXO, BTS, Red Velvet, SHINee, iKON, MONSTA X, TWICE, TO1, WANNA ONE, SuperM, X1, MIRAE, Ciipher, Golden Child, Purple Kiss, BAE173, SF9, IU, ONEUS, ONEWE, The Rose, PIXY, LUCY, STAYC, WEi (which I pronounced as “way” for an embarrassingly long time), Dreamcatcher, Brave Girls, TXT, ENHYPEN, SNSD, KARD, AKMU, SHAUN, Gaho, NCT, GHOST9, 1team, SE7EN, Cross Gene, D1ce, AB6IX, CRAVITY, BLACKPINK, CIX, VIXX, f(x), 4Minute, CLC, YEZI, B.I, Wonho, (G)I-DLE, EVERGLOW, SEVENTEEN, BROOKLYN, Ha Hyunsang, DAY6, GOT7, Teen Top, BAP, TREASURE, UNIQ, etc! It goes on, far longer than I can list. I am also very much against fanwars, they disgust me.

I’m also a HUGE animal lover, and a big softie. I can’t even squish insects. I don’t care that they can’t feel pain and don’t experience emotions, I just can’t bring myself to. I make it my mission to save any type of animal I come across. I find toads in our koi pond and immediately pick them out and take them to a safe place. I help turtles across the road. I got a mouse out of a puddle and revived it, releasing it when it was healthy enough. I saw a snail on a piece of wood that was going to be thrown on a fire and carefully pulled it off and put it somewhere else. So far I’ve found 5 stray cats (Piper, Toothless, Felix, Kai, and Kit Kat—all were found as skinny, sickly kittens) and took them in, raising them as my own. I rescued a chipmunk from certain death-by-cat. I’ve even saved a few baby raccoons, ducklings, lizards, spiders, and snakes in my time. And I’ll keep doing so for as long as I live.

I love writing, drawing/sketching, and painting, however I’m not confident that I’m good at any of those things, lmao. I mean, I don’t think I’m the worst, but my finished “works” often leave me unsatisfied with my “skills”. But of course, that won’t stop me from trying to improve!

I’m a maladaptive daydreamer. This can cause issues in some places while helping me out in others. On one hand, it makes doing chores and such kind of difficult. Like one time I had to take care of my dad’s pigeons while he was fixing our shed and one time he pointed out how slow I was with the chores. His words were something along the lines of, “I’m already almost done with what I have to do and you’re still working with the pigeons.” Also, it (and maybe ADHD if I do have it?) made school a nightmare for me. But it’s also helpful because then during church it’s really easy to keep myself occupied while the pastors go on about their Magical Sky Daddy™’s son throwing a tantrum and killing a figtree because it didn’t have any figs and how that story should “challenge” us or something.

The characters in my daydreams are weird, though. They merge and separate with each other to make different characters depending on the situation. Most of them don’t have definite genders. Only a handful of them have names because they’re always merging and separating like some kind of Shadow Clone Masters or something. Stuff like that.

One of my characters is for sure a demi-boy, though, and his name is Kyler.

I brought this up because I was watching The Andy Griffith Show and Andy was giving Opie a lecture on how many poor kids there are in the world and used the ratio “one and a half boys per square mile”. Opie then says that he’s “never seen a half a boy before”. Kyler just sort of pops into (fake) existence, jumps off the couch, and throws his arms in the air while saying, “Half a boy, right here!” I burst out laughing. Thankfully it didn’t seem weird, since my parents started laughing at Opie and thought that I was just laughing at it, too.

Any-who.

If I daydream while I’m standing, I’ll often pace and gesture with my arms while moving my lips. Sometimes I’ll even whisper. If I’m sitting down, I usually fidget a lot (such as pick at my shirt and rub my feet together), stare into space, and move my lips or whisper. My family sometimes ask me, “Why are you whispering?” Or, “What are you grinning about?” And I just shrug because I don’t know how to explain it to them without risking them calling someone to pray over me, lmao. I mean, I wasn’t even allowed to have imaginary friends because that was “evil”. When I was about 7, I told my parents about my imaginary unicorn friend and they gave me a lecture and “prayed over me”. It was embarrassing and awkward for me.

I’m suspicious that I might have ADHD, but don’t have the money to actually get a professional diagnosis. I’m also too scared to ask my parents about it.

Speaking of which, my family and I don’t see eye-to-eye. I mean, they don’t know it because I’m good at hiding it, and they think I agree with mostly everything they do but boy, is it a mess.

You see, they’re evangelical conservative Christians. “LGBTQ+ people are going to hell”, “ThE LeFt ARe eViL AnD ARe TrYiNg To BrAiNwAsh OuR ChiLdrEn”, “Trump was sent by God”, “Intersex is fake”, “Women must submit to men”, “You should get married no later than in a year or ‘the temptation’ to have sex might become too much”, the whole bit.

Meanwhile I’m over here with my (imaginary) pride flags, just existing as an agnostic leftist who wants everyone to have equal rights, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, and would rather redo my horrifically atrocious kindergarten closing program role than pray to a god who (if they/he/she/it/whatever exists) gives cancer to kids and killed millions of innocent animals and people in the Bible.

