the forbidden union

[Public post.]

I've been reading this article which a friend showed to me, and finding it very interesting. It's a speech by Douglas Adams, and the idea is this: "there probably isn't a god or supernatural creatures, but strangely, some things work better when you act like this particular kind of god, or supernatural creature, is part of the situation".

I'm not talking about very general things like morality or being kind to each other. I'm talking about, and he's talking about, very particular situations where it works to assume there is a supernatural creature there for some reason. The examples that he gives are about the rice planting traditions of Bali, which are based on a very strict religious calendar, and Feng Shui, which is based on ideas like "how a dragon would move around this house, would they be comfortable here". And both times, scientists went in and said, we have modern knowledge now and you don't need this, you actually can be happier if you do it this modern way. And the modern way didn't work. For some reason, all the scientific calculations about how it was supposed to work, were not as good as the traditions that assumed there was a god or a dragon there.

And the point he comes to is this:

...as we become more and more scientifically literate, it's worth remembering that the fictions with which we previously populated our world may have some function that it's worth trying to understand and preserve the essential components of, rather than throwing out the baby with the bath water; because even though we may not accept the reasons given for them being here in the first place, it may well be that there are good practical reasons for them, or something like them, to be there. I suspect that as we move further and further into the field of digital or artificial life we will find more and more unexpected properties begin to emerge out of what we see happening and that this is a precise parallel to the entities we create around ourselves to inform and shape our lives and enable us to work and live together. Therefore, I would argue that though there isn't an actual god there is an artificial god and we should probably bear that in mind.

( Here's another example. You can skip it if you want. )

Well, we probably don't want to jump to the conclusion that these things are true right now. But, what we can say, is that if we assume that "something like these things" exists, then it gives us a good model for how to work with the world. It's a model that we can understand that somehow makes these things make sense. Of course, if we find out later that the model doesn't fit some other part of the situation, we can throw it away. But right now, it seems to predict things that the other models can't predict.

And that is really how science works. If the best model for the situation really is "imagine that a dragon has to live in this house", then you imagine the dragon. The dragon might not be real, but the point is that the dragon-shaped model works for some reason and you use it as long as it works. You don't just throw it out because "dragons aren't real". It doesn't matter if dragons are real, it matters that the model works. And that doesn't make "common sense", but, it is how science is really done. A lot of things that are good science don't make common sense.

That's what I feel is also true about being therian or otherkin. On the chain of events that made me, I can't say if there is literally a swan at any point. That's why I don't base my therian identity on reincarnation. I also don't base it on the idea that I "really" have a "swan-like brain".

But, what I can say is that if I act like I have a swan-like brain, if I assume that I "am" a swan in some way that has a human body that was raised human, even though this doesn't seem to make any sense, it works. That seems to be the model I need.

And that's the important thing. That's the only thing. I don't want to throw away a model that works. And that's why I'm a therian.

(This is a public post, in case anyone wants to link to it. I thought it needed to be said in a wider space.)

Sorry for another post being grumpy about jarandhel, but I think this is something that needed to be pointed out.

I don't try to look at jarandhel's posts any more, but I do look at the Tumblrs of other therians/otherkin, and sometimes they reblog him. This discussion got my attention, and, particularly this part of it:

Look at the transgendered for a moment - they didn’t come along saying “I believe I have a neurological condition which results in me experiencing gender dysphoria”. They said they felt trapped in the wrong body. Scientific and medical language was applied to their condition later, after proper study of the subject had been made. Not by trans individuals playing armchair psychologists and diagnosing themselves.

You know, I don't know much about how the trans* community started, but I'm pretty sure that they didn't do this because they wanted to play nice and sit around and wait until the Proper Medical Authorities noticed them. They didn't talk about things using the phrase "gender dysphoria" because they didn't have that language available to them. Not because it wasn't "the respectful thing to do".

I'm willing to bet most trans* activists didn't care about being respectful to the mainstream, because, when did it ever respect them? I'm sure those activists would feel sick, if they knew that they were being used as an example now, of how people should just wait politely to be recognized. They knew something was wrong, and they fought to be recognized. Fought.

And if trans* people didn't do some self-diagnosis, then probably they never would have been understood. Does jarandhel really think that the whole acceptance and understanding of trans* people was based on the medical community's work? I'm sure that trans* people actually did most of the work about understanding their selves, and the first time (and probably the 20th time, and the 200th time, and I'm sure it still happens today) that a trans* person went to a doctor or psychologist and explained their feelings, the doctor or psychologist looked at them strangely and said, "I don't know what to do about that". And so they were forced to find their own way, to understand their selves and then go back to the medical communities and say, "Doc. This is how I feel. This is what I need."

