#as a buddhist i will die on this hill
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physical touch is vital to brain development but clones and jedi don't have parents to hold them. so they hold each other. growing up with this communal affection makes them very tactile as adults. in this essay i will explain the history and cultural significance of cuddle piles in the GAR-
#who's your go to cuddle buddy?#love doesn't = attachment#as a buddhist i will die on this hill#jedi as found family#clone culture#jedi culture#star wars#bad batch#clone wars#the bad batch#star wars headcanons#clone wars headcanons
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transmigrator, meet manipulator
Chapter 1 of functio laesa
Gojo x Fem!Reader; Geto & Reader [platonic]; Canon Divergent AU; Isekai. Fluff & Angst & Drama & Humor; Reincarnation; Somebody Lives/Not Everyone Dies; Incredibly Self-Indulgent; Eventual Happy Ending; Eventual Friendships & Romance.
I've jumped on the Isekai bandwagon, y'all. [And I don't regret it one bit.] [Yet.]
Chapter warnings: Mentions of dying, accidents and panicking. Cult leader Geto.
Many ways exist for one to start a story.
They can write a duel. A confession. A query. A mansion. Or even introduce a character if they wanna.
But no.
You don't start your story any of these ways.
You start it by screeching. Then fainting.
If not totally, quite a bit– oh, who are you even kidding– you're totally freaking out, girl.
****
Dying is sad.
Sadder if you're dying with so many dreams unfulfilled.
Saddest if you're dying in one world, only to find yourself in another world, before realising you'll die [again] in this new world.
Sounds like one hell of an overdramatic overreaction, right?
It won't when your eyes open to a person with black eyes and black hair and bangs. Next move to the 2014 in bold on the wall calendar. Then finally fall on the traditional Buddhist monk robes worn by him... Oh, no way in hell—
A terrified shiver racks through your body; you try your best to hide it as you smile politely at the man.
"Um, hey."
Geto looks at you blankly for a while longer, before cracking a genial smile. In another universe, he would have made an excellent actor, you're sure.
"How are you feeling now?" he asks warmly, moving from the sofa to the chair beside your bed; you really wish he didn't, "You sure do look much better than when I found you."
"I'm better now," you reply, still smiling despite not really wanting to. Then add, wanting to continue your tirade of politeness as a survival tactic, "Thanks for bringing me to the hospital, by the way. I'm sure I would've bled out from my injuries if not for you. Thank you, Geto-san."
Whatever response you might have expected, a pair of wide eyes certainly wasn't a part of them. Geto looks at you, baffled, for another moment, before coughing up a visibly startled chuckle.
"Ah, there's no need to thank me, Miss. I was simply doing what I deemed right. Though I must say..." He trails off for a beat, before resuming, a smirk playing on his features, "I'm pleasantly surprised to see you interact with me so freely. I was thinking you might run for the hills on waking up and seeing me the first thing, from the way you screamed at me earlier today."
"Haha, sorry," you say sheepishly, not knowing how to form a seemingly legit reply.
You definitely cannot say you were scared shitless then, seeing a 2D character in the flesh. Even more for it being the genocidal villain from your favourite anime movie. No, you definitely cannot even utter that.
You ultimately decide to settle for something half-truth-y, "I was terribly shocked then, I think. Not in the right mental space after being hit by a vehic–"
A ringtone cuts you off in the middle of your strained apology. For the first time in your life [lives?], you feel happy for being interrupted while speaking. The man plucks his phone out, wrinkles folding his forehead as he glances at the screen. Only to cut the call in the next instant, shooting you a contrite smile as he rises from his seat.
"Sorry to cut short our little talk, Miss," The man sounds genuinely apologetic; you know better though, "But I'm sure we'll meet again. Soon enough. There are many questions I need you to answer, you see."
"Of course, Geto-san," you chuckle, sagging in relief inside when he finally, frigging finally, steps towards the door. And quite possibly– no, definitely out of your life too. 'Cause there's no way in hell you will let him meet you again. New world or not, you know you have to AND YOU WILL get as far as possible from this–
Geto pauses. One hand on the doorknob. Head twisted slightly to show you a closed-eye smile.
"I never introduced myself once tonight," he hums, "nor did I find you on a road. I found you in the middle of a deserted forest."
A second passes. Or maybe ten. Or maybe sixty. You don't know. You're too busy panicking to know.
Your savior's [more like, future slaughterer's] smile grows impossibly wider. The air feels impossibly colder.
"Goodnight Miss," he says, opening the door. The lights from the room spill into the dark corridor outside. "We will meet again."
'Looks-like-a-cinnamon-roll-but-will-kill-you' Geto and 'Looks-like-a-cinnamon-roll-and-is-a-very-jumpy-one' Reader.
What can ever go wrong?
Divider by @benkeibear. Header from Pinterest. I don't own the characters used here.
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2, 12, 42 for Nie Mingjue for the character ask? :)
Da-ge! Beloved and amazing and regularly slandered :(.
2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on
NMJ has hobbies. WWX does not know what those hobbies are, but they exist and they're probably regular rich gongzi hobbies. I will regularly and routinely die on this hill when it comes to NMJ bc that passage in the book everyone likes to cite about "he only does horrible cultivation and wants to behead Wens" doesn't even say that. If I don't get very salty about people saying whatever they want about NHS I DO regularly and routinely get extremely salty about people saying stuff about Da-ge so I will regularly and routinely die on so many hills about him, but that's the hobbies one I think is pretty typical of me. :D
12. Crack headcanon
Idk what entirely counts as crack, but I headcanon that NMJ collects teapots. And incense burners. And incense. And is actually really into aromatics. Do I have any support for this? No but CQL NMJ did give LQR a zisha incense burner on the very first scene where NHS appears and zisha porcelain is more commonly made into teapots so I will take "Da-ge's collection of teapots and incense burners" with me wherever I go!
42. 3 comfort items
Most enduring headcanons regarding comfort items is that NMJ must have 1) something from his mother, 2) something from his father, and 3) something from Huaisang and he was originally buried with all three of these things. :)
1.) something from his mother
Headcanon that Madam Nie was a devout Buddhist, and probably carried a string of white jade prayer beads, that probably resembles something like this:
2.) something from his father
Headcanon that he inherited the incense burner hobby from Papa Nie, so there's probably a stick of amber incense somewhere that he isn't burning for reasons that also gets buried with him later.
3.) something from Huaisang
I like to think that baby Huaisang once gave him a cicada shell (properly harvested!) from a tree outside one summer and he's kept it in a box ever since and knows that Huaisang would be DEVASTATED if anything ever happened to it. The dichotomy between fragile and preserved bc it was LOVED anyway really gets me about these sorts of things.
:D thanks for the ask!
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omg i have been dyyying to say this but if i say this on my blog i will get burned at the stake by endos & supporters ;-;
imo, if being 'endogenic' just meant someone with a CDD who didn't form from trauma i'd be like 'hey.. as far as current science goes, that has not been supported as something that can happen, however if your therapist & whoever else diagnosed you can agree that you *do not have any trauma* yet have a CDD then i guess you're fine & i'm okay to interact with you'
but that's not what they usually mean. it's now an umbrella term & heavily associated with willowgenic, xeno-origins, western """tulpamancy""" & other froms of non-disordered, non-medical & non-traumagenic plurality. which is not my experience at all & therefore it makes me uncomfortable that they're still using medical language, being in CDD spaces, etc.
that's what i have a problem with! & that first type of endo that i talked about 99.999999% of the time engages with & supports the second group of endos strongly.
i hope that makes sense...? thanks for this blog xoxo gossip girl
That's why even our personal blog is firmly anti-endo (most support we ever got was from our anti-endo post lol).