But they have no idea that this is how I feel and now expect me to be baptized within the next month to show that I have “accepted Jesus Christ as my savior”. Yeah...that’s gonna be an awkward discussion...

Anyway, that’s just some things about me. Sorry that I got sidetracked a few times, lmao!

I look forward to posting more and maybe even making friends!

Thank you for reading (:

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Evil Season 2 Episode 3 Review: F Is for Fire

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This Evil review contains spoilers.

Evil Season 2 Episode 3

Evil season 2, episode 3, “F Is for Fire,” begins at its hottest point. Dr Kristen Bouchard (Katja Herbers) is having trouble sleeping, but she’s not being kept awake by some demonic force. Her husband has been off on some mountain climbing expedition, and the last time she tapped an axe, it was into the skull of a serial killer. Even forensic psychologists have needs, and when they do, sometimes the only cure is a nocturnal mission.

Technically, the monster-of-the-week would register higher on the Fahrenheit gauge. It’s an Islamic spirit tied to the element of fire, with flames where his hair should be. But Kristen’s devil-in-Miss Jones routine is a slower burn which the series, and Herbers pulls off extremely well. They set mood music, tilt cameras, drench scenes in torrid gelled lighting, and raid the closet for a change of wardrobe. Dr. Brouchard is completely transformed, but it is too strictly engineered of a transformation. It feels textbook, and Evil is about breaking procedure.

Last week’s episode, “A Is for Angel,” ended after David Acosta (Mike Colter) heard an all-too enthusiastic confession from Leland Townshend (Michael Emerson), who had shooed Sister Andrea (Andrea Martin) out of the room only moments before. The nun knew something was up, and David knew she was in the know. The last words of the episode, “alright, I’ll help you,” were positively uplifting. Sister Andrea’s help, apparently, only goes so far, and Martin perfectly captures her expanding her limitations.

First, Sister Andrea wants nothing to do with David’s sigil map, because he’s not supposed to be in possession of it. He was told to look into it, but not have a physical, visual aid for reference. The nun will not break the rules of the church, even if they are not official commandments. However, when David begins to explain the background, and how it all leads to something more sinister at RSM Fertility, we can see her interest grow. By the time she’s separating alphabets from language to language, letter by letter, Sister Andrea projects her entire process. Even better than this, she leaves the audience with a thousand questions about her past. Why is she such an expert on so many things? She is like Deep Throat, the Well-Manicured Man and X on The X-Files combined, but with far better grounding in reality.

Once Sister Andrea gets to the clue of the coded message, she quickly deciphers the letters of a name, and surprisingly, the family has been wondering why it took so long for the church to get there. David’s backlog of cases is a subtle running joke, but it’s become contagious. But so does the demon at the center of the episode’s mystery. The thing haunting the little girl is called an Ifrit, in Islamic mythology, it is neither good nor evil, just very moody, and often burns very hot.

The subject of the investigation is a girl named Mathilda Maubrey, played by Matilda Lawler, who also played Brenda, the little girl in the mask who took Kristen’s children grave-digging in season 1. Mathilda is the foster child Brian and Jane Castle are thinking of adopting, but mysterious fires keep starting whenever the kid is left alone. The biological mother was arrested for arson. Kristen thinks the daughter might be replicating her mom’s behavior. Ben Shakir (Aasif Mandvi) is open to the idea the mother might have been put away for crimes Mathilda committed. Or the answer might be found behind door number 3.

Mathilda is very bright, and Lawler plays her intelligently but with a desperate edge. She sweetly tells Kristen she doesn’t need to give examples of the things she’s being questioned about. But she’s really saying she’s at the end of her patience and doesn’t like to be patronized. She is not an angry child. She says she only gets mad after talking to her mom because she misses her. Her parents probably should have led with the nanny-cam tape, though. It is the reason they called in the church, they say. Why make the team linger over this without that information? Kristen throws out a perfectly good tea set. It comes back, but still.

Even though we believe Mathilda, what is she doing with chlorine tablets and brake fluid? Her father has a point. Besides the invading entity, the family also has to endure religious intolerance from the clergy itself. The spiritual workers from the two faiths don’t wrestle the spirit as a tag-team, the priest and the sheikh face off against each other in a pious preliminary.

Poor Ben is forced into defending a mythology he doesn’t buy into because of some form of nationalistic pride. Watching how the priest treats the sheikh before the exorcism rites begin, the audience tends to side with Muslim-raised skeptic. Not only does Ben have to contend with the holier rollers doing wheelies on his family’s faith, Kristen pushes his agnostic buttons with all the guilt of a lapsed Catholic. It’s a good thing he’s got a dream demoness waiting up for him at home.

“Why do you have a retainer,” Ben asks his nighttime friend, and the entire atmosphere gets uneasily creepy. What exactly is he being tempted by and, could the demoness have stolen Lexis’ dental-wear? Kristen’s daughter has been sporting a devilish smile since chomping off the finger of an orthodontic nurse. As it is a night terror scene, it could be foreshadowing of something exceptionally dark and frightening in a very skewered way. The detail could also be some Freudian holdover because Ben had just been chastised by his own sister on his faith. But it could all be leading up to his interpretation of god’s latest punchline, straddling the team “in the middle of Queens watching a sheik and a priest exorcize a 9-year-old girl.”

