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688199 · 10 months

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A Cheeky Angel: What does being a man mean?

exploring the theme and message of this underrated gem

okay so im not exactly new to this series, been about a year since i first watched the anime. i'm now just done with my second reread of the manga, so i would like to share whatever comes to mind.

i would like to start this off saying that i don't think many people see beyond what meets the eye. i've seen others say that this series is sexist and misogynistic, etc etc. but i don't think that's the case at all. in fact, it's the complete opposite. how so? let's start from the beginning (apologies for being messy i'm never good at organizing my thoughts lol) (contains spoilers)

cheeky angel revolves around our main character, megumi amatsuka, a beautiful angelic girl who believes she was once a boy. hence she is determined to return to her previous state with the help of her best friend, miki. she meets a thug who falls heads over heels with her after she's the first to beat him up, then save him when he was in a pinch. soon, a strange group forms around megumi, called the megu-dan, with a goal to protect her, as well as find the magic book.

this series is one of, if not the only series which i feel handles the shallow and cringe "gender swap" troupe very well by using it to explore important themes, such as: what is masculinity?

the reason megumi wants to become a boy in the first place, is because society around her constantly pushes that "boy = strong, girl = weak". she ends up hurting genzo (recap: he saves her from glass shards) and those around her because "she is a girl". not only that, megumi feels frustrated that she is unable to help miki escape her fate. this thought of "i am a girl, therefore i will never be able to do it" hence becomes the cause of her insecurity, and is whar holds her back from her true potential.

now the genie, what does he do? imo he's hella clever. by altering memories to make her believe she was once a boy, megumi is no longer bounded by this thought, and hence is able to do what she wants fearlessly. at the end she also says to the genie that her wish was granted. what wish? to be able to protect others. like how she managed to save her friends time and time again.

"being a man" represents courage, justice, and this wish. thus this becomes her ideal, as well as many of the other characters, in their own unique ways.

it is megumi's "manliness" which causes every character to be drawn towards her, people who need to learn this "manliness". genzo, who is the toxic, shallow personification of "being a man". kobayashi, whose hesitance stops him from achieving his dream. fujiki and yasuda, who believes they amount to nothing but the stereotypes they live by. throughout the series though, you can see them overcome these obstacles, with megumi serving as the catalyst.

then what is "being a woman"? this one is a bit more unclear, but from how i see it, megumi represents "being a woman", and "being a woman" represents freedom. the way megumi does things her own way and how she wants it, a stark contrast to miki and others around her who are bound to stereotypes and expectations. yet at the same time, it's ironic, because "being a woman" is what holds megumi down. thus this leads to her identity crisis. at first glance it might seem megumi is just worried about her physical appearance but in truth it is about whether she wants to have her wish, or remain free as she is.

however, at the end of the series, she learns to accept herself as who she is, no longer needing the idea that "she used to be a man" to spur her actions. thus the comment by miki: "she seems more manly now, and more feminine too". because the conflict she battled for so long is finally over, she is now both "a man" and "a woman", someone who can protect others, as they want to.

the overall message of the series is: you don't have to be a man, to "be a man", just be yourself

(i will go in depth with other characters in future posts and explain how they tie into this message and theme. also, just post whatever i think about the series.)

(ive seen some people say this is an lgbtq series about gender. though the similarities, i would like to disagree. it’s really just about “being you, as you are”. this is why i don’t enjoy people putting labels on the characters, like saying megumi is trans, miki is lesbian, kobayashi is bisexual, etc etc. headcanons are fine, sure, but claiming them canon like what some people do, nah. the whole point of the series is that people are not bound to words, ideas, stereotypes and traditions. assigning them a label, defeats the purpose)

#cheeky angel #manga analysis #megumi amatsuka #man amongst men

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kana-muchi-midori · 2 months

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What would pregnant aera be like? Esp if one or her love interests was the father?

Whar would pregnant haru be like?

Hmmm it depends.

If she was able to get help and become a better person and successfully pursue a healthy relationship with a woman who genuinely loves her, I think she would be very happy to have a little baby <3 The nursery would be filled with lots of froggy stuff, just like how Bum was with her nursery…

If her love interest raped her, or it was a hook-up, or if her lover dumped her after she got pregnant, then things won’t be pretty.

Or if the father was *ahem* SANGWOO oh boy things DEFINITELY won’t be pretty.

