Good Post Op - Tumblr Posts
Uhhh no idea how I'd make an introduction or anything sooo
The ending of little misfortune was kinda unexpected because it was expected? And sort of disappointed me and I expected something along the lines of
Benjamin is still the good buddy but since this is a killmonday game so the same developers as fran bow I'd expected Remor to come back and take misfortune, and Benjamin tries to save her from him. And somewhere in between Morgo would come in as a neutral, trying to get her away from both sides and her family
I have no idea where he'd bring her or how he'd come to come and all the more details but I hope you get where I'm going with this , or dont but I really needed to get this word vomit out of my mind
“I will fight to be satisfied with my life and enjoy it as much as I can so that I will never become bitter and resentful.”
^^ too good to leave in the tags op.
I love little miau miaus as much as the next person, but damnnnnn these emotionally constipated men need to put on some pants
Religion in Castlevania
So, uhm. Castlevania has a strange relationship to the concept of religion, right? The games are of course Japanese and to the average Japanese person Christianity is about doused in as much mysticism and alieness as Shinto is to the average white person. As such the games do kinda mirror this like many other Japanese media with European inspired settings. We will get a lot of Christian symbolism and maybe a line or two referencing it, but as much as the average western story using Shinto and Buddhism, it is barely more than set-dressing. It is not offensive or anything, just also not very in depth
The series meanwhile runs into the opposite problem. It is a western production first and foremost and in western circles the relation people have towards religion is... complicated. Especially when it comes to Christianity. Because the fact is that you really can only do wrong.
You show Christianity as something positive? Yeah, fuck it, you are doing white supremacist propaganda (because Christianity sadly is tied to that other believe as a vehicle. Not because of anything inherent to Christianity, just because of history). You show Christianity as something negative? Fuck you, you hate all Christians and are basically the antichrist time to boycot you!
Which leads to the interesting phenomenon that Castlevania has a Muslim character whose relationship with his religion is in depth explored. While Christianity... is somewhat iffy.
First and foremost: The only explicitly Christian characters we have are bad guy who get killed within the first season. Namely the bishop and the arch bishop. Who of course use their religion as a tool to spread hatred. In this case of witches. (Note to self: Write a blog about witch hunts.) And then there are of course the corrupted monks in season 3. The show does not go so far to imply "Christianity = Bad", especially as the show does have some no-dialogue characters who end up siding with the protagonists and what not. But... It also does not have an explicitly positive portrayel of religion, right?
Now, from our main characters outside of Isaac we barely know anything about their religious affiliation.
We know that Sypha believes in Jeshoa (Jesus) and some of the bible stories, but in a way that actually frames God as a vengeful, bad god, rather than a force of good. This is never further explored, though. It is basically two lines over the course of the series we get. All we know is: Yes, she believes it. She things Jeshoa was okay and that God is bad and hates the speakers.
And for the others?
We know nothing about the relation Trevor and Alucard have towards religion, and while there is like two very vague hints that Hector might be of Jewish descent we also do not learn much about that.
And it is kinda ironic, really. While the games do have very little in terms of dialogue linking Alucard to Christianity, there for sure is endless symbolism of him holding rosaries and what not. And it would have been interesting to explore.
Especially given that I also think that the relation between Dracula/Mathias and religion would be super interesting to explore and would be fun to see more about. But of course... we do not get that.
And while it is to be assumed that the Belmonts should be Christian... Well, outside of him cussing out God a lot, there is not a lot of him and his religious affiliation going on.
Which is kinda a pity. Because I found it makes for interesting storytelling. Especially in a world like this.
I mean, we know for a fact that priests can bless water and through this act turn it into a weapon against vampires and demons. And it would be such a fun thing to discuss, whether this actually means they get that power from God - or whether they just use a sort of spell. (Especially given that I somehow doubt that God is gonna channel his power through an undead bishop, you know? Making me think that the zombie bishop rather uses a spell.)
Side note: I would've totally loved to see Isaac use some Muslim prayer to hurt a vampire or demon. That would have been kinda fun - and it is something we barely see in media.
But there is of course more than that: The people in the Castlevania world (especially the series) live in a world where the existence of the afterlife is undeniable, based on the fact that people can literally summon souls from there. People can have a long discussion on whether or not that actually is hell - but it is undeniable that it is an afterlife. It is a place where souls move to after death.
And I do have to wonder how that would affect the people's relationship to religion?
I honestly never realized how interesting it is to write about religious characters. Because due to my own religious trauma, I just stayed the hell away from religion in my writing. Like, sure, in my own vampire novel there is a subplot about the main characters religious trauma (being a queer kid in a conservative Christian household). But she had left her religion behind and all that.
So... me writing Isaac in my fics was literally the first time I ever wrote a religious character in a story who was not framed negatively. And I learned that it actually... can do so much to enrich a story. Because it allows you as a writer to have yet another point of view to frame the story through.
And yes, it also ended up with me thinking a lot on religious backgrounds for the characters and their relation to religion - especially inside a world, where, again, the existence of an afterlife is undeniable.