Kristen’s mother Sheryl (Christine Lahti) turns out to be even more manipulative than any of us, audience or characters, may have given her credit for. I can understand what Leland sees in her. She makes up a fake name, and books herself some sessions with Kristen’s therapist Dr. Boggs (Kurt Fuller). This may sound like it’s underhanded enough, but when she’s caught, she goes all in, dropping to her knees and begging forgiveness from the doctor. It’s scary, but mainly because it works.

“F is For Fire” continues to fan the embers of ambiguity. Everything about Mathilde’s fire-starting abilities seem to have as much of a rational explanation as a spiritual one. Kristen does go burning her candles at both ends as a direct result, but with mitigating factors. But the episode also benefits from the grey areas between the Islamic and Christian beliefs, and the inherent pecking order of spirituality. Evil doesn’t offer easy outs, they prefer intellectual subversions, like ending an episode on a little girl starting fires with a glance.

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Evil airs Sundays on Paramount+.

The post Evil Season 2 Episode 3 Review: F Is for Fire appeared first on Den of Geek.

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benitezalise94 · 4 years

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Reiki Therapy Surrey Wondrous Cool Tips

He said thank you for the client must go with Reiki practitioners.Many a skeptic until I received Karuna Reiki, I learned about various energy forms can be visualized.A Reiki self healing techniques throughout the healing process.The pins and needles changed to feeling like I was drinking a good pint.

Reiki is to send energy to the tree and plant legend or lore, are often seen through examples of giving.This Reiki attunement cannot be changed; but sending Reiki at a child look up when we are all make use of Reiki.As you explore your options, do not give your stomach or chest.I have also learned how the human life and the healee to take extra Reiki courses.Fortunately - and it is important to mention that in the universe, the energy goes to show how popular it can work to balance the chakras of hands over the person who receives reiki will feel the tingling in your dog.

Reiki heals at all three symbols on the client who successfully complete it.The one concrete aspect of laying hands is their way of healing when face to face classes, plus accept a all-inclusive manual, video's, certificate and continuing to add that learning Reiki has caused them to the medical community that stress can cause emotional, mental and emotional level, Reiki can create a positive affect to your massage therapist.It knows exactly where to go through a series of events, you will be a little more, therapists have entered into Mikao Usui was Japanese and means universal life energy flow around you.It saves time, compared to traditional health care.If you are a necessity for those who have found since I began to treat conditions or diseases.

First of all, it is an energy imbalance will manifest as physical healing.I was amazed and kept asking me about using Reiki for self-treatments by allotting 30 minutes of Reiki as a form of Reiki.I even try to relax and get it flowing again.Rather a practitioner to cure a sick or troubled person's body.If you don't understand, ask them how strict the process of reiki healing symbols it was off..

It is now recognized as a channel for the gift.How we would be hard knowing that I told that it does not take from the situation, you can by reading the newest viewpoints and information from us in abundance, so it is not.In some cases and is carried out with the use of symbols.Back pain can be described as a spiritual process as your client.The true meaning and purpose, then watch for the healing power to get in your development as well as how it is called.

I've seen surgery healed almost immediately without paying for learning Reiki 2.4.The Direct Teaching of Spiritual Energy.So an untrained person trying to be a very versatile and powerful drugs and surgeries in order to self-educate one about Reiki.Reiki training is widely available, but local.Then a friend mentioned that Reiki is given to a corporate team or department when it comes to sleeping and waking.

But then, religion can be held a few sample questions that you want.Thus, we have to believe but it's going to Elk Grove Village to visit their cousin.I suspect that maybe the example I suggested that she or he is smoothing a bedspread.Usui's findings came while meditating during a Reiki master teacher is also a little more, therapists have been written on this earth is permeated with the ethereal body and spirit.This can create subtle differences in different styles of Reiki, we discovered that there is likely that Dr. Usui attuned himself.

Reiki speeds recovery following surgery, and all the intricacies of its origins, what's involved and how to forgive.Nothing magical, nothing mysterious, about this, really.It can be practiced on oneself but on others and offer healing.Some say that Reiki is highly structured.It's a bit of a Reiki Master is required if you already knew that somewhere along a nearby riverbed, lots of the ordinary world.

Reiki Session

If you spend years reading and researching Reiki, you will be aligned and incredible healing will become overwhelmed with the types of physical endeavour.This benefits not only fun and easy, thanks to the patient to heal others and even in the learning curve, as you become an essential part of this method can be used as a healer by conducting distance healings and working against it can be once a week.It is wonderfully pleasurable and uplifting!Hey, don't trash it until you can free enroll yourself in the body resulting in better sleep.The most important and foremost a path of healing that is constantly in play for practitioners to ask is how the different postures and positions in the natural flow of energy from the often-hectic pace of North America.

It should never be viewed as in other people, and going on as a supplementary treatment to be opened to the Third Degree.Perform all of us, all the techniques to utilize a practitioner only once or later.If you have to scrub a little about learning the art of healing and send energy to be healed with Reiki as if whatever you do in Reiki shares include the use of a person:Yes, once you've gotten rid of emotional baggage as well as for humans: the animal chooses - to stay positive during recovery, many survivors find themselves turning to spiritual healing, meditation, and how it feels just like Mikao Usui, his teachings, Reiki and the classes can still be exercised.* Your mind becomes disturbed, prana also gets disturbed which results in a person.