Also I have an AU where Zera is grown and is this pathetic rich douchebag (he’s a pissbaby politician who tries to become president and STILL has plans for world domination but miserably fails to do so) and has a harem involving Akiko, Emiko, Hanako, and ofc Aera and if she were to get pregnant from him… yeah things would still also be a total dumpster fire.

In the last two scenarios she does not want to have a child at her age and she knows it, not to mention with her pregnancy being a result of you-know-what she’s going to view her body as even more impure and dirty and thus her mental state will even worsen, poor baby :( Either way she will most likely either A: End up dead from suicide or an at-home abortion remedy gone wrong or B: Fail/survive those attempts and gets hospitalized and most likely miscarries and Zera/Sangwoo will get big mad and things will get really ugly from there.

Pregnant Haru would be very dysphoric considering he was afab and might also die of a D.I.Y abortion :(

#Hikari club revival #Hiroshi Haru #Oh Aera

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writer59january13 · 3 months

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Isis staind 27+ years...

of scorpion stinging poison us marriage, whereby the missus and I experienced genesis as mama and papa respectively. (jest kibitizing)

thus explaining why I (a beatle browed sixty five year young adult) joined blue oyster cult to live out my dream as a Norwegian bachelor farmer yours truly doth exult.

Without wearing a helm mitt on my head,

yet did suffer inxs of welts the size of cranberries

amidst talking heads, whose traffic mishap of cars unable to stp,

thus this passenger indistinguishable from avast metallica skidrow populated

with heart shaped pearl jam wreckage upon smashing pumpkins everywhere

with an evanescence shimmering

like spilt midnight oil, which dire straits

charged the super tramp ping

man-made debacle into kiss

from grateful dead village people whose beatle brows scrunched tight

creating black crows imprimatur resembling little feet easily mistaken

for hairline fractures, which strongly appealed

to the goo goo dolls,

who lived three doors down

purportedly within which

resided a queen latifah

(an iron maiden ruling america)

plus when asked for bread, she point

in one direction, mere rolling stones away

the black eyed peas, whose ac/dc power

crowded house did feel

as if 10,000 maniacs

did squeeze into a tine hole,

thus forsaking experiencing nirvana, with near asphyxiation attributable

to lack of air supply

so carpenters got called

to expand and golong

with a gilt emblazoned cupola –

just for kix, and to lure

any wonder full steve adore,

which teamsters included skilled one tradesman

roof WinWrite, these collective souls, a veritable culture club unto themselves

off phish shill lee within the a similar

reo speedwagon as sly and the family stone

choosing king crimson

to manage the influx

qua motley crue, which jane's addiction

kept ideal bad company for alice n chains,

the latter whose enslavement akin to cinderella deprived such indigo girls

to jet set with their sought after prince charming (even resigning themselves

to a Jethro tull type), or a chap similar to the garden variety allman brothers,

who didst serve to Lumineers doobie brothers morale booster

to an imaginary dragon

(which beastie boy foo fighting animals owned

by the legendary kings of leon),

whose mythic storied BuzzFeed incorporated their encounter

with blondie (who donned a golden earring),

which Dixie chick happened to be hail a van

driven by the everly brothers,

which latter escaped be combing caged

like monkeys in a zoo,

and carved out a niche

as beach boys blessedly banished,

where they fed on red hot chili peppers dredged via bay city rollers

to sustain their being a survivor,

and welcomed by experiencing rebirth

viz genesis, whar

mambo kings proffered palliative to smooth kinks concomitant with cast off

as a foreigner on maroon 5.

Zealousness yowled x wise,

venturesomely urged viz thighs sensuousness roared qua prize of nascent

marvelous libidinal kisses jeweled iridescent

hides genital fulfillment

explodes delicious capacious brides’ atonement breathtakingly conceding conception

decides elopement fashions gustatory hoopla

insides jot kickstarter

latching mightily nourishing oxides maids visited unmet

testosterone satiation roared.

Queefer madness puckering of naked missus (a veritable madonna)

meowed lamentably kindling joyousness indeed.

Hotmail garnered fingerhut egghead

drew capitalone BuzzFeed amen.

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hempstreet · 2 years

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Common Questions about Bilwadi Churna Answered

Ayurveda puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of having a healthy gut. In this ancient and holistic science, good digestive health is one of the most fundamental aspects of overall wellbeing and effective bodily function. It has a direct impact on the body’s organ systems, immune response, physical and mental health, and overall spiritual balance.