Exactly! We're firm believers in science, and does psychology always know everything? No. I mean, we're autistic (which if in future posts we don't say it, some of us like Lucie hate to label himself as autistic because some of us (like me, Reg) are affected much stronger than others) and that wasn't a diagnosis until the 1940s. Even then it didn't start getting regularly diagnosed for decades AFTER that. But when studies and psychology have shown yeah you need trauma? I mean agree to disagree with them, please don't interact with our pages due to our issues with endos. We won't hate on you, don't hate on us (we had several endos who told us to kill ourselves for being anti-endo and we deserved our trauma)
I'm sorry but we will DIE on the hill that willogenic and shit are fake as hell (which we hate to use tulpagenic because tulpamancy is a very closed practice to certain regions of the Buddhist faith).
It makes sense don't worry Gossip Girl. If anyone gives you shit, we're here to vent to or ask advice, we don't care.
We've decided we'll add this to the end of all our posts due to a comment we had of "ha imagine this taking off", endos aren't valid or real. Try to come after us with that and we're going to just laugh at you and block you.
#anti endo#did system#dissociative system#osdd system#plural system#polyfrag system#sysblr#system#actually system#actually dissociative#did alter#actually plural#actually did#anti endo supporter#endos aren't real#endos dni#endos fuck off
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helena, hi! i've been listening to the record on loop for the past few days (it gets better every time i swear) and wanted to come pop in with an ask:
if your ocs were boygenius songs, which would they be? and, if you're feeling inspired, what about your oc ships?
BLU WHEN I TELL YOU I SCREAMED AT THIS ASK???? YOUR MIND >>>
Valerie Harmon - Ketchum, ID
I am never anywhere /
Anywhere I go /
When I'm home, I'm never there /
Long enough to know
Anna March - Me & My Dog
I never said I'd be alright /
Just thought I could hold myself together /
When I couldn't breathe, I went outside /
Don't know why I thought it'd be any better
Frankie Bevan - $20
Mama told me that it don't run on wishes /
But that I should have fun /
Pushing the flowers that come up /
Into the front of a shotgun /
So many hills to die on /
Run out of gas, out of time, out of money /
You're doing what you can, just makin' it run
Diana Fayed - Stay Down
So would you teach me I'm the villain, aren't I? /
Aren't I the one constantly repentin' for a difficult mind? /
Push me down into the water like a sinner, hold me under /
And I'll never come up again
Camille Whitney - Souvenir
Always managed to move in /
Right next to cemeteries /
And never far from a hospital /
I don't know what that tells you about me
Faye Warren - Satanist
Will you be a nihilist with me? /
If nothin' matters, man, that's a relief /
Solomon had a point when he wrote "Ecclesiastes" /
If nothing can be known, then stupidity is holy /
If the void becomes a bore, we'll treat ourselves to some self-belief
Marcie Clark - Revolution 0
You wanted a song /
So it's gonna be a short one /
Wish I wasn't so tired, but I'm tired /
If you're not enough /
Then I give up
George Aarons - Letter To An Old Poet
I wanna be happy /
I'm ready to walk into my room without lookin' for you /
I'll go up to the top of our building /
And remember my dog when I see the full moon /
I can't feel it yet /
But I am waiting
Ships:
Val and Ron - Without You Without Them
Speak to me, speak to me, speak to me /
Until your history's no mystery to me /
Talk to me , talk to me, talk to me /
Until the words run dry, we'll see eye to eye /
I'll give everything I've got /
Please take what I can give
Anna and Eugene - We're In Love
I can't imagine you without the same smile in your eyes /
There is somethin' about you that I will always recognize /
And if you don't remember /
I will try to remind you of the hummingbirds /
You know the ones
Frankie and Rosie - Black Hole
Good day, good night, good talk, goodbye /
It's out of your hands, but have a safe flight /
My thoughts, all noise, fake smile, decoys /
Sometimes, I need to hear your voice
Diana and Reg - Voyager
It's a hundred and three in the Valley /
Blacktop is meltin' on our shoes /
And I don't mean to make it all about me /
But I used to believe no one could love you like I do /
And I'm startin' to think that it might be impossible not to
Camille and Eugene - Not Strong Enough
I don't know why I am /
The way I am /
Not strong enough to be your man /
I lied, I am /
Just lowering your expectations
Faye and Shifty - Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen once said /
"There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" /
And I am not an old man having an existential crisis /
At a Buddhist monastery writing horny poetry /
But I agree /
I never thought you'd happen to me
Marcie and Joe - True Blue
But it feels good to be known so well /
I can't hide from you like I hide from myself /
I remember who I am when I'm with you /
Your love is tough, your love is tried and true-blue
George and Curt - Emily, I'm Sorry
Emily, I'm sorry, I just /
Make it up as I go along /
And I can feel myself becoming /
Someone only you could want
#blu's tag#oc: valerie#oc: anna#oc: frankie#oc: faye#oc: camille#oc: marcie#oc: george#oc: diana#boygenius
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聊237有些群众的反应 // On some of the comments re: CH237
This post touches on Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 237. It also touches on Buddhist philosophy and ideas.
Right. So seeing strawman arguments popping up since CH236 is to be expected.
There's one that pissed me off from the "My Country Mangaka, Right or Wrong" crowd, though. This one:
---
Now. This is the sort of post I actually like reading, even if our opinions differ. I like seeing other people's interpretations of a work. I love meta, especially because it appeals to my compulsively analytical brain.
But one still gotta be aware that they are applying a very specific reading to excuse Gege's execution, right?
One still gotta be aware that this doesn't excuse nor explain glaring storytelling issues, right?
All of that paragraph merely justifies the need to have Gojo out of jujutsu society, which honestly? Most of us already agreed, mai brutha.
I personally predicted Gojo would be out because of his Buddha allegory—if he's enlightened, then he should be the last 6 Eyes user. "This is the last birth; there will be no more re-becoming."
Whether that means the only way for him to go out is death... that's already grounds for reasonable debate. I mean, if Yuki's dream of removing everyone's curse energy comes true, Satoru will still be the last 6 Eyes user. And he'll also get to be just Ken Gojo-Satoru-the Not-Weak-Not-Strong-Mortal-Dude. Hell, it even ties shits up in a neat thematic bow while cementing Yuki's (well-deserved) importance in the story.
Last but not least: "samsara" does NOT mean fate. Gosh, maybe the person who posted this was trying to explain it in ways they believed the "Western audience" would understand, but... that's a tad patronizing, don't you think?
Samsara does not mean fate. Buddhism itself is opposed to fatalism, as seen in its opposition to the Ājīvika school (which is one of the six Śramaṇa schools Buddhists debated way back then). Instead, Buddhists believe in causal determinism.
Ironically, the dude's explanation of "kaisen" as "cyclic" is itself a good proxy for the meaning of samsara. Samsara means "cycles of existence", and it's got nothing to do with fate. Nope, "karma" does not mean fate either. It doesn't even constitute fate in a Buddhist's conception (karma means "action").