And honestly, one of the favorite things to me in terms of writing was this bit about Gilles de Rais loosing his religion, upon realizing the corruption of the church. As a more gutteral and painful experience, than I have written before.
Also: Yeah, I have FlysEyes (who I have christened Nicolai, to give him a proper name) still a practicing Christian. Because that is kinda fun.
Did I really just sit here, on a day off, and took the time to make gifs of Punchy dusting his house? Yes…yes I did.
– promise to be... dazzling
Soooo like was there any official statements from Nix Hydra, the Arcana team, or individual writers/artists about the change to Aisha’s sprite? Even a mention of the fact that they made a change? Or did they just make this overtly harmful and Islamophobic change silently in the night and hope no one would notice? Also, the fact they did this the week after releasing the Nevivon tale where they make direct mentions to (AT LEAST) the grandmas practicing Jewish traditions? And let’s not forget that they dropped that tale on the weekend of Asra’s birthday and then cut his infinikey weekend off the night before his ACTUAL birthday??? Wtf is going on, dude? Does NH have investors with a bias towards the Israeli forces or something?
when got was coming out i was still giving them credit and really hoping someone would have a conversation about why tyrion and company was so shocked when dany burned 'civilized lords' alive and not when she did it to 'savage slavers'. bc u know, the overall shock all characters in westeros have to dany doing the minimum (and i mean minimum bc she wasnt even trying to dismantle feudalism, just conquering the throne like all other kings tried) is rooted not just on sexism, like so many ppl talked about, but also racism. feudalism was a garbage serf system but bc the ruling class was a bunch of perfumed lords, ppl dont see it as for it truly was: exploitation of the working class, like all other previous and subsequent western systems.
of course, its unfair to compare it to slavery purely, since slavery is also influenced by race and not only class system. but in media, in show, even in book, the jump readers and characters have to accept dany burning slavers but not the lords, comes from eurocentric expectations that they know civilized ways and everything else outside their status quo is savagery. when their systems are also fucked up, and rooted in absurd shit that should not be acceptable, even in comparison.
cersei lannister and the evil queen
a compilation of asoiaf quotes / the original grimm tale / snow white and the seven dwarfs / snow white and the huntsman / snow white by carl offterdinger
tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tommy tom
Twitter Refugees, these words are for you alone.
Beyond this point you enter the land of Reblogs and Old Memes.
Step across this threshold and obey our laws.
Bear witness to the last and only chronological content feed, the eternal Dashboard.
Tumblrnest.
YOU’RE SO PROTECTIVE
battinson x fem! reader cw: bruce and y/ns whole dynamic tbh
“why don’t you join me?” oswald motioned for you to join him in his car but you politely declined. “my place is only a block away.” you smiled and he kissed your forehead and got into his car. “call me when you get home.” oswald’s henchmen shut his car door and drove off. “y/n.” you felt someone tap you on the shoulder and you turned around to see bruce wayne standing behind you. “god you scared me, this cannot be our thing. what are you following me?” bruce shook his head. “no i was at the club.”
“why? that’s not your scene.” you questioned. “you shouldn’t be around oswald- your family has history with him.” he cleared his throat and you scoffed. “i know he tried to kill my father… he’s one of many.” you let out a breathy laugh. “then why are you hanging around him?” bruce got closer to you. “i wanted some information from him.” you glanced at bruce’s pale pink lips. “cmon y/n you know guys like that-“ you felt like bruce was staring into the depths of your soul.“GUYS LIKE WHAT?.” you yelled cutting him off. “guys like the penguin he’ll only use and take advantage of you.” he caressed your cheek.
“who do you think you are” you tried to walk away but bruce grabbed your wrist. “i just want to keep you safe.” bruce was frustrated. why couldn’t you just get that bruce just wants to help you. “you're so kind, you're so protective, you're like my daddy… is that what you want me to say?” you softened your voice and twirled your hair. “no. i just want to keep you fucking safe.” he yelled and you froze you felt your eyes fill with tears. “i- i know im sorry.” bruce hugged you tightly. “shh shh.” he kissed the top of your head. “do you want to go back to mine?” he whispered to you and you nod. “yes.”
lightly inspired by that scene from “YOU” season two
Idk a lot of the backlash to broadening who falls under what terms comes from the need to distinctly fall under the specific label you worked towards…but distance from adjacent labels only limits your allies and puts you in a rigid box you can’t come back out of either.
Saw a post by a trans woman horrified by the concept of having overlapping experience with femboys because “fuck you I am a woman.” You are. A woman with a lot of overlapping experience with a GNC man. You’re not a GNC man. He’s not a woman. And the gap between you two is not a chasm.
“How dare you say trans men are similar to butch lesbians. Trans men are men.” Yeah, men with similar experiences to butch lesbians. The butch lesbian isn’t a man. You aren’t a woman. And the gap between you is not a chasm.
This mindset doesn’t even account for GNC men who also ID as women, trans men who use the label of lesbian. Butch can be a label for a person of either AGAB.
Binary trans people wanna separate themselves from each other and from nonbinary people sooo bad. Now it makes eggs feel like the jump from GNC woman to man is an insurmountable journey. A femboy gets told he’s making a mockery of trans women’s experiences. A transmasc femboy is seen as just a faker. A butch trans lesbian is seen as a faker.