The bilwadi churna is one of the most prominent and important Ayurvedic formulations, known to be immensely effective against digestive health issues. But what makes it so important? Does it really work? Why should one consume it? Read ahead to discover the answers to all your questions about the bilwadi churna.

What Is The Bilwadi Churna?

Bilwadi churna is a potent Ayurvedic medicine that holistically approaches overall gut health and function and alleviates the different digestive health conditions. It consists of natural ingredients that help eliminate harmful microorganisms from the digestive tract, stimulate digestive enzymes to improve the digestion of food, enhance the absorption of the food nutrients by the intestines, and improve the overall function of the digestive organs.

What Is It Made Of?

The bilwadi churna consists of certain key herbal ingredients that directly influence and improve one’s gut health, such as:

Indian Bael (wood apple/bel giri) is the primary ingredient in this decoction, hence the name Bilwadi. This fruit is a rich source of Vitamin C and it helps relieve constipation, prevent the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut, and boost immunity.

Coriander (dhania) is a popular medicinal herb rich in dietary fiber, Vitamin C and K, iron, and magnesium. It helps eliminate toxins from the blood, suppress inflammation, enhance digestion, and improve liver and bowel functions.

Fennel seeds contain manganese that stimulates the digestive system and boosts metabolism.

Sonth (dry ginger powder) promotes efficient digestion, alleviates nausea, prevents gut inflammation, and improves the movement of food through the gut (gut motility).

Mochras helps alleviate conditions like dysentery and diarrhea.

Dhai phool (dhataki) comes with antioxidant and liver protective properties which help alleviate liver issues and enhance its function. It further helps relieve pain and inflammation in the gut.

Vijaya enhances the function of the ECS in the gut, improves overall gut health, alleviates various gastrointestinal disorders, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome.

Hing (asafetida) is rich in fiber; aids digestion; alleviates various stomach issues, and comes with anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.

What Are Its Benefits and Whar Conditions Does It Help Alleviate?

The various ingredients in the bilwadi churna work together to offer wide-ranging health benefits for the gut, and help alleviate conditions like:

Stomach pain

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs) like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

Diarrhea

Dysentery

Gas

Bloating

Nausea and vomiting

Flatulence

Abdominal discomfort

Colic

Cramps

Indigestion

Furthermore, this Ayurvedic medicine acts as an astringent (grahi). Hence, it absorbs the excess liquid contents from the intestine to reduce the frequency of loose stools. It aids digestion, cools the gut lining, and enhances nutrient absorption, thus preventing the elimination of undigested foods. It detoxifies Pitta, reduces Kapha, and pacifies Vata. As a result, patients can easily use this Ayurvedic medicine irrespective of their Doshas.

Does It Really Work?

Over the years, medical experts and researchers around the world have conducted various studies and trials on the efficacy of bilwadi churna’s ingredients on gut health issues and found them to be highly beneficial for overall gut health. Here are a few of them:

In a Canadian study, it was found that Vijaya improved IBD symptoms in over 91%, abdominal pain in over 84%, and abdominal cramping in over 77% of the patients. They further reported decreased stress levels and improved quality of life.

A 2021 research showed that Indian Bael has exceptional therapeutic and nutritional properties. It is rich in diverse essential minerals (iron, boron, iodine, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium, etc.), dietary fiber, antioxidants, amino acids, and other bioactive compounds that help enhance digestion and nutrient absorption. It further detoxifies and cleanses the digestive tract.

Another study showed that Ginger is strongly effective against gastrointestinal issues as it directly affects the composition of the gut bacteria and enhances the function of the intestinal barrier.

As per research, Fennel seeds can reduce the irritation and tension in the intestines to relax them and enhance bowel function. They further exhibit strong anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties.

When And How To Consume It and What Is Its Ideal Dosage?

This Ayurvedic medicineis available in powder form. Ayurvedic doctors normally recommend consuming 1-2 spoonfuls of it with lukewarm water. This is to be taken after the meal, thrice a day. But the ideal dosage of this formulation varies individually, depending upon the condition(s) one is suffering from, medical history/pre existing illnesses, and the person’s dietary and lifestyle habits. Thus, it is always best to get the right consultation from Ayurvedic doctors.