---
But this person has more takes, man. When met with a cheeky response saying they are "Gege's alt account", they have this to say:
Here's the part that starts to piss me off.
Do I think Jujutsu Kaisen has a lot of Buddhist motifs, philosophy, religious ideas, etc. baked into its backbone, to the point that some of them fly over non-Buddhists' heads? Yes.
Sure, I'm also not someone who studies Buddhist philosophy for my major (my major was my darling cognitive science). I simply read up on them for no reason beyond curiosity and intrigue. And agreement, sure. I agree with many of its tenets. Ya know, like when people agree with absurdism and Kantian ethics and stoicism and whatnot. It's actually why I'd die on the hill of Satoru being self-less. I simply think the concept of anatta flew over a large group of JJK enjoyers' heads, and that's fine. Those who get it explain them to those who don't. No big deal. Someday I'll talk about anatta and sunyata as concepts exemplified by Satoru, too.
Do I think there are Japanese cultural ideas flying over non-Japanese's heads? Yes, that's likely to be true.
I'm not Japanese. I'm just some person growing up in a Chinese-dominant family in a multicultural Southeast Asian society. Even then I'm quite sure I miss out on a lot of implied Japanese cultural phenomena when I consume their stories.
But how does any of that even translate to justifying shitty execution in this story, including Gojo's death? Are you saying Japanese people will lap this up because, to them, this is "not bad storytelling" but "a Japanese cultural thing lost in translation"?
Are you serious?
And what the hell is with that strawman of "Western audience"? "Killing Gojo is heresy because something something Gojo is God something perfect unkillable flawless"?
Yo, who the hell actually believes Gojo is "god"? All I see are people connecting Gojo with the Buddha himself, which is a legitimate connection anyway. I'm sure those who genuinely see Gojo as a god-in-flesh are a minority who probably, I don't know, take the story sideway to some hardcore fanon territory.
Most of us are not arguing against taking Gojo out because "the audience only knows Judeo-Christian ideas so this is heresy." Most of us are just arguing that the story hasn't been written well lately. Most of us are just pointing out Gege's lackluster-to-subpar execution and other storytelling issues.
Also, if we are supposed to argue this through the this-is-way-too-Buddhist-for-yall defense, then I would have loved it if this person pointed out what this "singularity" concept in Buddhism itself is.
Because as far as I know, there is no such thing as a constant in Buddhist philosophy. One of the Three Marks of Existence is deadass "Anicca" (impermanence). The point is "nothing is constant /permanent. Permanence is an illusion." The cycle of samsara itself changes constantly.
So how does Satoru being "a singularity" actually make sense in an argument hinging on Buddhist ideas?
Also, for someone who rags on others for missing out on Buddhist ideas, dude also made the mistake of taking Satoru's lack of reaction and remorse to Riko's death as "a trait of his sociopathy" much like one not familiar with Buddhism might.
No. It doesn't show sociopathy. Just as "rising above the cycle of hating your enemies" ain't some strange "juxtaposition" to Satoru's sociopathy either. These two traits are from the same source.
What that alludes to, sir/ma'am/dude, is simply "Upekkhā", or equanimity.
Believe it or not, even Buddhists are cautioned against mistaking "equanimity" with "apathy". Apathy is a "near enemy" in the sense that it superficially represents equanimity when it is not; the latter is related to "non-attachment" and "renunciation".
Apathy, meanwhile, occurs when one does not possess Right View.
This is what I meant when I said, yes, sometimes non-Buddhists may miss out or misunderstand. Hell, my best friend was raised in a very ardent East Asian/Chinese/Pure Land Buddhist family, and yet when I talked to her about equanimity, she thought it was the trait of a sociopath too. Really, 'tis not a crime to not get these things.
It is really irritating though if you actually act like what you say is end-all-be-all, okay?
Satoru didn't express anything when Riko died because it already happened—and there was no use being fixated on what had happened. This was fresh off his Awakening period, too, so Satoru was still in that weird state of jhāna or something, I don't know (Gege makes me doubt myself now). He's in an equanimity state, and therefore "hates no one". That's really it.
---
Gosh, the fact that I'm actually quite passionate about debunking this Redditor's statement is surprising. Honestly I never even thought I'd ramble at length about JJK at all, because it's such a large fandom with so many galaxy brains who outclass me by lightyears!
I think I'm just irate when someone touches on something I know, and expresses this weird "I know Japanese. Do you?" superiority while straw-manning anyone who disagrees with them. Like man? Respectfully, fuck off.
Another Redditor did reply to them though:
FOR REAL, SOFT_PAY5834! GET 'EM!
...Anyway, this person's reply to Soft_Pay5834 deadass mixes some Japanese in their reply, because I suppose showing off you can write Japanese or something is a legit reinforcement to your arguments now. Wow. I'm really trying hard not to call them a "w_ _ a b _ _".
So yea. Can some people please stop straw-manning any critic as Gojo dick-riders already? Or use any other strawman, for that matter? Thanks.
---
Thank you for reading my ramble. I know, it's a bit dense with a lot of links.... Hyah?
#I didn't dabble in Buddhism to argue with people!!! What happened?!#an argument over a fictional story is ironically very un-Buddhist hahahah. So yea I too get a big fat L#But I also think if I can at least provide some clarity every time someone starts to abuse the “culture” card because I have the knowledge.#I should. Besides#this is low-stakes shit. A debate with low stakes is better than one with real life high stakes.#jjk#jujutsu kaisen#jjk spoilers#jjk 237#buddhism#jjk leaks#jjk manga#gojo satoru
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Art History Reader: The History of Green
Claude Monet, The Japanese Footbridge, 1899, National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Green means GO! Beginnings are Green. Green means to grow! Fresh and peaceful; compostable and environmentally friendly. Green sounds like cicadas and fresh lettuce.
Green is a secondary color made from mixing Yellow and Blue. It is complimentary with Red. Green is Muhammad’s favorite color and symbolizes serenity and calm. Paradise. Green smells like lime and mint mojitos. Green feels like smoking and sitting in grass. Grand views of rolling hills. A popular color to wear during pregnancy, It represents renewal, regeneration, and rebirth. Green is youthful. A Greenhorn is inexperienced. A Greenroom is a space to rest. Green is recyclable. Green can be heroic. In his infamous Green cloak, Robin Hood liberates hoards of money from Green-eyed, greedy Grinches.
Green is untrustworthy. In China, a Green hat signifies infidelity; It is unlucky to wear it on the stage and unlucky to drive on the racetrack. A Green witch terrorizes Emerald City. Noxious and humid, Green is acidic mountain dew, Nickelodeon slime, and toxic waste. Nothing is less appetizing than Green eggs and ham. (Maybe Green beans.) Sick, nauseous, it tastes like bitter celery and salty seaweed. Green is the most dangerous pigment in the world. It’s historically fussy and notoriously hazardous to work with.
History:
Green was one of the first pigments attempted by early artists; plant pigment, chlorophyll, fades with time. Ancient Egyptians made it by combining crushed malachite and copper minerals which would eventually oxidize into Black. Ancient Romans would throw a copper plate into a vat of wine which produced a beautiful blue-green. It was unstable, it could not resist dampness, it did not mix well with other colors, and it was toxic. Leonardo da Vinci, in his treatise on painting, warned artists not to use it.