These labels are all just plots on the map, not one side or the other. You journey to the farthest edges and you find twinks and lesbians who look and act identical despite being supposed opposites. It’s all made up, we’re all queer.
𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 - 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭? ｡⋆.*:
Masterlist
The North Node symbolizes the path your soul is destined to pursue in this lifetime. It's a cosmic guidepost pointing toward the qualities, experiences, and lessons that will foster your growth, often urging you to leave behind the familiar and venture into uncharted territory. By understanding your North Node, you can unlock profound insights into your life’s purpose and the journey you’re meant to embark on.
◈ 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Aries, your life’s purpose is to embrace independence, assertiveness, and self-leadership. You are here to develop the courage to take bold actions, trust your instincts, and prioritize your own desires. Moving away from a tendency to seek approval or overly rely on others, your growth lies in confidently stepping into your own power and charting your unique path.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Frequently seeking approval or validation before making decisions;
Hesitating to pursue your own ambitions due to fear of disrupting harmony;
Feeling frustrated of unfulfilled because you are not fully expressing your true self.
Tips to get into alignment:
Take small, independent actions that reinforce your sense of self-reliance;
Engage in solo activities that build your confidence and assertiveness;
Practice making decisions that prioritize your own goals and desires without external input.
Activities to get more into alignment: Starting a personal fitness routine, taking on leadership roles, making independent decisions, practicing assertiveness, engaging in competitive sports, pursuing solo travel, beginning a new hobby, public speaking, setting personal goals, exploring martial arts.
◈𝐓𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Taurus, your life’s purpose is to cultivate stability, patience, and self-reliance. You are here to build a secure and peaceful foundation, both materially and emotionally, moving away from a past that may have been characterized by intensity and turmoil. Your growth lies in appreciating the simple pleasures of life, embracing self-worth, and creating a steady, grounded approach to your goals.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Constantly seeking out drama or feeling restless without intensity;
Struggling with insecurity or dissatisfaction, focusing on what you lack;
Difficulty finding contentment in the present, always searching for more.
Tips to get into alignment:
Practice gratitude for the stability and peace in your life;
Engage in activities that ground you, such as gardening, cooking, or spending time in nature;
Focus on building long-term security, both financially and emotionally, and recognize your inherent value.
Activities to get more into alignment: Creating a budget, gardening, developing a daily routine, practicing mindfulness, cooking at home, investing in long-term savings, spending time in nature, enjoying sensory experiences, building a personal sanctuary, practicing gratitude.
◈ 𝐆𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Gemini, your life’s purpose is to embrace communication, curiosity, and adaptability. You are here to learn how to gather and share information, connect with others, and remain open to new ideas and perspectives. Moving away from a tendency to focus solely on big-picture or abstract concepts, your growth lies in being present, engaging in everyday exchanges of ideas, and staying flexible in your thinking and actions.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling disconnected or isolated from your immediate environment;
Overemphasizing distant goals or philosophical ideas while neglecting practical details;
Struggling to adapt to change or resisting new perspectives.
Tips to get into alignment:
Engage in conversations that challenge your perspective and encourage active listening;
Make an effort to connect with your local community and learn something new each day;
Embrace flexibility by being open to changing your mind based on new information or experiences.
Activities to get more into alignment: Engaging in daily conversations, learning new languages, attending workshops or seminars, reading diverse books, writing or journaling, exploring local neighborhoods, joining discussion groups, practicing active listening, staying curious about different perspectives, teaching or sharing knowledge.
◈ 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Cancer, your life’s purpose is to embrace nurturing, emotional connection, and the importance of home and family. You are here to develop a sense of security through deep emotional bonds and to learn how to care for yourself and others with empathy and compassion. Moving away from a focus on ambition, control, or rigid independence, your growth lies in cultivating vulnerability, emotional depth, and the ability to create a supportive and nurturing environment.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling emotionally distant or disconnected from loved ones;
Over-prioritizing work or external success at the expense of personal relationships;
Struggling to express or connect with your emotions, leading to a sense of isolation.
Tips to get into alignment:
Spend quality time with family and close friends to foster emotional bonds;
Practice self-care routines that nurture your emotional well-being;
Allow yourself to be vulnerable and express your feelings openly, focusing on building a warm, supportive environment.
Activities to get more into alignment: Spending time with family, creating a cozy home environment, practicing self-care, cooking for loved ones, engaging in emotional conversations, nurturing others, exploring your ancestry, volunteering in community services, expressing emotions through art, meditating on compassion.
◈ 𝐋𝐞𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Leo, your life’s purpose is to embrace self-expression, creativity, and the courage to shine as an individual. You are here to step into the spotlight, take pride in your unique talents, and lead with confidence. Moving away from a focus on blending in or prioritizing the needs of the group, your growth lies in cultivating self-confidence, joy, and the ability to inspire others through your personal expression and authentic leadership.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling reluctant to take center stage or express your true self;
Over-identifying with group goals or neglecting your personal desires and creativity;
A lack of enthusiasm or passion in your daily life, feeling disconnected from your sense of purpose.