How Long Does It Take To Show Effect?

This herbal formulation shows effect in no time, and its ingredients have a direct and effective action on the digestive system.

Is It Safe/Does It Have Any Side Effects?

This concoction contains natural ingredients that are safe for consumption, easy to digest, and readily absorbed by the body. Hence, they do not show any adverse side effects like conventional medications. Furthermore, consuming this medicine also helps reduce the consumption of and dependency on harmful traditional drugs and alleviates their side effects on the system.

But improper dosage and misuse of this churna can harm the digestive system. Hence, as mentioned earlier, it is best to consult with ayurvedic doctors before consuming it to know the ideal dosage, mode of consumption, frequency, and course duration.

To know more about bilwadi churna and its effects on your gut health and overall life quality, Contact Hempstreet and get the best Ayurvedic consultation.

#bilwadi churna

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abimee · 3 years

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hello hello! feel free to ignore this entirely, do you have any tips or advice for learning how to draw different body types and faces as well as using photo refs? I wanna get to the point of being more comfortable with it not being perfect and human but I’m not sure! How to really begin or go towards this

hm. preface i am not taught artistically at all not even highschool art class and am entirely aelf taught and like, from the viewpoint of hobbyist art currently in the US objectuvely i am a """bad artist"""" and not something to take art advice from. but i am glad to give my two cents

i think the jpimg off point is to first ruminate on the whys, and its not anobby to say that you want to draw humans more realistic in the sense of natural features and differences because you wabt others to see themselves in your work, or because youd love to draw a variety of characters. but second is coming to terms that with that, you have to do a lot of sensitive reading and understanding; you gotta research and listen to people, like say if you draw cleft lips abd someone with a cleft lip tells you that hey! its more common if they dont have teeth where the cleft is closed, you listen and adapt. attempting to get everything right the first time kinda destroys itself in the process, and as you delve into drawing say fatness, disabilities, physical differemces, etc you must come to accept that you are drawing for the people, and thus the people are allowed to criticise you and you must adapt.

thirdly is that you wont get it right instintaniously, its a learning process! dont feel the need to post your attempts online of theyre not up to par for you, but attempting is te first step in everything. you can read and research and listen and refference all you can, but if you dont consistently attempt it you wont get anywhere

and its sort of hard to say how to go about... attempting it, besides "just try". attempt to freehand, say, a tall fat person with acne scars posing for prom, or a skinny eldery person with scoliosis making tea, and when youre finished you can look at yoir piece and begin to deconstruct what you think you got wrong and what you got right. pull up (real life) refferences made by people and extrapolate what tou can re-attempt.

and as for diversifying general faces and features of humanity; engage in the moving picture, watch movies and short films and photography and youtube essays and watch the people around you, take stock of what you see in the world both behind a performed lens and in reality and see whar you may miss, what shapes you see and how peoples eyes crinkle or how their lips turn or how their fingers move. watching the world more closely is how i began to notice featres outside of my own at a young age

and as for refference photos, i think finding archive blogs cataloguing photos shot from real lives and not stock posing websites is a great way to see a range of natural poses. pausing youtube videos to refference someones legs as they attempt to kick a ball, or old myspace photos drifting across rabdom aesthetic blogs. just stare at them and the form or the composition and attempt to remake it, and attempt as many times over as many years as you want. trace over memes and teach yourself to look at bodies as shapes and lines rather than whole figures and you may be able to decobstruct and recreate those poses from memory alone soon after

and above all dont be afraid to make "bad art" in that the anatony is off or the hands are too childish compared to the detail of the image, or maybe the face looks weird or the legs are bent strangely. part of a human looking piece of art is in the flaws too

just look at all the weord anatomy and crude acribbling in my art and yet somehow people like it, so not doing everything right is sometimes good 🗿

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blackthornwren · 4 years

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Dreaming Folklore

A few selections of my favorite superstitions and pieces of folklore from the Encyclopaedia of Superstitions, Folklore and the Occult Sciences of the World. Volume 1. Cora Linn Daniels and C. M. Stevans.

Without further ado...

In Germany, the nightmare is believed to be a spectral being which places itself on the breast of the sleeping, depriving them of the power of utterance or motion. If one puts on inherited gloves and seizes it, he can hold it fast.