In 1775, Carl Willhelm Scheele made a truly stunning, vibrant Green pigment. The ‘it’ color of the Victorian era, Scheele’s Green became so fashionable that it was seen everywhere from make-up, clothing, toys, and, famously, Napoleon Bonaparte’s bedroom wallpaper. I subscribe to the popular theory that this wallpaper was the cause of his death because this pigment was made from arsenine (a known poison).
That deadly pigment was replaced with an equally deadly pigment made with a mixture of arsenic and copper. Paris Green was named for the Parision Impressionists who were deeply inspired by nature and mostly painted en plein air (outside). Paris Green was most likely the culprit behind Paul Cezanne’s diabetes, and Claude Monet’s blindness. In his painting The Japanese Footbridge, Monet uses this poisonous Green together with the symbol of a bridge to revive hope for a peaceful future. Green represents a fascinating aspect of human nature: many are willing to die for beauty in art.
In Kassia St. Clair’s The Secret Lives of Color, she references a Buddhist fable about Green. In the story a deity visits a boy in a dream. The deity tells him that in order to obtain everything he’s ever wanted he only has to close his eyes and not picture Sea Green. There are two possible outcomes to this tale: either the boy succeeds and finds enlightenment or the boy is consumed by failure until his life and sanity fade away.
Outcome #1: Enlightenment
Don’t picture Sea Green.
I’m not delusional enough to claim that I know the secret to enlightenment. However, I can say with certainty that, If I were the boy from this tale, my enlightenment would be guaranteed. Perhaps I found a 4-leaf clover in a past life because, luckily, I have aphantasia (I lack visual memory). I can’t picture any color! But, beyond lacking the ability to ‘see’ with your eyes closed, I have no further advice for achieving enlightenment. Instead I can advise you on how to fail.
Outcome #2: Insanity and Death
Picture Sea Green.
The first issue lies with language. What color is Sea Green exactly? Language has never been quite able to categorize color concretely. (In many languages, such as Japanese, there is no distinction made between Green and Blue). Many have laid claim to the title. Pantone, Crayola, and Copic have all made their opinions known (although I doubt a deity would respect the authority of any company or brand). The truth is that, technically, there are many colors that could be and are referred to as Sea Green.
Another issue is how our eyes and brains understand color. For example, If you were to look at a 4-leaf clover it would appear Green. That’s because some light is hitting the clover and being absorbed, while other light bounces off and hits our eyes. The color that we see is precisely the color the clover is not. Which inevitably leads to the question of whether or not color even exists in reality.
Let’s assume that ‘reality’ doesn’t matter. Then there’s the problem that anyone who has spent any time looking at the sea would know that it oscillates infinitely between innumerable shades. The truth of the matter can be spun a couple ways. One, because of reflections the sea has been every color. Two, the sea is made of water which is technically clear, and therefore it has no color. So Sea Green is both everything and nothing.
Green reminds us that everything dies and that life is ephemeral. Born again, it always returns with the spring. Green is life and therefore essential. Unavoidable yet hard to grasp. It is everywhere in our natural world. It is hope. And although we now have access to a few non-deadly Green pigments, artists rarely use pre-made Green; they prefer to mix it themselves. Ultimately, mixed Greens come the closest to permanence.
Related Works of Art:
The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck
Lucretia by Paolo Veronese
Orpheus Leading Eurydice from the Underworld by Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot
Luncheon on the Grass by Édouard Manet
Green Wheat Fields, Auvers by Vincent van Gogh
The Japanese Footbridge by Claude Monet
Mont Sainte-Victoire with Large Pine by Paul Cézanne
Blue Green Red by Ellsworth Kelly
Green Kiss/Red Embrace (Disjunctive) by John Baldessari
Green Table by Jenny Holzer
By: Danni Lin
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SAINTS OF THE DAY (February 6)
On February 6, the Catholic Church honors the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki, a group of native Japanese Catholics and foreign missionaries who suffered death for their faith in the year 1597.
During the 16th century, the Catholic faith reached Japan by the efforts of the Jesuit missionary Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552).
Jesuit outreach to the Japanese continued after his death and around 200,000 Japanese had entered the Church by 1587.
Religious tensions led to a period of persecution that year, during which many churches were destroyed and missionaries forced to work in secret.
But few episodes of martyrdom took place during this time, and within a decade, 100,000 more Japanese became Catholic despite the restrictions.
During 1593, Franciscan missionaries came to Japan from the Philippines by order of Spain's King Philip II.
These new arrivals gave themselves zealously to the work of charity and evangelism, but their presence disturbed a delicate situation between the Church and Japanese authorities.
Suspicion against Catholic missionaries grew when a Spanish ship was seized off the Japanese coast and found to be carrying artillery.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful imperial minister, responded by sentencing 26 Catholics to death.
The group was comprised of three native Jesuits, six foreign Franciscans, and several lay Catholics including some children.
Sentenced to die by crucifixion and lancing, they first marched 600 miles to the city of Nagasaki.
During the journey, they underwent public torture meant to terrorize other Japanese believers in Christ.
But all of the 26 held out courageously, even singing the hymn of praise “Te Deum” when they arrived at the hill where they would be crucified.
Three of the best-known martyrs of Nagaki are Saints Paul Miki, John of Goto, and James Kisai.
Though none were priests, all were associated with the Jesuits: Miki was training for the priesthood, Kisai was a lay brother, and John of Goto was a catechist preparing to enter the order.
Paul Miki offered an especially strong witness to his faith during the group's month-long march to Nagasaki, as he joined one of the captive Franciscan priests in preaching to the crowds who came to mock the prisoners.
The son of a wealthy military leader, Miki was born in 1562 and entered the Church along with the rest of his family.
He joined the Jesuits as a young man and helped many Buddhists to embrace Christianity.
His last act of evangelism took place as he hung on his cross, preaching to the crowds.
“The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ,” he announced. “I thank God it is for this reason that I die. I believe that I am telling the truth before I die.”
“After Christ's example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.”
St. Paul Miki and his 25 companions were stabbed to death with lances on 5 February 1597, at the site that became known as “Martyrs' Hill.”
The Martyrs of Nagasaki were beatified by Pope Urban VIII on 14 September 1627 and canonized by Pope Pius IX on 8 June 1862.
#Saints of the Day#26 Martyrs of Nagasaki#St. Paul Miki and Companions#St. Paul Miki#St. John of Goto#St. James Kisai#Martyrs' Hill
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Thoughts on Destiel
I think about the whole Destiel thing more than someone with as many irons in the fire as I have, should. I mean, there’s Real Life™ to think about, right?
But then people in the fandom start hating on Destiel, and start pouring out their bigotry on this greatest of love stories, the story that was snatched away from us by cowardly producers. Jack help you if you mention it on a regular SPN fan page on Facebook; you will be piled on with so much hate and vitriol, it's insane.
Still, we believe. We know. Destiel is Canon.
We believed even when they killed our Angel of Thursday after the most heart-rending confession of love I have ever witnessed. When they left The Righteous Man on the floor of the dungeon, in shock and weeping because he couldn't say, "I love you, too, Cas," back, and it was forever too late for him.
I mostly think about it while I’m drifting off to sleep, after reading some really good fanfiction.
I see myself at the con that’s coming up in Hawaii in 2023. On the beach, I somehow run into Jensen, Misha, and sometimes Jared, and we strike up a conversation. (Since Dean always talked about retiring on a beach, somewhere, in my head, it fits.)