Tips to get into alignment:
Engage in creative activities that showcase your talents and passions;
Practice self-affirmation, build your confidence, and celebrate your achievements;
Take on leadership roles or initiatives that resonate with your personal values and inspire others.
Activities to get more into alignment: Taking up a creative hobby, participating in theater or performance, practicing self-affirmation, taking leadership roles, organizing events, pursuing personal passions, engaging in public speaking, showcasing your talents, celebrating personal achievements, exploring art or music.
◈ 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Virgo, your life’s purpose is to embrace practicality, organization, and service to others. You are here to develop skills that bring order to chaos, focus on the details, and contribute meaningfully to the world through your work. Moving away from tendencies toward idealism, escapism, or disorganization, your growth lies in cultivating a grounded, methodical approach to life, where you can make tangible improvements and offer practical help to those around you.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling overwhelmed by disorganization or a lack of structure in your life;
Escaping into fantasies or avoiding responsibilities instead of dealing with practical matters;
Struggling to focus on tasks or to turn ideas into reality.
Tips to get into alignment:
Create daily routines that bring structure and order to your life;
Break down larger goals into actionable steps and focus on completing them;
Engage in acts of service or work that requires precision and benefits others in a practical way.
Activities to get more into alignment: Organizing your workspace, developing a daily routine, practicing time management, engaging in volunteer work, focusing on health and wellness, creating to-do lists, learning a new skill, engaging in detailed projects, decluttering your home, practicing mindfulness in daily tasks.
◈ 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Libra, your life’s purpose is to embrace balance, harmony, and the importance of relationships. You are here to learn how to cooperate with others, prioritize partnership over self-interest, and create fairness in your interactions. Moving away from a tendency to be overly self-reliant or assertive, your growth lies in cultivating diplomacy, understanding different perspectives, and fostering connections that bring mutual benefit and harmony.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Frequently feeling isolated or disconnected from others;
Acting too independently or assertively, neglecting the needs and input of others;
Experiencing conflicts due to a lack of compromise or consideration in relationships.
Tips to get into alignment:
Practice active listening and strive to understand others' viewpoints;
Focus on building relationships that are based on mutual respect, equality, and cooperation;
Engage in activities that promote harmony and collaboration, such as team projects, partnerships, or community events.
Activities to get more into alignment: Joining a group or team activity, practicing active listening, engaging in diplomatic conversations, exploring art and beauty, building relationships, practicing compromise, participating in social events, mediating conflicts, exploring fashion or design, collaborating on projects.
◈ 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐢𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Scorpio, your life’s purpose is to embrace transformation, deep emotional connections, and the power of letting go. You are here to learn how to navigate life’s complexities, face your fears, and develop resilience through profound personal change. Moving away from a focus on material security, superficial comforts, or the status quo, your growth lies in embracing the unknown, delving into the depths of your emotions, and seeking deeper, more meaningful experiences.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling stuck in comfort zones or resisting change;
Avoiding deep emotional connections or fearing vulnerability and intensity;
Focusing excessively on material security, external success, or surface-level appearances.
Tips to get into alignment:
Allow yourself to explore your deeper emotions and confront your fears;
Engage in practices that encourage transformation, such as therapy, journaling, meditation, or shadow work;
Embrace changes and challenges as opportunities for growth, and be willing to let go of what no longer serves you in pursuit of deeper truth and personal evolution.
Activities to get more into alignment: Engaging in deep emotional conversations, practicing meditation or journaling, exploring transformative experiences, studying psychology or spirituality, facing fears through shadow work, letting go of old patterns, engaging in intimate relationships, researching the occult or mysteries, embracing change, volunteering in crisis situations.
◈ 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Sagittarius, your life’s purpose is to embrace adventure, seek truth, and expand your horizons. You are here to develop a deeper understanding of the world through exploration, both physically and intellectually. Moving away from a focus on narrow details, rigid routines, and superficial knowledge, your growth lies in pursuing broader perspectives, embracing spontaneity, and following your intuition to discover deeper truths and wisdom.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling confined by routines or overly focused on detail;
Avoiding risks or sticking to familiar and comfortable paths;
Struggling to see the bigger picture, feeling disconnected from a sense of purpose.
Tips to get into alignment:
Engage in activities that expand your worldview, such as travel, learning new philosophies, or exploring different cultures;
Allow yourself to take risks and explore new opportunities without overthinking the details;
Focus on the bigger picture and develop a philosophy or worldview that helps you connect with a deeper sense of meaning and purpose.
Activities to get more into alignment: Traveling to new places, learning about different cultures, exploring philosophy or religion, engaging in outdoor adventures, studying a foreign language, practicing meditation or yoga, participating in spiritual retreats, sharing knowledge through teaching, reading about diverse topics, exploring new hobbies or interests.
◈ 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Capricorn, your life’s purpose is to embrace discipline, responsibility, and long-term goals. You are here to develop a strong sense of structure, achieve material success, and take on leadership roles. Moving away from emotional dependence, short-term comforts, or passive roles, your growth lies in cultivating self-discipline, setting clear goals, and working steadily toward your ambitions. This journey involves stepping into positions of authority, taking responsibility for your actions, and building a solid foundation for your future.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Avoiding responsibilities or feeling stuck in comfort zones;
Lacking direction, motivation, or struggling to set and achieve long-term goals;
Over-relying on others for emotional support or guidance, struggling with independence.