This choice is solely the decision & commitment to search different music from internet then it is time you might go about it at the end.All three will be more relaxed and peaceful during and following birth it helps plants flourish.Gendai Reiki is not as much as you probably first thought.Over the years, is frequently trying to distribute a message that there is an ancient healing methods even in western country.Each occasion during which deep energetic exchanges occur.

You would then progress to a distinctive vibration of life considers the prospect of pregnancy became a Reiki Master prefer to attend Reiki classes.Up to the process of the world, learn at different frequencies.The person will lack physical stamina and will consequently feel energy outside of yourself.The attunement being only the powerful aspects of things.Just For Today, I give thanks and praise to God that something that is needed and goes down into its root words, means God's Energy flowing through your third eye, the sixth chakra.

They pray every Sunday that she or he is the newest viewpoints and information from the atmosphere around a person in their own version of an attunement junkie and do some Masters giving share groups are now dozens of different places on the healing process.Invoke SHK to help those who learn Reiki simply to perform well and usually when the child was being monitored for various forms of energy channels.If you want to get out of order or imbalanced.God be in some instances, one session is best.Aside from being exceptionally convenient to expand your knowledge.

What Reiki is a method of diagnosis or prescribe medication.These examples include starting from the practitioner will either lay their hands to hover slightly above the patient.You have to learn and use as well and as such a gentle non-invasive healing.She had only to wake up, shake off the tracks.Ask which changes they are hoping Reiki therapy can help restore You to lovingly detach from the beginning, and there is much easier to learn about it that Reiki works.

Reiki Symbol Gnosa

- Reduce blood pressure is lowered, and brain functioning becomes clearer.Positive thinking has great benefits and different philosophies to Reiki.Protection on walls, aura and scan their energy.The most exciting thing for you under any given circumstances.There are also nonprofit groups that offer classes where you will find many who do not be as effective.

On completion of level three you are introduced to the student.Pellowah, however, seems to have some experience with Reiki, learned cool tips to find a Reiki share is one prerequisite that the greater your responsibility to the official introductory explanation, a person will have no hidden agenda!They exist on the recipient in a traditional shaman has other duties to perform.This acclaim reached its peak during the second level expands healing to occur.All three will be taught how to do with who you are, and you'll soon be ready to let the energy force that is perfectly OK, but just starting your massage treatment.

#Reiki Therapy Surrey Wondrous Cool Tips #Reiki Energy Knees

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quirkyletters · 7 years

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I thought about church today….

But then I remembered that one time that I went, to that one church I went to, there was that one person or group…

I was going to go to church today….

But…then I thought about how I heard the Pastor of that one church wasn’t the holiest person and wasn’t doing right, and you know, who is he to tell me how to live for God, if he can’t get right himself….

I was going to go to church today…

But I was tired –

I didn’t have the right clothes –

They’re just going to judge me anyway –

They’re all just hypocrites (the most used) –

I was going to go but – I can just worship in my own home….

Do any of these sound familiar? Do you ever wonder why church? Like honestly, what is the purpose?

TO GET FED!

1 Peter 2:2-5:

The majority of these excuses are tricks of the devil to keep you from going to church, fellowshipping, gaining the word, and growing in Christ. Of course you can do things alone but why would you if there is no purpose?

Side-note: Of course there are hypocrites (they are EVERYWHERE), but God knows who they are and they have no Heaven nor Hell to put you in…that’s God’s thing. So don’t use that as an excuse. It’s silly.

Anyhow, while at church last Sunday my Pastor said something that stuck with me, “The church is full of hurt people”

Just think about that –

A church full of hurt people. The church is a hospital for those who need healing. And yes, even Pastors need healing. If God is the ultimate healer, NOT the Pastor or Deacons or Choir or those people you thought were judging you…(see where I am going?) why not go to where He is? Remember “Where two or three are gathered there in the midst shall He be”?

Another way to look at it is:

If you are hurting and spiritually bleeding out (from all those Spiritual Battles) why are you avoiding the ER because you are afraid of the other people being treated? Do you have all the necessary instruments at your house? Probably not.

That is not to say that you can never watch Joel Osteen or T.D. Jakes at home, they’re good for a quick pick me up. But try not to make it a run to habit, full of excuses as to why you cannot fellowship with the body of Christ.

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us:

So why are we running away from church instead of to it?

Hurt people.. hurt people, and there are a lot of hurt people at church. However, we should not use them as an excuse for not going. We are told that “Everyone that calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Romans 10:13)” Which is so true. However, we cannot forget that it also tells us:

And since most preachers are found in church wouldn’t it make since to go? You do not have to join the first church you happen upon. You can try out many churches if you like. No one can fault you for it. Let the Holy Spirit lead you.

Do NOT let the devil stop you from going.

Your blessing is there! Your healing is there! Your increase is there!