In Windham, Maine, as well as in other parts of our country, exists the belief that nightmare is caused by the nightmare man, a kind of evil spirit striving with one. It is prevented by placing a sharp knife under the pillow, and stuffing the key-hole with cotton.

In Lancashire the peasants fancy that the nightmare comes in the form of a dog, and in order to frustrate its influence, they place their shoes under the bed, toes upward.

The ancients believed that a nail drawn from a sepulchre and placed on the threshold of the chamber door, would keep away nightmare.

An incantation to prevent nightmare is a “spell song,” of which the Shetlanders have no end. This especial spell-song has been almost an inaccessible treasure and several authors of note have done their best to procure the whole of it, only two lines having been secured for many years, but fortunately it is now obtained, and is probably one of the oldest “spell-songs” of any nation. It runs as follows:

“Arthur Knight He rade a’ night, Wi’ open swird An’ candle light. He sought da mare, He fan da mare, He bund da mare, Wi’ her ain hair! An’ made da mare To swear! ‘At she would never Bide a’ night Whar ever she heard O’ Arthur Knight.”

A charm against nightmares:

“St. George, St. George, our lady’s knight, He walked by day and he walked by night Until such time as he she found; He she beat and he she bound Until her troth she to him plight, She would not come to him that night.”

A New England correspondent writes: “Now, when you go to bed, you just smell your stockings when you take ‘em off. That’s all you’ve got to do, and you won’t hev no more nightmare, I’ll warrant you.”

If a person slept with a Bible under his head, it would prevent the witches from troubling him and giving him bad dreams. (Ohio)

It was believed in ancient times that the evil following horrid dreams might be averted by telling them to the sun.

If you have bad dreams, go to bed with a steel thimble on your finger.

If you are afraid you will dream of some bug-bear you have in mind say to yourself, “I will dream of that tonight.” Then you will not dream.

If you are awakened by fearful dreams, make the sign of the cross on your breast, and it will put the midnight terrors to flight.

Burn hazelnuts and do up the ashes in packages. These placed under the pillow will insure happy dreams.

Young men place a hard black root under their pillows in midsummer, so that they may dream of themselves, and thus prognosticate their fortunes.

An amulet allied to dreaming is made by taking twigs or bits of small boughs from an oak tree (in England, mountain ash). Bind two of these so as to make a cross, or lay them across one another on the table, or stand by your bed, and repeat, before going to sleep:

“It is not oak which here I place, But good fortune by its grace, May it never pass away, But ever in my dwelling stay.”

Tie a true-lover’s knot of shavings and place it under the pillow. You will dream of your lover, even it, at that time, he is unknown to you. (Newfoundland.)

If you awake from a sweet dream and you wish to dream it over again, turn your head where your heels ought to be, and falling asleep you will dream it again. (Russia.)

When you sleep for the first time in a house, count the beams, and your dreams will come true.

If you dream any dream three times, particularly as regards water, traveling, or any particular business, heed the providential warning.

Whatever you dream the first 12 nights in January, will represent, symbolically or literally, the events that will happen to you during the 12 respective months of the year. So if you keep a record of those dreams, you will have a clear warning of what will happen.

#traditional witchcraft #witchcraft #folklore #folk magic #tradcraft #Magic #Occult

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bixiaoshi · 4 years

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IM STRESSED WHAR THE FYCK IS THUS

#WHA #nvm

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zenosanalytic · 5 years

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Theorizing Role: Seer of Life

strongman-freakshow:

Hey there! I was trying to look for some specific posts of yours and was having a bit of trouble. Do you have anything on the seer of life, specifically?

Hmmm, Not much, but I think Seer of Life is an interesting one, so I’ll give it a go.

Ok so a Seer of Life seems kind of tricky to me. Life tends to concern itself with practical matters(Biology, Wealth, Physical Ability, Acquisitiveness, Agency, Creativity) which don’t immediately lend themselves to precognition the way Aspects like Light, Mind, or Time do. According to Aradia’s formulation, a Seer of Life would be one who “Knows Life Comprehensively”(with Certain Important Provisos for how that might work, and for how one might Perceive of that working, I’d argue), and combining that with the concepts above certainly suggests a wide utility, but the primary Role Seers fill is identifying incoming threats and directing their team through or around them; where’s the foresight in “Knowing Life Comprehensively”? We haven’t seen many Life-powers in action, but Life has, on top of those already mentioned, all manner of Associations; it’s a rather abstract Aspect that seems at its core to most directly be about “The Ability to Do”[1]; though “Comprehensive Knowledge of Nebulous, Open-Ended Practicality” sounds like a fun approach to it, to me, in its own way :p Agency obvsl plays an important role in ”Doing” and, as a result, in Life-Hero stories[2]. Life-Players tend to be good Problem-solvers with a particular knack for thinking outside-the-box, and in-even-MORE-particular with finding ways to continue life, in some form or another, through any trial, even death; giving them a bit of a Sleeping Beauty/Orpheus&Eurydice/Persephone vibe(and I’d argue you really shouldn’t ignore the mythic aspect of Homestuck Titles u_u).