Tips to get into alignment:
Set clear, long-term goals and create a structured plan to work toward them;
Focus on developing discipline and taking proactive steps to overcome challenges;
Embrace opportunities to lead, build your independence, and take charge of your life’s direction.
Activities to get more into alignment: Setting long-term goals, creating a career plan, taking on leadership roles, practicing discipline in daily routines, investing in professional development, organizing finances, mentoring others, building a business or project, focusing on personal responsibility, engaging in strategic planning.
◈ 𝐀𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Aquarius, your life’s purpose is to embrace innovation, individuality, and a focus on the collective good. You are here to develop a broader perspective, engage in humanitarian efforts, and bring about progressive change. Moving away from a focus on personal ambition, traditional roles, or maintaining the status quo, your growth lies in cultivating a sense of community, embracing unconventional ideas, and contributing to causes larger than yourself. This journey involves connecting with like-minded individuals, advocating for equality, and using your unique talents to benefit society as a whole.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling stuck in outdated or conventional ways of thinking;
Over-focusing on personal goals or traditional structures without considering the impact on others;
Resisting change, avoiding new ideas, or feeling disconnected from community efforts.
Tips to get into alignment:
Engage in activities that promote social justice, community improvement, or innovation;
Surround yourself with diverse perspectives and be open to new, unconventional ideas;
Focus on how your actions and ideas can contribute to the greater good, beyond just personal success.
Activities to get more into alignment: Joining social or humanitarian groups, engaging in community service, exploring new technologies, participating in group projects, studying social issues, embracing unconventional ideas, networking with diverse people, advocating for equality, attending social events, exploring progressive causes.
◈ 𝐏𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐝𝐞 ◈
With the North Node in Pisces, your life’s purpose is to embrace spirituality, compassion, and creativity. You are here to develop a deeper connection with your intuition, cultivate empathy, and allow yourself to flow with life’s experiences. Moving away from a focus on practicality, control, or rigid routines, your growth lies in surrendering to the unknown, trusting your inner guidance, and exploring the realms of imagination and spiritual understanding. This journey involves embracing the mystical aspects of life, nurturing your creative spirit, and developing a deep sense of connection with others and the divine.
Signs you're out of alignment:
Feeling overly rigid or stuck in routines, with little room for creativity or intuition;
Overemphasizing logic and practicality, while neglecting emotional or spiritual needs;
Struggling with anxiety, stress, or frustration due to a need for control or certainty.
Tips to get into alignment:
Engage in creative activities such as art, music, or writing that allow you to express your inner world;
Practice meditation, mindfulness, or other spiritual practices that help you connect with your intuition and the divine;
Allow yourself to let go of strict plans and embrace the flow of life, trusting that things will unfold as they should.
Activities to get more into alignment: Practicing meditation or yoga, engaging in creative arts like painting or music, exploring spirituality, volunteering in compassionate services, spending time near water, practicing forgiveness, letting go of rigid routines, writing poetry or journaling, studying mysticism or dreams, engaging in intuitive practices like tarot or astrology.
Whole Signs v Placidus - which house system is better?
Ah yes, ye age olde debate... which house system to use?
When first getting into astrology, the majority will use the placidus house system whether or not they know it. Placidus is the default for modern/ pop astrology; every chart generation website automatically uses it. Nowadays, the most common runner up house system to placidus is Whole Signs (often used by traditional/hellenistic astrologers). Yet, there are many house systems...:
➔Whole signs ➔Placidus ➔Koch ➔Equal/ Equal (MC) ➔Porphyry ➔Regiomontanus ➔Morinus ➔Alcabatius ➔Campanus ➔Meridian ➔Vehlow ➔Meridian
In this post, however, I will give my own argument on why I use whole signs and why I disagree with placidus. If you disagree with me thats fine, but I hope to at least educate on how these house systems even work and the deeper meaning behind why using whole signs is improtant.
»»-------¤-------««»»-------¤-------««»»-------¤-------««
First, how does Placidus work?
The ascendant (as well as the dsc, mc, ic) is a mathematical point based on the on the sign on the Eastern horizon. Placidus works by marking the cusps of the houses into two-hour intervals starting from the time of your birth. This is then pushed every 2 hours for the 12th 11th 10th 9th 8th and 7th house cusps ( because by the 7th house cusp it has completed 6/6 of its daily solar arc ) and then mirrored for the houses below (already an...interesting method). It is a quadrant system.
How does Whole Signs (WS) work?
Whole signs is not a time based system like Placidus. Whole signs split the houses into equal 30 degree segments, much like how the zodiac signs are split, so each house is equal in size and all the signs start at 0 degrees. The ascendant point, MC, IC, and DC float within the house instead.