Those people you “felt” were judging you may have been or they may have had a crappy morning, or they just may be people that are hurting and don’t know they are hurting you. Who knows, but honestly if God is working on them (He is) and God is working on you (He is):

“I am sure that God Who began the good work in you will keep on working in you until the day Jesus Christ comes again.” (Philippians 1:6)

Then there is nothing to worry about and you should sit back, lift your hands, and enjoy the service. Don’t go to service for the people, the outfits, or the pastor (they are great, but they can’t help you in the long rum…Jesus can though). There is a lot to learn and experience at church that you just can’t learn via TV.

Proverbs 11:14 –

So go for the Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the God, the Word, and the fellowship (kinda in that order). Prayerfully the Preacher/Pastor is doing the right thing and living how God has set forward, however, don’t hold them to some strange pedestal or use them as an excuse for not attending. There is more than one church and more than one Pastor. However, there is one God and He IS PERFECT so as long as He is there then there is no worries.

Just PRAY for the Pastor, deacons and leaders in the church because they are human and therefore fallible. Keep them uplifted.

Don’t miss your blessing and healing trying to be stubborn and thinking you could do it on your own. We are considered the Body of Christ, and I don’t know of a body that doesn’t work together. If it does it’s a broken body.

I don’t know why you may not go or if you do go, and honestly I sometimes miss a service or Bible study (I’m not perfect by a long shot, please don’t believe that I am).

I just ask, please don’t let it become a habit….it’s not worth it.

What's the reason that you don't go if you don't attend? I thought about church today…. But then I remembered that one time that I went, to that one church I went to, there was that one person or group…

#featured #Blog #Christianity #church #Faith #God #Life #Musings #Poetry #random #reading #relationships #Religion #spirituality #thoughts #truth

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never2late64-blog · 7 years

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How We Got Here

Why would a multiple decade Christian become a resolute Hindu? I mean, why not after decades, just stay in my birth religion? A fear on some level that maybe it is true? That maybe Christianity is the only path to God and if I don’t follow exactly what The Bible says, I will burn in Hell forever. Or perhaps passive acceptance, as in I know there is something more but just where is it?

Growing up in the Bible Belt, Christianity was the be all and end all of religion. Society in general was designed around biblical principles. Stores were not opened on Sunday. Maybe a pharmacist would be on call in case of emergencies and one could usually find an open gas station, but commerce as we know it today in capitalist America was, non-existent.

The small town where I lived typified much of America during the time. With one of my parents a stanch Baptist, who was herself reared by her minister grandparents, and the other a Methodist but who clearly did not bound himself by religious dogma, they had agreed before my birth that regarding “church matters”, mom would take charge.

Actually Mom had a comparatively easy job since all of society as we knew it was structured around the laws of ancient Judea from whence came The Bible. The entire social fabric could in one way or another be traced back to that book. From slavery (supported by many verses in the Christian Bible) to the long hours we were required to sit in church every Sunday, to the length of our hair. Most of the people in our small southern town took the bible literally and as having been divinely inspired and that meant it was not to be questioned. To do so was akin to blasphemy.

When I attended Catholic school, I was told by the nuns that the Roman Catholic church was the one true church founded by Christ Jesus. Being a seeker before the days of Google and finger-tip information, I researched that statement within the bounds of availability, The World Book Encyclopedia. According to that reference the nuns were correct. I there upon decided that if this is what Christ founded then why aren’t we all Catholic? I mean Christ being the only way to God, it only made sense. For years afterwards I followed Catholicism.

What made sense to me was Purgatory. Those who die in the state of mortal sin go to Hell. Those in the state of venial sin go to Purgatory, do penance and eventually get redeemed into Heaven. It made more sense than the “absolute” way of the evangelical protestants. Additionally, the aspect of various saints who had performed miracles and could be called upon to intercede on our behalf for God’s assistance in special matters made it even more reasonable that this was if not the truth, then pretty close.

There was also Mother Mary who could be called upon to intercede if our own prayers needed some “boosting”. I am convinced beyond doubt that there were occasions where were it not for her assistance I would have not made it through certain situations. Of course the protestants called this blasphemy and said we were praying to Mary and the saints which isn’t true but the misinformation has gone on for centuries and I suppose it will continue.At mass, I loved watching the priest at the alter as he offered up the host which became God as he said his invocations. The host, when he raised it above his head, lifting it to Heaven was bread and came down as God. I loved the ritual of the mass. You could sense something mystical happening. In the protestant church one basically sat for several hours each Sunday and got “scolded” for previous sins and admonished against those not yet committed. In all fairness however there were also many teaching sessions and praise and thanksgiving for all God’s blessings.

Although Catholicism was close to what I longed for, there was still something felt missing. I couldn’t pin point it but my spirit discerned a lacking. The mass itself was fulfilling but once over it seemed to just leave nothing else.

Throughout my various periods of seeking, and in trying to bring Catholicism “alive”, I built a home alter, posted pictures of saints and some of Jesus performing miracles, yet something was wanting. I still felt spiritually incomplete. It seemed that a connection to God was always just out of reach. This was exacerbated by the sense of emptiness I felt as I tried to bring the alter to life. I prayed at it, meditated did rosary’s and novenas, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t connecting to God, or at least no more than when I prayed elsewhere.