So, given all that, I think one clarifying way of conceiving this would be to render the Aradia-description from “Knows Life Comprehensively” to “Knows Doing Comprehensively” thence to “Knows Solutions Comprehensively”. “Comprehensive Knowledge of Solutions”(or, for the Colloquially minded, “How Do”) probably sounds really straight-forward, so let’s complicate it :p :p

Solution/=Good. The morality of a particular “Solution” lies in what it entails and its outcomes, not in its nature AS a “Solution”. The Solutions a Seer of Life Looks for, Sees, Chooses, and Directs others towards will depend on the Life-Seer’s own moral compass, and Life-Players haven’t exactly proven themselves conscientious in the maintenance of that particular piece of personal metaphysical kit(with the exception of Feferi, who was never but a Most Excellent and Totally Righteous Dude u_u u_u But that’s 1 out of 3 which is Not Gr8 Odds :T)

Solution is Big. Most problems can be solved, conservatively, in about 16 Million way, Most of them only minorly different, yet still distinct. The answer to “How Do?” can often approach a practical infinity. This seems both Overwhelming and Monotonous to me

Solution; Then What? Terezi can see vast webs of Decision and Causality; Rose the Objective “Fortune” value of any particular chain of events; but “Solutions” end at the problems they solve. As Above, so Below: Whar Foresight; Whar?

At the same time it also sounds a bit limited, so let’s expand it :p :p

Sight Bleeds. Rose isn’t limited to just knowing how “Fortunate” a plan will be, nor Terezi to only the “Choices” involved; they both See some varying level of detail of the specific events and those leading up to them, otherwise they wouldn’t be able to advise about and intervene in relevant events. So in all likelihood, a Seer of Life WOULD see both the specifics relevant TO, and probably those events immediate(and possibly circumstantially simultaneous) Of, said events and their Solution.

Aspects are Broad. Terezi can also effectively read Minds(because, you know Mind). Rose can look through solid objects(probably because visible or optical light isn’t the only KIND of “Light” out there. Emanations be both Numerous and Numinous u_u u_u u_u). All Aspects, regardless of what sources professing to be reliable in canon have claimed as their Boundaries, have displayed a vastness of meaning, ranging from the mundanely literal to the abstract, esoteric, and even mythical(which is to say: Wildly Subjective[early HS occasionally lampshades this subjectivity with variants of the phrase “personal mythos”]). So Life-Sight would probably cover all sorts of other stuff, connectable to “Doing/Solutions” but not immediately apparent as such. Most basically, the ability to See the Lifetimes of particular individuals or groups of individuals, which would effectively allow Seers of Life to See the future of those individuals(at least until they die), and necessarily the after effects of any particular Solution upon them. Not to mention the connections to Death, Life-After-Death, and Resurrection which all Life Players have shown, and how THAT, through ideas such as History, can apply to the “Life and Death” of ideas, events, and outcomes(not to mention their connection to temporally non-linear Dream Bubbles, and how that could be used for future-seeing).

“Know Comprehensively” is Big. What does it mean to “Know”? What does it mean to be “Comprehensive”? Early on Seers struggle to answer these questions without really realizing it, and plenty of others, as they struggle to master their Title, but successful Seers, unlike displacer beasts, don’t deal in approximate knowledge. If a Seer of Life’s Knowledge of How Do(and Life, and Wealth, and Agency, etc etc)can be said to be “Comprehensive”, then it seems very unlikely to me that their Sight, when mastered, wouldn’t given them some sense of(and thus control over) the ultimate outcome of the Solutions they choose. And as an aside, I’d bet they’d also be absurdly skillful in general(since Comprehensively Knowing a Solution means knowing how to carry it out), and just absolute Gangbusters at figuring out Alchemiter recipes.

