State of the Lily
Jul. 2nd, 2007 03:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mllelaurelPhysical
I've actually gotten enough sleep in the last couple of days (thanks to, I have a feeling, the cat sleeping with me). So I may be heading into another 'stay up all night' cycle, but at least I'm well-rested. Mama loves her baby kitty!
Spiritual
...Yes, you read that right. I'm tentatively exploring Paganism. May be making a 'woo woo filter' in the near future. Currently, I'm in the process of looking for a Tarot deck I click with. Unfortunately, so far, all the decks I keep pinging on either have pip cards for the numbers (China Tarot), or are too advanced for my current level, due to unusual symbolism (Arthurian, Tarot de las Sirenas). Interestingly enough, both of the latter are heavy on the Water element, Arthurian being Earth and Water, and Sirenas being all Water. This would explain why I'm so drawn to them; I'm heavily Water, myself.
...Er, should I even be capitalizing the element names? I seem to instinctively do so, due to what I call Keyword Effect, but for all I know, all that does is make my entry read like a bad fantasy novel blurb.
Back to the tarot. I also remember China and Sirenas having friendly Fool and Hanged Man cards. Those arcana are personal to me, so I'd like to get on well with them, thank you. Can't recall if I've seen the Arthurian versions of those two, so will have to check again.
I think I'm going to study the card meanings more - which is to say, actually learn the court cards and numbers - then take another look at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
yunatwilight and wired_lizard's decks, to see if my newly-educated brain can intuit the meanings in a fairly natural way. Like as not, I'll also get a copy of the China Tarot for the sheer unadulterated pretty.
One thing I did learn from looking at a multitude of decks online is that I don't do well with heavy abstractions, strong primary colors or lack of depth/shading. I'm aware this is largely aesthetic, but I don't think having my eyes hurt and my brain turn off would help much in spiritual matters, either.
Currently reading: Ethan of Athos, by Lois McMaster Bujold, having finished Cetaganda last night. Still on a Clamp kick with manga, so I'll be picking up volume one of Legal Drug at the library today.
Currently watching: At home, nothing. However, I still have my Doctor Who watching group for the weekends. We'll be heading into the classic series, now that the current season is done. From the looks of it, we'll be starting with Battlefield. Yay Ace!
Currentlylistening to going insane from: lack of music. Seriously. Gah!
Computer: Still no concrete date for when my laptop will be here. *muttermuttermutter* Apparently all the extras I asked for are taking time to add on.
Writing: Going through old RP logs which contain the roots for one of my original novel ideas has helped kick that novel into high gear. It's also filled me with a deep and abiding sense of shame regarding my writing and chracterization abilities at age sixteen. Let's just say I once comitted a Gwen Cooper and leave it at that.
Additionally, I've got some vague ideas for who fic, and whaddaya know - one for Heroes.
KoL: Mushrooms take way too long to grow, yo! Fighting the spelling attrocity creatures at Orc Chasm is still surprisingly therapeutic, though.
Bewitched
Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.
Preconception: Berries and green tea make Lily happy, so I'm very excited about this one.
In imp: a deep, pine-y scent, with sweet berries buoying it up.
On me (wet): Berries and musk. Is that sage in there? It might help if I knew what sage smelled like, beyond a basic notion.
On me (dry): Sweet and warm. I think I'm getting some strawberry. This scent has a darker undercurrent as well, but it actualy works on me, for once.
Mmm, happy childhood flashbacks of going berry picking with Dad.
Verdict: This could easily become a favorite, and now I'm officially on a quest to try everything with berries in it.
In the news: New Hampshire appeals the aborton law that would require parental notification. I'm very happy to hear it. Laws like this damage parent-child communication rather than helping it, by taking away the choice in the matter. They also don't account for emergencies and may put the teen in question at risk. All in all, go New Hampshire!
Correspondently: I'm doing some research into Planned Parenthood internships. It would be a lovely place to spend my Field Work Term next winter, provided they take me and I can arrange transportation.
I've actually gotten enough sleep in the last couple of days (thanks to, I have a feeling, the cat sleeping with me). So I may be heading into another 'stay up all night' cycle, but at least I'm well-rested. Mama loves her baby kitty!
Spiritual
...Yes, you read that right. I'm tentatively exploring Paganism. May be making a 'woo woo filter' in the near future. Currently, I'm in the process of looking for a Tarot deck I click with. Unfortunately, so far, all the decks I keep pinging on either have pip cards for the numbers (China Tarot), or are too advanced for my current level, due to unusual symbolism (Arthurian, Tarot de las Sirenas). Interestingly enough, both of the latter are heavy on the Water element, Arthurian being Earth and Water, and Sirenas being all Water. This would explain why I'm so drawn to them; I'm heavily Water, myself.
...Er, should I even be capitalizing the element names? I seem to instinctively do so, due to what I call Keyword Effect, but for all I know, all that does is make my entry read like a bad fantasy novel blurb.
Back to the tarot. I also remember China and Sirenas having friendly Fool and Hanged Man cards. Those arcana are personal to me, so I'd like to get on well with them, thank you. Can't recall if I've seen the Arthurian versions of those two, so will have to check again.