Sometimes I ask them if they’ve been to the Buddhist Temple up North on the Island, the one behind the big graveyard on the hill, and tell them that they should go, and take the kids to see it.
More often, in this almost dream, I see myself explaining to all of them (because they're a captive audience, now) about Destiel, and why it’s so important to me, and so many others.
So I tell them:
Look, guys, here’s the thing. I feel like in every part of the multiverse, these characters are always connected, even if some of the relationships are different from the ones in the Supernatural 'verse.
Sam and Dean are always brothers. In the Supernatural 'verse, they’re brothers and shield-brothers, shield-brothers being men who fight together as a team, who always have each other’s backs, like you find in the military with men who are in combat together. And Sam and Dean are lucky enough to have this blessing as blood-related siblings.
Sam always has an Eileen, a Ruby, a Jess, though my preference as his partner is always Eileen, because she understood the Hunter’s life and could defend herself. He would never really have to worry about her as she would never have “damsel in distress” as her first option.
I believe that in the multiverse, Dean and Castiel always had each other. And I believe that in the Supernatural Universe, Dean and Cas are mates and shield-mates. Men who fight together, would die for each other, always have each other’s backs, and happen to be deeply in love with each other. True mates, like they say in all the best fanfictions.
Even though smutty fanfiction is the go-to for Destiel, it's not the entire appeal. (Don't get me wrong, that has its place, too!) I'd hazard a guess that it's not even the lion's share of the appeal, but it's not all about "pervy housewives" letting their repressed sexual fantasies loose (if that even is a thing), if you catch my drift.
If it were just about the sex, it wouldn't be so enduring, it wouldn't have over 100k fics on A03. No, baby, it's about the L-O-V-E.
I don’t buy into the homophobic garbage about Dean and Cas loving each other like brothers because Cas was an angel and angels don’t think about sex, yadda, yadda.
I think that Castiel, as an angel, would have thought nothing of Dean’s gender, because he saw his soul, first. The body would be incidental to the brightness of the Soul of the Righteous Man. It's just a vessel, as it were, and why get hung up on the vessel when the important part was so bright, so pure?
I've seen some theories that Cas can't see anyone's real physical bodies with his eyes. Only their true selves, like he can see demons. So it makes sense that if he fell in love, he fell in love with Dean's true self.
And Cas's hard-wired program from Chuck is to love and help mankind, even if it costs him his life, so again, why wouldn't he fall in love with a man?
Why on earth anyone would believe God could program an Angel like that and then have that angel not fall in love with the true human inside the vessel is beyond me. I think that Chuck in his early days of creation, before he was a bitter jerk with a penchant for breaking his toys, wouldn't have batted an eye at that.
The show’s theme is unconditional love. No matter how many times you mess up, no matter how badly you mess up, you can still redeem yourself. It reminds me of that quote from 2005's Constantine, by Gabriel:
“You're handed this precious gift, right? Each one of you granted redemption from the Creator - murderers, rapists, and molesters - all of you, you just have to repent, and God takes you into His bosom. In all the worlds in all the universe, no other creature can make such a boast, save man.”
And in Supernatural, you can repent and can still have the love and support of these people, this incredible family who aren't blood, for the most part. Sure, they'll be pissed at you and call you a dumbass, because family does that, too, when you need it.
But even when you mess up, all you have to do is to try to fix things. You just have to ask for help. And you get that unconditional, all-encompassing love and forgiveness. Just like God said at the beginning of time.
Both Dean and Cas had epic screwups, epic lapses in judgement, but they still came back to each other and made things right. Like all the best couples do.
In the Supernatural Universe, Cas was the one “off the line with a crack in his chassis.” He was the one who didn’t do what he was told, what Chuck made him to do. Somehow, in that universe, Castiel, Angel of the Lord, touched Dean in the Pit of Hell, and Castiel was “lost.”
But when you think more deeply about it, in every part of the multiverse, Chuck made these characters for each other.
Like, they were literally made for each other by God, himself.
You have only yourself to blame, Chuck.
We just got lucky that this Cas and this Dean were the stubborn ones. The ones who refused to let go of each other, to kill each other when Heaven and Hell were doing everything they could to force them to do just that.
They overcame Naomi’s programming of Cas to kill thousands of Deans so he could kill the real one when she commanded it, and they overcame Dean’s subjugation to the Mark of Cain because of love. Because at the moment when they could strike at each other’s hearts, at the time they could end each other's entire existences, they dropped their knives and walked away, rather than destroy the one person they loved above all others.
They gave up everything for each other, over and over again. And they saved each other, over and over again.
Destiel is important to us because we all crave that kind of loyalty, that kind of safety with another person, that kind of love and forgiveness.
We crave it so very deeply because most of us have never had it. Some of us have had abuse and betrayal, instead.
We look at Dean and Cas and their profound bond and we want that more deeply than we have ever wanted anything. Because that profound bond is more important than anything. That profound bond with one another is what makes humanity unique. Worth saving.
We want that happy ending for them, when their trials are done and they have earned peace and each other, a thousand times over. We need it because we need that for ourselves.
Cas and Dean as Destiel, gave us the hope that we, too, could experience a profound bond, and with it, unconditional love and acceptance.
And in my dream - because by now I’ve drifted off and can hear the ocean and the sea birds and see Diamond Head off in the distance - the guys nod and smile, not because they’re being polite and they need to run to a signing, but because they get it.
They just get it.