On top of Title-development every Player faces personal challenges, of course, and these tend to share similarities between Classes and Aspect. Seers often struggle with self-confidence and self-worth, with maintaining Perspective on themselves, and issues of achievement(failed perfectionism in Rose and Terezi, and perhaps over-estimation[in response to fears of not fitting in or being excluded] with Kankri? It’s difficult to say given the limited material) often simultaneous to significant personal losses(Mom Lalonde’s murder; feeling compelled to kill Vriska for Terezi; again it’s difficult for Kankri, but how he pushes away Porrim may be his example). Aspect is frequently tied to all of this(I discuss how in This Post on Seers of Heart). So something tied to Life(perhaps the Seer’s own privileged position or, in a more Feferi-like take, the restrictive cloistering it brings) would cloud the Seer’s Perspective on events, and promote a crisis of confidence(most likely self-doubt, but given Kankri it’s possible OVER-confidence could also be a problem, particularly given the natural gifts and material condition Life-Players tend to possess), at a time when, due to the loss of relationships and people, they would be in a stressful and emotionally vulnerable place. And always, as mentioned above, there would be the temptation of taking the “easy” way; of putting themselves First, dismissing the equal being of others, and manipulating their friends into circumstances the Seer prefers, without consideration for their consent or well-being.

So Seers of Life would face a tough row to hoe. They’d have to learn how to sift through a staggering number of options to find the 8est(as they define it) Solution, with limited knowledge of where it could lead, all while being aware of how their own desires and moral flexibility can undermine the whole project while seeming to advance it and bring harm to the people they care for. But this isn’t really new. Perspective, Judgement, and Self-Awareness are vital to ALL Seers using their Sight effectively. While these challenges may be more vast and immediate for Seers of Life, they wouldn’t be fundamentally different from what all Seers struggle with. With time and focus and the patience to consider others instead of taking the quickest and shiniest roads, a successful Seer of Life would learn how to achieve clarity of purpose, and refine and focus their Sight with Knowledge of other facets of their Aspect. I think a Seer of Life is no less likely to be useful, and even game-breaking, than any of the more obviously Oraclely Aspects.

Ok that’s my general ideas about a Seer of Life; what about some specifics?

Aggrieving Anatomist

Let’s Take This Early Discussion on Seers of Life as inspiration(h/t to deliverusfromsburb and thegrimsqueaker ^v^ these are mostly their ideas). You could have a Seer of Life interested in Anatomy and Biology/BioChem, who likes martial arts movies and who, as a Life-Hero, is both preternaturally strong, and headstrong(and, tbf, given the 3 canon Seers, “Headstrong” could very well be a Seer trait as well :T). Based on their interests, they’d have a tendency to envision Solutions that involve the body and biological or chemical processes, and their personality would tend to bend this towards combat; either by seeking out combat theirself, leading others IN combat, or trying to teach others their ridiculous, biomantic fighting techniques(which, given how alchemiters allow Players to lend and merge their powers with those of their Friends, ought to be possible). I DO NOT think this would necessarily be a bad thing, both Rose and Terezi mix it up in HS, but this sort of Seer might have trouble letting themselves(or learning how to) delegate to others, and direct them along their own quests. Given the tendencies of Life Players, they may even go so far as to have a hard time conceiving of their Session as being bigger than their own Quests, and thus struggle with tunnel-visioning(though, given how The Game’s very structure interweaves Players’ quests together, there’d be plenty of stuff working to counteract that).

Their powers could start as an encyclopedic and precise knowledge of anatomy, eventually developing(ala Rose and the 8-ball) into an x-ray-vision like ability to See anatomy directly, allowing for improbably devastating(and cinematic) blows in combat. Terezi’s Sight takes the form of interconnected Neurons stretching into infinity; Rose’s, what little we see of it, of and bursts of Revelation, Enlightenment, and Emanation; This Seer’s might eventually manifest as a vast system of Temporal Veins and Causal Nerves, as if they were Seeing the body of the Universe Frog itself from the Inside. They could trace each Vein to see where it blocks and withers(what events Doom that TL) then, working back from the Event-Clot, develop a Solution to clear or bypass it. By tracing the Nerves they could see how events outside the timelines interact with and direct the shape, direction, and operation of each Vein, and work out ways sever, limit, counteract, or manipulate that influence in what they consider a useful or “Healthy” direction. Through this Awareness of how those around them relate to the inner-workings of the Vast Croaker, they could identify which actors in their story play the role of “Antigens”, harming the Body-Realistic, using that knowledge to direct and counsel teammates, and plan their strategies.