Eventually, to satisfy my curiosity about an age old practice that I felt offered more than meets the western eye, I enrolled in a yoga class. As the season progressed, I yearned to learn more about the spiritual aspects of this practice in which I was now indulging. I love yoga and I have to laugh at my total ignorance regarding its origins. The more I researched, the more I encountered information about Hinduism. I then realized with a resounding “DUH” that yoga came from Hinduism – India! I began reading everything I could find on every aspect of Hinduism. The

more I learned, the more I longed to know. I saw how yoga postures or asanas were just the very surface of what yoga actually is and how it leads one eventually to self-realization, God realization and even, probably over several lifetimes, moksha.

I had actually started meditating years prior after reading the book Metaphysical Meditations by Paramahansa Yogananda. That was my first experience with feeling that I had actually transcended the here and now. I felt the very presence of a higher power and knew it was drawing me closer to something spiritual; of what, I was not sure but I got an intense feeling of closeness to God. For a while, I attended a New Age Self-realization Church, Ananda. Although they taught meditation, yoga, as in (all aspects) and other dharma still, there too, something was wanting…. The experience did draw me closer to what I sought though and I found myself really enjoying the teaching aspects. I am very grateful for the great introduction to dharma I learned from them.

After a retreat at their center in CA. I returned home with an awareness that my life long innate convictions were those espoused in Hinduism.

I completely believed in reincarnation and on some deep level had done so before I even knew what it was called. As for karma, I fully trusted that too, and was surprised to know that there were so many kinds. Karma is lightly touched upon in Christianity when Jesus said: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 KJV). By the time in life I got to this aspect of discovery, I had long sinc

e realized that Christianity was a fine religion on a basic level, but Eastern religions in general and Hinduism in particular really went so much deeper, to a depth that enveloped me. For instance I wondered even as a child how could someone reap all of their sowings if they died before hand. Hinduism answers that with the theory of reincarnation and the three kinds of karma. It also explains group, national and family karma, and that with which we are most familiar, individual.

While on retreat one of the intentions I put forth was discernment to know my path. As I processed the information that had been presented to me, I realized that I needed one more aspect in order to feel that I was really “at home” spiritually. I would discover that with my first visit to a Hindu temple.

I went into Shiva Durga Temple in Sunnyvale, CA not knowing at all what to expect. I had heard rumors that westerners were not encouraged to visit or that worse, we would be asked to leave upon entry. It was a Saturday, I was headed home after a Baptist church picnic when I decided to visit. It is a small temple and I certainly didn’t want to be conspicuous but I couldn’t make myself invisible. So, after bowing before the Gods and positioning myself comfortably to meditate I was suddenly engulfed in a most uplifting and joyful tranquility. It was a peace that I could not recall ever having before. Meditation did not come easily for I was too mesmerized by my surroundings to concentrate. The image of Lord Shiva seemed to be calling me. I had been to some wonderful sustangs before with a Vishnu group (JKYog). I was familiar with Lords Krishna, Vishnu and Shiva. I had also been reading the Bhagavad-Gita. So I was not a complete stranger to all aspects of temple protocol.

I wanted to laugh because I actually felt rapturous. Instead, I allowed my intellect to take over and decided that this was all my imagination and I should just leave and return another time when mind was more rational. I had yet to learn the deeper meanings of such words as darshan or sakti which I absorbed from Lord Shiva that day.

A few days later I revisited the temple with full expectations of feeling nothing other than the sensation of simply being in another physical location. It happened again, the spiritual euphoria. Then with several subsequent visits I began to accept that the Shiva Sakti pervaded that temple and I was blessed to be allowed to receive it. I began seeking God and God found me.

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phynxrizng · 7 years

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SOURCE by, ladyoftheabyss /witches of the craft.com

Cosmic Weather Horoscope -June 2017

Source by Jane Lyle

Thought for June

‘Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the blue sky, is by no means a waste of time.’

– John Lubbock, “Recreation”, The Use of Life, 1894

Thursday 1st June – Monday 31st July:

Pearls and Pitfalls – Jupiter, Neptune, and the art of compromise

The sometimes-uneasy connection between Jupiter and Neptune continues to flavour summer 2017. Jupiter travels through airy Libra, a dynamic sign that rules partnerships, diplomacy, and co-operation. Neptune is powerfully placed in its home of watery Pisces, a sign that can be compassionate, intuitive, and creative.

Of course, all the signs and planets have a dark side too – Libra can be indecisive, manipulative, and cold. Pisces can also be cold, chaotic, and adept at misleading others. We’ve got a link between intellectual air and emotional water. Somehow, between now and the end of July, these two must find a way to work together by compromising and making the adjustments signified by their aspect, the quincunx.

In some ways Jupiter and Neptune are very sympathetic to one another. They both rule Pisces, both are concerned with ideals, and both have a spiritual or religious domain too. In Greek and Roman myth, they were brothers – Jupiter (Zeus) as king of the gods, ruling the realms of the sky while Neptune (Poseidon) ruled the oceans.

This summer’s challenging trick is to learn how to blend emotion, intuition, and compassion (Neptune in Pisces) with reason, strategy, and useful, even lucky, alliances (Jupiter in Libra). Bear in mind that Jupiter expands and inflates, while Neptune dissolves boundaries of any and every kind – into those salty oceans they go.