Main issues:
Historical
➥The maths for this was laid out by Ptolemy for the purpose of understanding primary directions, of which most people now believe was actually used to predict lifespan - not for a house system. And then eventually an astrologer called Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted Ptolemy's works as a house system which Placidus then came along and validated. ➥During the 17th century British astrologers took this and ran. The Church did not like Placidus' works and so the astrologers essentially pushed the system as revenge against the Church/a big F you to them, making it the popularised system to use. This sacrified accuracy. Placidus rests on a foudnation not even designed to be a house system in the first place which creates a lot of problems as we will see below. P.S. I would HIGHLY recommend reading this article on the popularisation of placidus for a more indepth, better explanation.
Functional
➥Placidus simply falls apart at extreme latitudes (which people ARE born at). Take this chart for example:
Is everyone born at extreme latiudes suddenly inherently special for having such a chart where the houses are so vastly unequal and inutile in size? How does one go about interpreting the significance of this? Houses are literally swallowed up/duplicated or are massive or tiny. Just because your houses might not change so much in WS or placidus does not mean its still valid - a house system has to work for everybody universally. In WS however:
This works and makes SENSE. It is not an issue of being able to interpret the so-called intercepted house (which placidus has the issue of as the maths for it was never intended to be a house system in the first place) or not, it is about being accurate in how to read a chart. ➥Notice how in the placidus chart it appears the ascendant is in the 12th house. This is another visual issue with placidus, for instance apps like CoStar will even tell you that your ascendant is in the 12th house... Placidus or not though the ascendant is always in or at the first house, the ascendant can never be in any other house - the 1st house is literally YOU. The cusps just looked messed up because of the intercepted houses. And chart generating platforms like CoStar relying on placidus mess up even further...
➥ Intercepted houses mean a sign/s is "swallowed up" and doesn't influence any house cusp, which contradicts the principle that every zodiac sign has a clear role in the chart (every house and sign matters whether or not a house is empty etc). The idea that a sign is somehow blocked or inaccessible is untrue, whether or not you think it relates to you (certain aspects in your chart for explain that feeling when read properly rather than this, either way astrology does not care about how you feel or how you wish your chart was; many people get upset that their sun sign moves from the 5th to 6th house for example in WS).
══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿════✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══
Rebutting common arguments for placidus
"Whole signs doesn't take into account the rotation and curvature of the earth!"
✣First, as explained above, WS houses remain consistent regardless of the observer's latitude, avoiding the distortions and inaccuracies systems like Placidus introduce, particularly at extreme latitudes. WS houses rely on the zodiac's natural, unchanging divisions, which are independent of the Earth's curvature and geographic location (as explained in this post), providing consistent and straightforward house boundaries. ✣WS matches the universe's system. The signs, and therefore the houses are all about the sun rising from zero (its declination/ going from 0 degrees of whatever sign up till 29 and into the next) as the system follows every 30 degree section of the ecliptic , and correlates with the length of the sign's period. If the ascendant involves the ecliptic meeting the horizon , the ascendant point is a specific coordinate that is located within the first house whose cusp starts at 0 rather than marking the beginning of the cusp. Why should the house system not match what is going on above from which we observe and practise.
"Why not a time-based system if astrology is all about predictive techniques and seems so time sensitive?"
✣ Time doesn't exist in space in the same way it does here, time is just our tool to pinpoint moments against a measurement from which we can organise things (generally speaking). Time is, however, crucial for predictions only in how translate what happens up there to below, less so for diving the sky which is basically already divided for us. ✣ Time-based divisions, like placidus, introduce unnecessary complexity without adding real astrological value, as the essential qualities of the houses are fully captured by the zodiac's natural 30-degree segments in WS anyway as explained above.
"The MC and IC cannot be in houses which are not 10th and 4th!"
✣ Yes they can, this is quite straightforward. In WS, the IC can be in the 2nd-6th house and MC in 8th-12th (extremely rarely it can be in the 1st/7th house too). It is a floating mathematical point (like the asc and dsc) and does not mark the beginning of the 4th house and 10th house cusps like in Placidus. ✣ This is because the MC is the point where the sun culminates at its highest position in the sky at a given location, corresponding to the local meridian. The IC is directly opposite, marking the lowest point below the horizon. The MC and IC are not tied to the zodiac signs but are based on the intersection of the ecliptic (the Sun's apparent path) with the meridian line of the observer's location. This intersection varies based on the time of birth and latitude, and these points can occur at any degree of the zodiac. Because WS houses are aligned with the zodiac signs and the MC/IC are specific points along the ecliptic, the MC and IC can fall at different degrees that don't align with the 10th and 4th house cusps. ✣ This adds more nuance to readings. For instance, if the MC is in the 9th house instead of the 10th, it might indicate that one's career/public life/legacy/how they come off is strongly influenced by 9th house themes like higher education, travel, or philosophy. Thus, they add more information to how 10th and 4th house themes manifest. ✣ Here is a must-read article if you want more information (thorough analysis of MC/IC through the houses) on this topic: Patrick Watson- What To Do When the Midheaven Is Not in the 10th Whole Sign House.