Chess Doctor

A Seer of Life interested in Medicine could share that sort of Life-Sight while having a totally different personality and approach. Meenah, Feferi, and Jane saw their cloistered lives as oppressive, but maybe this Seer isn’t really all that social or adventurous to begin with, and so doesn’t mind. So long as they have any book they want, the best tutors to teach them, and immediate easy authority, they’re perfectly fine with taking on the restrictions and responsibilities that go with them. This sort of Seer of Life would take naturally to the Role of strategist, observer, and advisor, focused less on personal combat than understanding the challenges facing them and developing solutions, but along with that could come a casual, condescending arrogance, and tendency for viewing others as instruments for their plans rather than people in their own right, which could cause just as many problems. Whereas the last Seer struggled with seeing the larger picture, this one would struggle most with understanding that THEIR views aren’t the only ones out there, nor necessarily the most important, nor the “right” ones.

Endless Observer

Another approach might be a more literal one; a People-Watcher. This Seer’s main interest would just be People, as a subject; the things they do, how they think, how they go about their Lives. While somewhat detached by their station and socially awkward as a result, they’d be filled with an infectious ------Enthusiasm for everything even vaguely anthropological: history books and films, documentaries, works of psychology, How-To Shows, ~Reality Television~, National Geographic; you name it. Maybe they’d have an EXHAUSTIVE LIBRARY, exhaustively read, of these SEMINAL TEXTS ensconced safely within the heart of their TASTEFULLY HUMBLE SUBURBAN MEGAPALACE 0u0 Whenever a problem comes up, they’d immediately have the know-how to solve it(and the best tools to solve it with, cost irrelevant). As an expression of this maybe they’d start with a maxed-out strifedeck and Robust, easily navigable Sylladex, or maybe they’d have a special Debit Card Sylladex Mode which stores only currency, but allows it to be converted to any item on request :p :p Or maybe(!) rather than a Sylladex Mode, they’re Strife Abstrata would be Cardkind and, like a suped-up version of Kanaya’s lipstick, their Card could be converted to a whole host of items on command.

This Seer’s powers might start off manifesting as having “coincidentally” just looked up a relevant subject right before the problem it could help solve arises. Rose’s viewing orbs expressed her interest in the occult so maybe this Seer would alchemize a Book or card-catalogue or How To Video which could provide information on any topic(or possibly a FLASH CARD TAROT, filled with detailed solutions). Perhaps the visualization of their Sight would be different, too; rather than Seeing through an anatomical model, they’d See a chattering ocean of flashing images or monitors containing every possible “life” branching from that point, which they could resolve, through concentration, into a picture of the problem they’re trying to solve, and the solution to it they like best. Maybe the very volume of their knowledge would begin to make it difficult for them to choose a solution, causing bouts of indecision(or physical pain). A fun branch from this idea could be having the Seer create a clone of themselves, or maybe some animate agent, to attempt alternate solutions or do the Seeing while they do the Doing, who eventually gets out of hand ala The Sorcerer's Apprentice. I could also see a Seer like this, so used to dealing with people as objects to be watched rather than equal people, developing problems with listening to and considering the needs of others, despite a friendly and positive demeanor.

Ok; I think that’s all I’ve got in me for a Seer of Life right now. I Hope it helps ^u^

[1]all the Life Heroes we’ve seen have been physically quite gifted, Convincing speakers, and born into Influence and Wealth

[2]Fef’s desire to be free of her hemocaste role, choosing of Sollux over Eridan, and negotiation with the HTs; Jane’s subliminal schooling by Condy, forced cyberization and mind-control, her inability to tell Jake of her romantic&sexual interest, her mistreatment of him while CrockerMaid; Meenah’s desire for power without responsibility, basically Everything she seems to have done in their Session(including the Cake and secretly murdering everyone so they wouldn’t be erased), and there’s def a discussion to be had about age and consent re: her rom with Vriska

#strongman freakshow #Theorizing Role #Seer of Life #Seer Class #Life Aspect #Homestuck Role System #Homestuck Titles #analytic posts

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