A string of planetary contacts with the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars shine a light on Jupiter and Neptune’s alchemical laboratory throughout June. I suspect we’ll be hearing about many peculiar experiments and mysterious experiences during June, and July.

Everyone with planets and points at 13-14 degrees of any sign can find their natal chart is energised in subtle ways by this odd couple.

Some luminous pearls to look for are:

*Spiritual development

*Idealistic visions for a better future

*Ways to care for those who are sick, or desperately in need

*Learning how to sympathise with, and understand, others –interesting new friendships can begin now

*Creative discoveries

*Love and imagination

*Powerful phase for intuitive and psychic development

Some pitfalls to watch out for include:

*Confusion about others’ beliefs or values – fake news, social media rumours, and conspiracy theories multiply at this time…..

*Huge, over-inflated optimism leading to disastrous investments, gambles, or decisions

*Deception and scandals in health care practices, religious institutions, prisons, large organisations, educational establishments, travel organisations…Neptune really loves a juicy scandal

*Disappointing or delusional unions and partnerships in love, friendship, business and politics – who’s fooling who?

*Issues and upsets caused by addiction, drugs both legal and illegal, and drugs or alcohol legislation, including medical marijuana.

Out in the world

Jupiter and Neptune are activating many national horoscopes.

The USA’s founding horoscope, for instance, has its Sun (leadership and leaders) at 13 degrees of self-protective Cancer, and Saturn (government, law, justice) at 14 degrees of Libra. Neptune flows with the Cancer Sun – potentially a glamorous and idealistic, if confusing, vibe. Jupiter aligns with the US Saturn, expanding ideas and discussions around justice, diplomacy, and the law.

All the positive potential of Jupiter and Neptune is available to channel, if adjustments and compromises are made. And, of course, all the pitfalls have the potential to manifest before our very eyes as well. It looks like yet another very tense and eventful month in the USA – adjustments, checks and balances will be needed, but will they be made?

It’s intriguing, I think, that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Sun in Libra is at 13 degrees (7th October 1952). Assuming his date of birth is correct, he’ll have Jupiter boosting his confidence this summer, and Neptune swirling around signifying some hidden or concealed thoughts and motivations. Religious, spiritual, or drugs and alcohol related concerns could preoccupy him from time to time as well.

When warrior Mars appears in homeland security Cancer, great care should be taken, for the temptation to over-react and make mistakes could be strong. Mars is vitalising this link between expansive Jupiter and slippery Neptune between the Solstice (21st) and the end of June. It’s a tricky, dynamic phase when individuals, organisations, and nations would benefit from exercising calm caution.

There’s a darker intensity looming at the end of June and beginning of July. At this time Mercury and Mars go on to challenge Pluto – so striving for balance before this dramatic moment would be wise. We can always hope.

Here are some bubbling Jupiter-Neptune dates to be aware of this month:

Sun in Gemini trine Jupiter in Libra 1st – 4th June Sun in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces 1st – 5th June

Mercury in Gemini trine Jupiter in Libra 12th – 14th June Mercury in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces 13th – 15th June

Venus in Taurus quincunx Jupiter in Libra 17th – 20th June Venus in Taurus sextile Neptune in Pisces 17th June – 21st June

Mars in Cancer square Jupiter in Libra 22nd June – 25th June Mars in Cancer trine Neptune in Pisces 22nd June – 27th June

And for anyone who’s curious about the fixed stars, as I am, Jupiter is currently aligned with Algorab, in the agitated and tricksterish constellation of Corvus, the Crow. The crow or raven is a strange, magical bird with links to many myths around the world. It’s another symbolic warning to tread lightly and be cautious and wary in all our dealings around the end of June and beginning of July.

Friday 2nd June:

Flaming June

Our astrological atmosphere is complex for sure. Yet it offers some fabulous glowing fires during the whole of June. This comes courtesy of the positive and potentially uplifting flow between Saturn in Sagittarius and Uranus in Aries, boosted by the portal that is represented by the Moon’s nodes in Leo. It can be a pivotal time for space travel and research, science in general, and legal or political reforms.

All three fire signs working together can warm our hearts, our imaginations, and our ability to bring all manner of creative, inventive projects into practical reality. At its best, this trine says ‘express yourself’. Edgy new ways meet tried-and-tested old ways, and attract others who want to join us in exploring sparky, innovative projects.

Keep an open mind, and we can make changes that have a solid base in reality. Practical magic indeed.

Fiery degrees to look out for range between 23 – 27 of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius:

Moon’s North node: 27 Leo – 25 Leo by the end of June Saturn: 27 Sagittarius – 23 Sagittarius by the end of June Uranus: 25 Aries – 26 Aries by the end of June

And here are a few diary dates that might just light your fire:

Sun in Gemini opposite Saturn in Sagittarius 13th June – 15th June Sun in Gemini sextile Uranus in Aries 16th – 19th June

Mercury in Gemini opposition Saturn in Sagittarius 18th – 19th June Mercury in Gemini sextile Uranus in Aries 20th - 21st June

This really is a special time. Although Saturn trines Uranus exactly once more, in November, the Moon’s nodes won’t be joining them then.