I think I'm going to study the card meanings more - which is to say, actually learn the court cards and numbers - then take another look at
yunatwilight and wired_lizard's decks, to see if my newly-educated brain can intuit the meanings in a fairly natural way. Like as not, I'll also get a copy of the China Tarot for the sheer unadulterated pretty.One thing I did learn from looking at a multitude of decks online is that I don't do well with heavy abstractions, strong primary colors or lack of depth/shading. I'm aware this is largely aesthetic, but I don't think having my eyes hurt and my brain turn off would help much in spiritual matters, either.
Currently reading: Ethan of Athos, by Lois McMaster Bujold, having finished Cetaganda last night. Still on a Clamp kick with manga, so I'll be picking up volume one of Legal Drug at the library today.
Currently watching: At home, nothing. However, I still have my Doctor Who watching group for the weekends. We'll be heading into the classic series, now that the current season is done. From the looks of it, we'll be starting with Battlefield. Yay Ace!
Currently
Computer: Still no concrete date for when my laptop will be here. *muttermuttermutter* Apparently all the extras I asked for are taking time to add on.
Writing: Going through old RP logs which contain the roots for one of my original novel ideas has helped kick that novel into high gear. It's also filled me with a deep and abiding sense of shame regarding my writing and chracterization abilities at age sixteen. Let's just say I once comitted a Gwen Cooper and leave it at that.
Additionally, I've got some vague ideas for who fic, and whaddaya know - one for Heroes.
KoL: Mushrooms take way too long to grow, yo! Fighting the spelling attrocity creatures at Orc Chasm is still surprisingly therapeutic, though.
Bewitched
Deep, luscious green and berry scents that evoke images of woodland witchcraft and the raw power of nature: blackberry, sage, green tea, wild berries and dark musk.
Preconception: Berries and green tea make Lily happy, so I'm very excited about this one.
In imp: a deep, pine-y scent, with sweet berries buoying it up.
On me (wet): Berries and musk. Is that sage in there? It might help if I knew what sage smelled like, beyond a basic notion.
On me (dry): Sweet and warm. I think I'm getting some strawberry. This scent has a darker undercurrent as well, but it actualy works on me, for once.
Mmm, happy childhood flashbacks of going berry picking with Dad.
Verdict: This could easily become a favorite, and now I'm officially on a quest to try everything with berries in it.
In the news: New Hampshire appeals the aborton law that would require parental notification. I'm very happy to hear it. Laws like this damage parent-child communication rather than helping it, by taking away the choice in the matter. They also don't account for emergencies and may put the teen in question at risk. All in all, go New Hampshire!
Correspondently: I'm doing some research into Planned Parenthood internships. It would be a lovely place to spend my Field Work Term next winter, provided they take me and I can arrange transportation.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 09:26 pm (UTC)Also -- spiritual exploration? Would love to talk to you about this sometime.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 11:01 pm (UTC)Anytime you want, we can talk. I look forward to it.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 12:34 am (UTC)And now I'm tempted to start a Not Quite Pagan support group.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-04 12:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-05 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-05 07:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 09:54 pm (UTC)Some people do it, some don't. When referring specifically to the quarters they're almost always capitalized ... otherwise, either way is correct.
Back to the tarot. I also remember China and Sirenas having friendly Fool and Hanged Man cards. Those arcana are personal to me, so I'd like to get on well with them, thank you. Can't recall if I've seen the Arthurian versions of those two, so will have to check again.
I usually judge a deck by looking at the cards that are most personally significant to me. If a deck has a bad Queen of Wands, High Priestess, or Temperance, I am not going to get along with it. Finding those key cards, the ones you can really judge the deck by, is very important.
One thing I did learn from looking at a multitude of decks online is that I don't do well with heavy abstractions, strong primary colors or lack of depth/shading. I'm aware this is largely aesthetic, but I don't think having my eyes hurt and my brain turn off would help much in spiritual matters, either.
Depending on the kind of work you do it may not be. If your path leads you into ceremonial magick it may be a moot point as long as the deck works and has the symbolism correct. If you do heavy astral work than the exact images on the cards may be of extreme importance.
All in all, I prefer muted colors too. And I find it very hard to relate to medieval artwork and impossible to relate to abstract or childlike art. I need realism -- fantastic realism is fine, but I could never use the Motherpeace or anything like it.
Mushrooms take way too long to grow, yo!
If you get stuck doing this again, K-mail me. I have extras of most of them and no intention of ever doing the Degrassi Knoll quest again. (Gloomy mushroom wine does sell well, though, and you can get two more familiars if you grow them.)
no subject
Date: 2007-07-02 11:08 pm (UTC)Finding those key cards, the ones you can really judge the deck by, is very important.
*nods* Right now, I'm mostly going by intuition; the feel of it combined with what I know of the card meanings. Is there some additional trick to finding one's key cards, or am I entirely on track?
I have a feeling I'll be doing some astral work - this reminds me, I should talk to you about some of my dreams - so I'll be paying close attention to the imagery.
*nods again* Being able to relate plays a big role for me as well.
I'm doing ok with the mushrooms in KoL, it's just tedious.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-03 12:37 am (UTC)Judging by my experience, you don't even need to look for "your" cards -- they'll hit you over the head sooner or later. Then, maybe I'm just dense and need the sledgehammer treatment.
no subject
Date: 2007-07-04 12:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-05 12:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-07-04 05:00 pm (UTC)And yes, we definitely should talk about dreams.