Ending thoughts
People find it difficult to move on from placidus because they think their placidus charts makes complete sense/they resonate deeply with it/ they simply prefer their house placements in placidus to WS. All this is because of, for lack of better wording, a skill issue. You think it makes more sense but thats because you don't actually know how to properly delineate a chart - end of. And that's fine, astrology is complex and interpretation requires a lot of practise and deep study, especially into hellenistic works for a richer understanding of astrology.
Using placidus makes readings and your understanding of astrology unnecessarily complex and undermines the true art of chart intepretation, allowing for pop astrologers to import their own 'psychological' analysis, for instance, onto you via astrology - a deep misuse. Astrology has never been about psychologically explaining yourself - it is a map of your entire life of which you will not always 'relate' to, especially at different points in your life because those energies simply won't be pertinent/obvious when we are 5 vs 50 for example. I have spoken about the problems of using "resonating" to determine the accuracy of your astrological studies in my introductory post already, but it is a point which keeps needing to be re-emphasised.
The Whole Sign system is the oldest of all house systems, used effectively by ancient astrologers for thousands of years. It provides consistent and reliable results, particularly in predictive work, without the unnecessary and inaccurate complications introduced by varying house sizes and interceptions. If you want to use profection charts for instance, or many other traditional techniques, placidus will not work.
Placidus (as well as modern rulerships and the ABC house system which I will make posts on later) will take a while to unlearn - it certainly took me a long time to adjust out of the grips of modern pop culture's inaccurate and misleading yet addictive astrology. This is okay. But at the end of the day, wrong is wrong no matter how you try to justify it.
However, it is your personal choice. Posts like mine can only hope to encourage you to explore the deeper layers of astrology. Things like WS can take a while to accept, or you may never accept it - but as long as you make that decision fully informed. Yours sincerely, an ex-Placidus user xoxo
Whole Signs v Placidus - which house system is better?
Ah yes, ye age olde debate... which house system to use?
When first getting into astrology, the majority will use the placidus house system whether or not they know it. Placidus is the default for modern/ pop astrology; every chart generation website automatically uses it. Nowadays, the most common runner up house system to placidus is Whole Signs (often used by traditional/hellenistic astrologers). Yet, there are many house systems...:
➔Whole signs ➔Placidus ➔Koch ➔Equal/ Equal (MC) ➔Porphyry ➔Regiomontanus ➔Morinus ➔Alcabatius ➔Campanus ➔Meridian ➔Vehlow ➔Meridian
In this post, however, I will give my own argument on why I use whole signs and why I disagree with placidus. If you disagree with me thats fine, but I hope to at least educate on how these house systems even work and the deeper meaning behind why using whole signs is improtant.
»»-------¤-------««»»-------¤-------««»»-------¤-------««
First, how does Placidus work?
The ascendant (as well as the dsc, mc, ic) is a mathematical point based on the on the sign on the Eastern horizon. Placidus works by marking the cusps of the houses into two-hour intervals starting from the time of your birth. This is then pushed every 2 hours for the 12th 11th 10th 9th 8th and 7th house cusps ( because by the 7th house cusp it has completed 6/6 of its daily solar arc ) and then mirrored for the houses below (already an...interesting method). It is a quadrant system.
How does Whole Signs (WS) work?
Whole signs is not a time based system like Placidus. Whole signs split the houses into equal 30 degree segments, much like how the zodiac signs are split, so each house is equal in size and all the signs start at 0 degrees. The ascendant point, MC, IC, and DC float within the house instead.
Main issues:
Historical
➥The maths for this was laid out by Ptolemy for the purpose of understanding primary directions, of which most people now believe was actually used to predict lifespan - not for a house system. And then eventually an astrologer called Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted Ptolemy's works as a house system which Placidus then came along and validated. ➥During the 17th century British astrologers took this and ran. The Church did not like Placidus' works and so the astrologers essentially pushed the system as revenge against the Church/a big F you to them, making it the popularised system to use. This sacrified accuracy. Placidus rests on a foudnation not even designed to be a house system in the first place which creates a lot of problems as we will see below. P.S. I would HIGHLY recommend reading this article on the popularisation of placidus for a more indepth, better explanation.
Functional
➥Placidus simply falls apart at extreme latitudes (which people ARE born at). Take this chart for example:
Is everyone born at extreme latiudes suddenly inherently special for having such a chart where the houses are so vastly unequal and inutile in size? How does one go about interpreting the significance of this? Houses are literally swallowed up/duplicated or are massive or tiny. Just because your houses might not change so much in WS or placidus does not mean its still valid - a house system has to work for everybody universally. In WS however:
This works and makes SENSE. It is not an issue of being able to interpret the so-called intercepted house (which placidus has the issue of as the maths for it was never intended to be a house system in the first place) or not, it is about being accurate in how to read a chart. ➥Notice how in the placidus chart it appears the ascendant is in the 12th house. This is another visual issue with placidus, for instance apps like CoStar will even tell you that your ascendant is in the 12th house... Placidus or not though the ascendant is always in or at the first house, the ascendant can never be in any other house - the 1st house is literally YOU. The cusps just looked messed up because of the intercepted houses. And chart generating platforms like CoStar relying on placidus mess up even further...