#destiel#spn#SPN family#Supernatural#castiel#dean winchester series#deancas#dean winchester#lgbtqia#queer#they deserved better
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Holidays 7.16
Holidays
Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day
Assata Shakur Day
Atomic Bomb Day
Catcher in the Rye Day
Closet Space Appreciation Day
DC Day
Elderly Women Day (Kiribati)
Engineer’s Day (Honduras)
Festival of Convivial Tools
Fiesta de La Tirana (Tarapacá Region, Chile)
Guinea Pig Appreciation Day
Harela (Uttarakhand, India)
Holocaust Memorial Day (France)
International Disability Awareness Day
International Drag Day
International Juggling Day
Islamic Calendar Day
Lady of Carmen Day (Chile)
La Paz Day (Bolivia)
Manu’s Cession Day, Day 2 (American Samoa)
National Atomic Veterans Day
National Change Your Font Day
National D.R.E.S.S. Syndrome Day
National Emily Day
National Geordie Day (UK)
National Jerry Day
National Peace Day (Dia de la Paz; Bolivia)
National Stick Shift Day
National Wedding Invitation Day
No Kissing Day
Order of the Arrow Day (BSA)
Parking Meter Day
Parks Day (Canada)
Reading Together Day (UK)
Rural Transit Day
716 Day
Talk to a Telemarketer Day
Tare Day (French Republic)
Trinity Test Day
Urs Shah-I-Hamdan Sahib (Kashmir, India)
World PR Day
World Snake Day
World Wizkid Day (Nigeria)
Food & Drink Celebrations
Darwin Beer Can Regatta 2023 (Australia) [Date Varies]
Fresh Spinach Day
Hot Coal Chicken Day (Peru)
Hot Dog Night
Ice Cream Cone Day
National Cherry Day (UK)
National Corn Fritter Day
National Funnel Cake Day
National Personal Chef Day [also 2.26]
3rd Sunday in July
Anne Hutchinson Memorial Day (Rhode Island) [Sunday closest to 20th]
Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim (Istanbul, Turkey) [3rd Sunday]
Children’s Day (Cuba) [3rd Sunday]
Galla Bayramy (Turkmenistan celebration of the wheat harvest) [3rd Sunday]
Ginibiimanaan (a.k.a. Lake Superior Day) [3rd Sunday]
Lake Superior Day [3rd Sunday]
Luxembourg Beer Festival [3rd Sunday]
Metallurgist’s Day (Russia) [3rd Sunday]
National Ice Cream & Beer Day (mix some vanilla ice cream with your favorite Porter or Stout) [3rd Sunday]
National Ice Cream Day [3rd Sunday]
National Ice Cream Soda Day [3rd Sunday]
Sundae Sunday [3rd Sunday]
Independence Days
Custosia (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]
Feast Days
Andrea del Sarto (Artology)
Asalha Puja Day (Buddhist Lent begins)
Bobby Henderson Day (Pastafarian; Saint)
Charles Sheeler (Artology)
Dr. Doom Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
Display of the Embarrassing Swimsuits (Church of the SubGenius)
Eustathius (Christian; Saint)
First Sermon of Lord Buddha (Bhutan)
Gondulphus of Tongeren (Christian; Saint)
Helier (a.k.a. Elier; Christian; Saint)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Christian; Saint)
Phoebe Cates Day (Humanism)
Reineldis (Christian; Saint)
Rotary Doozer (Muppetism)
Skip This Day Day (Pastafarian)
Solstitium XI (Pagan)
The Troubadours (Positivist; Saint)
Vardavar (Pagan Prank Day; Armenia) [14 Weeks after Easter]
Zoot (Muppetism)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Prime Number Day: 197 [45 of 72]
Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]
Premieres
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, by Diana Ross (Song; 1970)
Alice’s Restaurant Massacree, by Arlo Guthrie (Song; 1976)
Akira (Anime Film; 1988)
Ant-Man (Film; 2015)
The Blair Witch Project (Film; 1999)
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salenger (Novel; 1951)
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Opera; 1782)
Dragon Around (Disney Cartoon; 1954)
Drop Dead Gorgeous (Film; 1999)
Eyes Wide Shut (Film; 1999)
False Hare (WB LT Cartoon; 1964)
Free Willy (Film; 1993)
From Up on Poppy Hill (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 2011)
George of the Jungle (Film; 1997)
The Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling (Novel; 2005) [Harry Potter #6]
Hocus Pocus (Film; 1993)
Inception (Film; 2010)
The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins (Novel; 1868)
Mouse and Garden (WB LT Cartoon; 1960)
Once A Day, by Connie Smith (Song; 1964)
Poison Ivy, recorded by The Coasters (Song; 1959)
Pom Poko (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 1994)
Schmigadoon! (TV Series; 2021)
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (TV Series; 2015)
Space Jam: A New Legacy (Animated Film; 2021)
Space Race (Video Game; 1973)
Stargate: Atlantis (TV Series; 2004)
Topper (Film; 1937)
Today’s Name Days
Carmen, Irmgard, Maria (Austria)
Yulian, Yuliana, Yuliya (Bulgaria)
Elvira, Karmela (Croatia)
Luboš (Czech Republic)
Tychos (Denmark)
Rein, Reinhold, Reino, Reinu, Reinut, Rinaldo, Ronald (Estonia)
Reino, Rene (Finland)
Elvire (France)
Carmen, Irmgard (Germany)
Valter (Hungary)
Maria, Vitaliano (Italy)
Hermīne, Rasulite (Latvia)
Danguolė, Faustas, Vaigaudas (Lithuania)
Sanna, Susanne (Norway)
Andrzej, Benedykt, Dziersław, Dzierżysław, Eustachiusz, Eustachy, Faust, Maria Magdalena, Marika, Ostap, Ruta, Stefan (Poland)
Drahomíra (Slovakia)
Carmen (Spain)
Reine, Reinhold (Sweden)
Ruth, Valentina, Valia (Ukraine)
Carmel, Carmela, Carmelo, Carmen, Shelby, Sherman, Sherwood (USA)
Carma, Carmel, Carmela, Carmelita, Carmella, Camelo, Carmélo, Carmen, Carmencita, Carmi, Carmie, Carmina, Carmine, Karmen, Phoebe (Universal)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 197 of 2024; 168 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 7 of week 28 of 2023
Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 7 of 28]
Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 29 (Yi-Hai)
Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)
Hebrew: 27 Tammuz 5783
Islamic: 27 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444
J Cal: 17 Lux; Theesday [17 of 30]
Julian: 3 July 2023
Moon: 1%: Waning Crescent
Positivist: 1 Dante (8th Month) [The Troubadours]
Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 3 of 15]
Season: Summer (Day 26 of 94)
Zodiac: Cancer (Day 26 of 31)
Calendar Changes
Dante (Modern Epic Poetry) [Month 8 of 13; Positivist]
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Holidays 7.16
Holidays
Artificial Intelligence Appreciation Day
Assata Shakur Day
Atomic Bomb Day
Catcher in the Rye Day
Closet Space Appreciation Day
DC Day
Elderly Women Day (Kiribati)
Engineer’s Day (Honduras)
Festival of Convivial Tools
Fiesta de La Tirana (Tarapacá Region, Chile)
Guinea Pig Appreciation Day
Harela (Uttarakhand, India)
Holocaust Memorial Day (France)
International Disability Awareness Day
International Drag Day
International Juggling Day
Islamic Calendar Day
Lady of Carmen Day (Chile)
La Paz Day (Bolivia)
Manu’s Cession Day, Day 2 (American Samoa)
National Atomic Veterans Day
National Change Your Font Day
National D.R.E.S.S. Syndrome Day
National Emily Day
National Geordie Day (UK)
National Jerry Day
National Peace Day (Dia de la Paz; Bolivia)
National Stick Shift Day
National Wedding Invitation Day
No Kissing Day
Order of the Arrow Day (BSA)
Parking Meter Day
Parks Day (Canada)
Reading Together Day (UK)
Rural Transit Day
716 Day
Talk to a Telemarketer Day
Tare Day (French Republic)
Trinity Test Day
Urs Shah-I-Hamdan Sahib (Kashmir, India)
World PR Day
World Snake Day
World Wizkid Day (Nigeria)
Food & Drink Celebrations
Darwin Beer Can Regatta 2023 (Australia) [Date Varies]
Fresh Spinach Day
Hot Coal Chicken Day (Peru)
Hot Dog Night
Ice Cream Cone Day
National Cherry Day (UK)
National Corn Fritter Day
National Funnel Cake Day