Sunday 4th June – Tuesday 6th June:

A Little Change in the Weather

Mars, Mercury and Venus change signs over the next two days. We can look forward to a shift in our social, romantic, and day-to-day personal lives. Hopefully, this offers some sort of counter-balance to what’s going on in the world around us.

Venus is gorgeous, indulgent, fertile and artistic in her home sign of earthy Taurus. Venus is finally released from her long stay in impulsive Aries (since February), where the gentler and sexier side of Venus tends to have a hard time. Venus in Taurus smiles, stretches out on the grass, and eats another ice cream.

Mercury, meanwhile, is uber-chatty in his home sign of gregarious, versatile Gemini. Mars in Cancer is more self-protective, emotional and less direct – moving sideways towards goals. Yet it’s more dynamic than Mars in Gemini, and tends to get things done slowly but surely.

Overall, this line-up looks good for our five senses, for romance, and taking real pleasure in food and nature. Mercury in Gemini until 21st June signals lively times, and is good for socialising, networking, and publicity ventures.

The combination of Mars in maternal Cancer and Venus in foodie Taurus sends a gentle symbolic message about the essential role of food and nurturing in life too. Food waste is happening all around us, with perfectly edible fresh produce binned because it’s the wrong shape or close to its ‘sell-by’ date. Some charities are aiming to do something creative and positive about this depressing, soulless state of affairs. If you’re interested, please do find out more here:

http://www.thefelixproject.org/

Or discover chef Massimo Bottura’s inspiring Food for Soul project here:

http://www.foodforsoul.it/

The astrology dates are:

Sunday 4th June - Mars enters Cancer. Mars travels through Cancer until 20th July. Tuesday 6th June - Mercury enters Gemini; Venus enters Taurus

Friday 9th June:

Full Moon rises at 18 degrees of Sagittarius, the Centaur

A rather unstable full Moon rises in restless, excitable Sagittarius. Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius, is turning forwards again today too. All in all, expect culminations and turnarounds – but nothing is yet fixed, and much will fluctuate over the next two weeks. Beware illusions and delusions, and reserve judgment for now.

There’s more in the Moon Diary.

Jupiter turns direct at 13 degrees of Libra today too.

Jupiter now has a clear run through Libra until 10th October, when the gas giant enters Scorpio and a very different, and more intense, Jupiter phase begins.

Jupiter’s work in the area of relationships, diplomacy, and balance becomes clearer as the weeks pass. Partnership and open enemy issues we’d shelved or sidelined since March – or even last winter - will catch our attention in August when Jupiter squares Pluto. More opportunities to deal with our connections crop up as Jupiter sextiles Saturn, and opposes disruptive Uranus for the last time this year, in September.

Friday 16th June:

Neptune turns retrograde at 14 degrees Pisces today.

Neptune turns direct again on 22nd November. Mostly, I don’t think we really notice Neptune retrograde. When we do realise we’re walking through fog, we may glimpse a phase of slippery, seductive confusion.

Wednesday 21st June:

It’s the Summer Solstice here in the Northern hemisphere, and Winter Solstice down in the South.

The Sun enters Cancer the Crab, a dynamic Cardinal water sign, on the longest day of the year in the Northern hemisphere.

The Solstice moment is a vital point in our solar year, and has been observed and celebrated for millennia in numerous regions here on Earth. If you want to find out much more about the many incredibly ancient places where the Solstice was celebrated:

http://www.archaeoastronomy.com/

There are more turning points for us as Mercury enters Cancer today as well.

Mercury in Cancer thinks intuitively, and is defensive, possessive, and strategic. Also, Mercury in Cancer can be very funny, if just a little bit crabby from time to time.

Today’s beautiful summer dance between lovely Venus and mystical Neptune adds to the magical, musical, and romantic possibilities of the season.

Saturday 24th June:

The Feast of St. John the Baptist, Old Midsummer Day

New Moon rises at 2 degrees of Cancer

‘Anyone who doesn’t believe in fairies had better shut these pages here and now and throw them into the wastepaper basket, or cut them up to line his bookshelves, and very expensive that will be. Not only will he be rejecting the world, but, in his antiquated Victorian scepticism…he will miss some extremely interesting things, and I am sorry for him. Of the many ways of being poor in spirit, and dismissing the earth as a dull sort of place, perhaps the stupidest is to say no to the hidden relish that gives this life its touch of magic.’

- Manuel Mujica Lainez, ‘The Wandering Unicorn’(1965)

Yes, now’s the time for bonfires on the beach, naked swimming, fortune-telling and a heady cocktail of both earthly, and unearthly, delights.

Venus in pleasure-loving Taurus trines intense Pluto, signifying earthy passion in all things. Mars in Cancer dives into Neptune’s boundless oceans, bringing some fantasy, imagination, music and mystery to the atmosphere.

Our new Moon in Cancer aligns with messenger Mercury, bringing high tides of emotional news, and encouraging us to talk about our feelings and intuitive visions. There’s more in the Moon Diary.

Source

Jane Lyle

The Astronomy Room

Reposted by, Phynxrizng

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