➥ Intercepted houses mean a sign/s is "swallowed up" and doesn't influence any house cusp, which contradicts the principle that every zodiac sign has a clear role in the chart (every house and sign matters whether or not a house is empty etc). The idea that a sign is somehow blocked or inaccessible is untrue, whether or not you think it relates to you (certain aspects in your chart for explain that feeling when read properly rather than this, either way astrology does not care about how you feel or how you wish your chart was; many people get upset that their sun sign moves from the 5th to 6th house for example in WS).
══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿════✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══
Rebutting common arguments for placidus
"Whole signs doesn't take into account the rotation and curvature of the earth!"
✣First, as explained above, WS houses remain consistent regardless of the observer's latitude, avoiding the distortions and inaccuracies systems like Placidus introduce, particularly at extreme latitudes. WS houses rely on the zodiac's natural, unchanging divisions, which are independent of the Earth's curvature and geographic location (as explained in this post), providing consistent and straightforward house boundaries. ✣WS matches the universe's system. The signs, and therefore the houses are all about the sun rising from zero (its declination/ going from 0 degrees of whatever sign up till 29 and into the next) as the system follows every 30 degree section of the ecliptic , and correlates with the length of the sign's period. If the ascendant involves the ecliptic meeting the horizon , the ascendant point is a specific coordinate that is located within the first house whose cusp starts at 0 rather than marking the beginning of the cusp. Why should the house system not match what is going on above from which we observe and practise.
"Why not a time-based system if astrology is all about predictive techniques and seems so time sensitive?"
✣ Time doesn't exist in space in the same way it does here, time is just our tool to pinpoint moments against a measurement from which we can organise things (generally speaking). Time is, however, crucial for predictions only in how translate what happens up there to below, less so for diving the sky which is basically already divided for us. ✣ Time-based divisions, like placidus, introduce unnecessary complexity without adding real astrological value, as the essential qualities of the houses are fully captured by the zodiac's natural 30-degree segments in WS anyway as explained above.
"The MC and IC cannot be in houses which are not 10th and 4th!"
✣ Yes they can, this is quite straightforward. In WS, the IC can be in the 2nd-6th house and MC in 8th-12th (extremely rarely it can be in the 1st/7th house too). It is a floating mathematical point (like the asc and dsc) and does not mark the beginning of the 4th house and 10th house cusps like in Placidus. ✣ This is because the MC is the point where the sun culminates at its highest position in the sky at a given location, corresponding to the local meridian. The IC is directly opposite, marking the lowest point below the horizon. The MC and IC are not tied to the zodiac signs but are based on the intersection of the ecliptic (the Sun's apparent path) with the meridian line of the observer's location. This intersection varies based on the time of birth and latitude, and these points can occur at any degree of the zodiac. Because WS houses are aligned with the zodiac signs and the MC/IC are specific points along the ecliptic, the MC and IC can fall at different degrees that don't align with the 10th and 4th house cusps. ✣ This adds more nuance to readings. For instance, if the MC is in the 9th house instead of the 10th, it might indicate that one's career/public life/legacy/how they come off is strongly influenced by 9th house themes like higher education, travel, or philosophy. Thus, they add more information to how 10th and 4th house themes manifest. ✣ Here is a must-read article if you want more information (thorough analysis of MC/IC through the houses) on this topic: Patrick Watson- What To Do When the Midheaven Is Not in the 10th Whole Sign House.
Ending thoughts
People find it difficult to move on from placidus because they think their placidus charts makes complete sense/they resonate deeply with it/ they simply prefer their house placements in placidus to WS. All this is because of, for lack of better wording, a skill issue. You think it makes more sense but thats because you don't actually know how to properly delineate a chart - end of. And that's fine, astrology is complex and interpretation requires a lot of practise and deep study, especially into hellenistic works for a richer understanding of astrology.
Using placidus makes readings and your understanding of astrology unnecessarily complex and undermines the true art of chart intepretation, allowing for pop astrologers to import their own 'psychological' analysis, for instance, onto you via astrology - a deep misuse. Astrology has never been about psychologically explaining yourself - it is a map of your entire life of which you will not always 'relate' to, especially at different points in your life because those energies simply won't be pertinent/obvious when we are 5 vs 50 for example. I have spoken about the problems of using "resonating" to determine the accuracy of your astrological studies in my introductory post already, but it is a point which keeps needing to be re-emphasised.
The Whole Sign system is the oldest of all house systems, used effectively by ancient astrologers for thousands of years. It provides consistent and reliable results, particularly in predictive work, without the unnecessary and inaccurate complications introduced by varying house sizes and interceptions. If you want to use profection charts for instance, or many other traditional techniques, placidus will not work.
Placidus (as well as modern rulerships and the ABC house system which I will make posts on later) will take a while to unlearn - it certainly took me a long time to adjust out of the grips of modern pop culture's inaccurate and misleading yet addictive astrology. This is okay. But at the end of the day, wrong is wrong no matter how you try to justify it.
However, it is your personal choice. Posts like mine can only hope to encourage you to explore the deeper layers of astrology. Things like WS can take a while to accept, or you may never accept it - but as long as you make that decision fully informed. Yours sincerely, an ex-Placidus user xoxo