National Personal Chef Day [also 2.26]
3rd Sunday in July
Anne Hutchinson Memorial Day (Rhode Island) [Sunday closest to 20th]
Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim (Istanbul, Turkey) [3rd Sunday]
Children’s Day (Cuba) [3rd Sunday]
Galla Bayramy (Turkmenistan celebration of the wheat harvest) [3rd Sunday]
Ginibiimanaan (a.k.a. Lake Superior Day) [3rd Sunday]
Lake Superior Day [3rd Sunday]
Luxembourg Beer Festival [3rd Sunday]
Metallurgist’s Day (Russia) [3rd Sunday]
National Ice Cream & Beer Day (mix some vanilla ice cream with your favorite Porter or Stout) [3rd Sunday]
National Ice Cream Day [3rd Sunday]
National Ice Cream Soda Day [3rd Sunday]
Sundae Sunday [3rd Sunday]
Independence Days
Custosia (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]
Feast Days
Andrea del Sarto (Artology)
Asalha Puja Day (Buddhist Lent begins)
Bobby Henderson Day (Pastafarian; Saint)
Charles Sheeler (Artology)
Dr. Doom Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)
Display of the Embarrassing Swimsuits (Church of the SubGenius)
Eustathius (Christian; Saint)
First Sermon of Lord Buddha (Bhutan)
Gondulphus of Tongeren (Christian; Saint)
Helier (a.k.a. Elier; Christian; Saint)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Christian; Saint)
Phoebe Cates Day (Humanism)
Reineldis (Christian; Saint)
Rotary Doozer (Muppetism)
Skip This Day Day (Pastafarian)
Solstitium XI (Pagan)
The Troubadours (Positivist; Saint)
Vardavar (Pagan Prank Day; Armenia) [14 Weeks after Easter]
Zoot (Muppetism)
Lucky & Unlucky Days
Prime Number Day: 197 [45 of 72]
Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]
Premieres
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, by Diana Ross (Song; 1970)
Alice’s Restaurant Massacree, by Arlo Guthrie (Song; 1976)
Akira (Anime Film; 1988)
Ant-Man (Film; 2015)
The Blair Witch Project (Film; 1999)
The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salenger (Novel; 1951)
Die Entführung aus dem Serail, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Opera; 1782)
Dragon Around (Disney Cartoon; 1954)
Drop Dead Gorgeous (Film; 1999)
Eyes Wide Shut (Film; 1999)
False Hare (WB LT Cartoon; 1964)
Free Willy (Film; 1993)
From Up on Poppy Hill (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 2011)
George of the Jungle (Film; 1997)
The Half-Blood Prince, by J.K. Rowling (Novel; 2005) [Harry Potter #6]
Hocus Pocus (Film; 1993)
Inception (Film; 2010)
The Moonstone, by Wilkie Collins (Novel; 1868)
Mouse and Garden (WB LT Cartoon; 1960)
Once A Day, by Connie Smith (Song; 1964)
Poison Ivy, recorded by The Coasters (Song; 1959)
Pom Poko (Studio Ghibli Animated Film; 1994)
Schmigadoon! (TV Series; 2021)
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (TV Series; 2015)
Space Jam: A New Legacy (Animated Film; 2021)
Space Race (Video Game; 1973)
Stargate: Atlantis (TV Series; 2004)
Topper (Film; 1937)
Today’s Name Days
Carmen, Irmgard, Maria (Austria)
Yulian, Yuliana, Yuliya (Bulgaria)
Elvira, Karmela (Croatia)
Luboš (Czech Republic)
Tychos (Denmark)
Rein, Reinhold, Reino, Reinu, Reinut, Rinaldo, Ronald (Estonia)
Reino, Rene (Finland)
Elvire (France)
Carmen, Irmgard (Germany)
Valter (Hungary)
Maria, Vitaliano (Italy)
Hermīne, Rasulite (Latvia)
Danguolė, Faustas, Vaigaudas (Lithuania)
Sanna, Susanne (Norway)
Andrzej, Benedykt, Dziersław, Dzierżysław, Eustachiusz, Eustachy, Faust, Maria Magdalena, Marika, Ostap, Ruta, Stefan (Poland)
Drahomíra (Slovakia)
Carmen (Spain)
Reine, Reinhold (Sweden)
Ruth, Valentina, Valia (Ukraine)
Carmel, Carmela, Carmelo, Carmen, Shelby, Sherman, Sherwood (USA)
Carma, Carmel, Carmela, Carmelita, Carmella, Camelo, Carmélo, Carmen, Carmencita, Carmi, Carmie, Carmina, Carmine, Karmen, Phoebe (Universal)
Today is Also…
Day of Year: Day 197 of 2024; 168 days remaining in the year
ISO: Day 7 of week 28 of 2023
Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 7 of 28]
Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 29 (Yi-Hai)
Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)
Hebrew: 27 Tammuz 5783
Islamic: 27 Dhu al-Hijjah 1444
J Cal: 17 Lux; Theesday [17 of 30]
Julian: 3 July 2023
Moon: 1%: Waning Crescent
Positivist: 1 Dante (8th Month) [The Troubadours]
Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 3 of 15]
Season: Summer (Day 26 of 94)
Zodiac: Cancer (Day 26 of 31)
Calendar Changes
Dante (Modern Epic Poetry) [Month 8 of 13; Positivist]
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Vanity..Thank you to the Buddhist Religion for this research data. So Help Me God..Amen, Ameen, Amun, Amin, Aum.
THE VANITY OF WORLDLINESS
THERE was a poet who had acquired the spotless eye of truth, and he believed in the Buddha, whose doctrine gave him peace of mind and comfort in the hour of affliction. It happened that an epidemic swept over the country in which he lived, so that many died, and the people were terrified. Some of them trembled with fright, and in anticipation of their fate were smitten with all the horrors of death before they died, while others began to be merry, shouting loudly, "Let us enjoy ourselves today, for we know not whether tomorrow we shall live"; yet was their laughter no genuine gladness, but a mere pretense and affectation.
Among all these worldly men and women trembling with anxiety, the Buddhist poet lived in the time of the pestilence, as usual, calm and undisturbed, helping wherever he could and ministering unto the sick, soothing their pains by medicine and religious consolation. And a man came to him and said:
"My heart is nervous and excited, for I see people die. I am not anxious about others, but I tremble because of myself. Help me; cure me of my fear."
The poet replied: "There is help for him who has compassion on others, but there is no help for thee so long as thou clingest to thine own self alone. Hard times try the souls of men and teach them righteousness and charity. Canst thou witness these sad sights around thee and still be filled with selfishness? Canst thou see thy brothers, sisters, and friends suffer, yet not forget the petty cravings and lust of thine own heart? Noticing the desolation in the mind of the pleasure-seeking man, the Buddhist poet composed this song and taught it to the brethren in the vihara:
"Unless you take refuge in the Buddha and find rest in Nirvana,
Your life is but vanity-empty and desolate vanity.
To see the world is idle, and to enjoy life is empty.
The world, including man, is but like a phantom, and the hope of heaven is as a mirage.
"The worldling seeks pleasures, fattening himself like a caged fowl,
But the Buddhist saint flies up to the sun like the wild crane.
The fowl in the coop has food but will soon be boiled in the pot;
No provisions are given to the wild crane, but the heavens and the earth are his.
The poet said: "The times are hard and teach the people a lesson; yet do they not heed it." And he composed another poem on the vanity of worldliness:
"It is good to reform, and it is good to exhort people to reform.
The things of the world will all be swept away.
Let others be busy and buried with care.
My mind all unvexed shall be pure.
"After pleasures they hanker and find no satisfaction;
Riches they covet and can never have enough.
They are like unto puppets held up by a string.
When the string breaks they come down with a shock.
"In the domain of death there are neither great nor small;
Neither gold nor silver is used, nor precious jewels.
No distinction is made between the high and the low.
And daily the dead are buried beneath the fragrant sod.
"Look at the sun setting behind the western hills.
You lie down to rest, but soon the cock will announce morn.
Reform today and do not wait until it be too late
Do not say it is early, for the time quickly passes by.
"It is good to reform and it is good to exhort people to reform.
It is good to lead a righteous life and take refuge in the Buddha's name.
Your talents may reach to the skies, your wealth may be untold-
But all is in vain unless you attain the peace of Nirvana."
Thank you once again to the Buddhist Religion.
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I'm doing another deep dive into various forms of governance and economic systems. I fully understand unpaid, unappreciated labor first as a caregiver to my children and to my mother towards the end of her life. These women, and I use this world deliberately are the backbone of society filling in all the gaps that build communities and fully realized human beings. That isn't to say alternate relationships, family structures, gender etc will have poorer outcomes. I don't subscribe to that BS.. I truly believe there is a scientific evolutionary component that most people refuse to acknowledge. Now to workers/work - if we don't eat we die, if we have no shelter our lives are often cut short, if we are unsafe exploited it's the same result. We were built to work. You can gloss over terms but our collective wealth increases through cooperation & division of labour - division of labour today means something totally different than in Marx's time. Whole sectors of the economy produce nothing of value to me and are often destructive to the human spirit. That's not economics or capitalism that's a death wish. Security, law, teachers, healthcare, care givers, thinkers etc are all needed for us to thrive in this enormous ant hill unless we are going to outsource all these duties to AI which is also a recipe for disaster. It would be valuable to add that class means something entirely different than in the past century. All of these ideas are desperately in need of an upgrade particularly with the internet and the market place of ideas open to disruption. I'm also very curious and have never heard a criticism of current communist/socialist countries and their excessive consumption. I promise I'm listening and reading. Finding meaning in the work without societal validation at the risk of sounding Buddhist is key.
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The Lilith discourse is all the more ridiculous as there's no shortage of badass femme entities in more open traditions. The various Death/Fate Goddesses of Indo-European pantheons(Marzanna/Moranna, The Morrigan, Laima, The Moirae, Hela, The Norns, etc) are all really cool and would be good fits for what these folks're going for, with the right directness and intensity. The Buddhist bodhisattva Tara also told a bunch of monks, in no uncertain terms, to get fucked when they suggested she should pray to be reborn as a man because she's too advanced to be a woman and thus decided to be a femme in every incarnation and manifestation.
But nah, they'd rather harass Jewish folks because of one of the few entities that are not for them. I mean, if they're going to die on the Lilitu = Lilith hill, then work with that particular class of specifically Akkadian/Sumerian spirits but they won't because they're not actually equivalent and most of them know it. These folks're such children, no matter their age. I think conscious hatred is giving them way too much credit. "I cannot has, so I must screm"
You'd think, right?? Some people would cling onto a hot iron just because someone told them not to
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He also left a cryptic post on his Facebook page with a fire emoji and the date of his death 4/22/2022 a year before his death.
Dr K. Kritee, a Buddhist priest from Boulder, wrote on Twitter that Mr Bruce had been planning to self-immolate for at least a year.
“This guy was my friend. He meditated with our sangha,” she said.
“This act is not suicide. This is a deeply fearless act of compassion to bring attention to climate crisis. We are piecing together info but he had been planning it for atleast one year. #wynnbruce I am so moved.”
I hope he made a very specific message and demand clear to SCOTUS before giving his life for it.
"Do something about climate change" feels too vague a hill set yourself on fire and die on. I'm not mocking him. But I've been seeing stories of very unfocused and non-specific protesting with either vague or generally unclear messaging, specifically about climate change.
Protesting is most effective with a clear outcome in mind, I think.
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The fire of Asamai
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, lived a community who worshipped the same Gods and celebrated the same festivals as you and I do. They built holy temples and massive forts, forged dynasties that ruled vast masses of land. They maintained their bond with their original homeland- India, even whilst staying true to their Afghan soil.
The Hindus of Afghanistan, however, slowly lost power. They were expelled from their homes in the charming Gandhara. They were looted, enslaved, converted and slaughtered- but they still persisted.
More recently, the Taliban's rule from 1996-2001 was especially dark. They were once again evicted from their lands, their women were harassed to the extent that they would not venture outside their homes. Hindu institutions were shut down and children were surreptitiously taught the Bhagvad Gita at their homes. Sometimes, they were even killed. In a horrible throwback to Nazi Germany, Hindus and Sikhs were mandated to wear yellow clothing for easy identification.
Even through all this and so much more, the Hindus of Afghanistan kept alive their faith. The Asamai Temple, at the foot of the hills Koh-i-Asamai in Kabul, is a shrine dedicated to Devi Asha, literally meaning the Goddess of Hope. At the temple burns the 'Akhand Jyoti' or the Eternal Flame of Asamai which is said to be aflame since 4,000 years. The Hindu community, along with their Sikh brothers and sisters (together called Hindki) came together regularly to offer their prayers to the Goddess for centuries together. This worship- to keep aflame the Fire of Asamai- persisted even as the two communities began to flee Afghanistan- some to India, some to other countries- as they saw Islamists take over the country they once very much belonged to.
Today, there is just one Hindu in Afghanistan.
Raja Ram, the priest of the Hindu Temple at Ghazni remains, clinging on to this faith, having lost everything but his devotion to the Gods. In a land that has now been divided between the "believers" and the "non-believers", the quiet courage and firm devotion of that priest is an act of valiant resistance.
But this resistance is an ancient one, displayed by our own ancestors as they resolutely built Somnath every time Ghazni raided it. It is a resistance that after the Delhi and the Madurai Sultanate, the Vijayanagara Kings liberated Madurai and rebuilt the glorious Meenakshi Amman Kovil. It is the resistance that the Goan Hindus showed as they faced the wrath of the Goan Inquisition. It is that resistance that Kashmiri Pandits show, even after being ethnically cleansed. This has happened before, this will happen again.
But the resistance takes its toll. A lot of our heritage has been lost, civilizational memory has been forgotten, too much blood has been spilt. And today, the Hindu character of Afghanistan, along with the Sikhi and the Buddhist elements, is on the verge of a complete wipeout. One lone priest stands between the Taliban and their goal.
The fire of Asamai may now die out.
At this sombre junction of our history, it is our duty as Indian Hindus to preserve their memory, educate ourselves about our Hindu brethren in other lands, pray for the safety of Raja Ram and others like him and to help out refugees in India or elsewhere in any way possible. And importantly, it is time we learn to check our effing privilege.
Every time we shit on our festivals and Gods, we must remind ourselves to be modest; people have died for the right to religious worship that we take for granted.
And someday, somehow, even if the physical fire of Asamai is extinguished, and her temple is reduced to rubble, may we gather the strength to rekindle the Fire. Until then, we must let it burn in our hearts.
Read more: https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/ghazni-residents-mourn-the-loss-of-hindu-sikh-neighbors-/30854326.html
https://rajatmitra.co.in/the-last-hindu-of-afghanistan/
https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/neighbours/story/20011217-afghanistan-hindu-sikh-families-retain-cultural-practices-under-hostile-taliban-regime-774879-2001-12-17
#afghanistan#taliban#afghan crisis#afghan refugees#kabul#nato#us afghan war#afghan war#hindusim#afghan hindus#indian hindus#sharia law#indian diaspora#India
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