And say it again, again, until people listened.

Self-diagnosis is a tool of knowledge and empowerment. Do some people make mistakes in self-diagnosis? Of course, but a lot of doctors make mistakes in diagnosis too. And even if there are some false experiences with self-diagnosis, that's a small price to pay for the ability-- the right-- to educate our selves about our own bodies and our own health and to say, "I am the one who knows best about what is going on in my body." To use doctors and psychiatrists (who often like it when people come in knowing what's wrong with them! It makes their job easier) as assistants to help us get onto a path of wellness (or whatever path we want), not as gods who we are following blindly. To be able to understand our bodies without needing to pay the fees of doctors that many people can't afford. To be able to understand our bodies even before medical science cares about understanding them, which can often take many years after we notice something is wrong.

Look at transgender people for a moment - they didn't come along saying "I believe I have a neurological condition which results in me experiencing gender dysphoria". Because they didn't have those words and that power.

Don't we wish they had? In what world, in what totalitarian nightmare, do we think that it was a good thing that transgender people didn't have the words to describe their bodies and their experiences from the beginning?

And, now, in a world where those words exist, it doesn't seem sensible to start again from scratch.

Imagine a tornado is coming for your house. In days before people understood tornadoes, people might have said, "Huh. That's a big swirly pattern in the sky. I wonder if it means anything." Then, as time goes past, they might think, "It's getting closer. I really hope it isn't dangerous." And finally, while it is destroying their neighborhood, they think, "Okay, when that big swirly pattern happens, it's bad"... but of course, then, it's too late.

But that was before we knew about tornadoes. Now that we know, isn't it better, if we see a tornado, that we can think, "oh, that's probably a tornado, better get my family and run!" Even if we turn out to be wrong? Or, is it better to just stand there and think, "Well, that's a swirly pattern in the sky. I guess it could be something bad, but instead, I'm just going to stand here and wait until the weather service tells me. They know best, after all."

And then watch, as your house gets destroyed?

Last night, I was thinking about a lot of connected things, and they brought me to this idea that magic - the witchcraft type of magic, that focuses on crossing boundaries and dealing with death and inbetween places - is queer, and also, to a new understanding of gender in magic.

( Long post )

So, honestly... I have not done a lot for this week, haha. owo; I had two days where almost I have done nothing but sleep (maybe I'm getting sick?), there was Tanabata and the July 4th fireworks (and I wanted to spend most of that time taking pictures of fireworks which was not very challenging)... so... it's just been a busy week.

But, I did get more pictures that I liked, this time! It's just that I didn't take one every day.

( Five pictures )

shurhaian is writing fic for free/for tips, based aroumd famous (or not famous) quotes, here. They can write human, anthropomorphic animal, or other fantasy race characters.

If you get anything interesting, please let me know! ^v^

DecolorDomina on Furaffinity, who recently drew an amazing version of me (warning: slightly NSFW for "nudity", but there are no details... it's just something that a parent or boss might be surprised at if they look over your shoulder), is selling commissions at a really reduced price so she can put on an art gallery show!

She's doing paintings in all sorts of interesting styles, like storybook and vintage signs, and she can do icons too. The prices start at $2!


Also, aldersprig has written a lovely swan maiden story for me~

Download here or here (note in the first link, the updated download URL in a comment, I had to fix one page for an error).

I could not find a place to have a print version of the zine published that would not be super expensive. But, with the instructions on zinelibrary, you can make your own copy! For this issue the cover page and the last page will need to be printed separately. The zine is designed to be printed on US letter paper, each page will be half of a US letter page. So, the instructions at zinelibrary will work perfect.


So, you all want to know how to submit to the next issue, right? ^v^

Next issue's theme is Glamour and Spelling! Bring your most magical thoughts, poems and writings to our next issue! Ideas for glamourbombs are particularly welcome, as well as stories and articles that can be shared in a glamourbomb way, prayers and spells, reviews of fiction about glamourbombs and magic, thoughts on magical traditions that mention nonhumans and how accurate are they really (Faery Wicca, Dragon Magic...), costume tutorials... anything that's magical or full of wonder!

Anything "Spring themed" (nonhuman-focused rituals you like to do for Spring, your feelings about Spring as a nonhuman, etc.) is also welcome.

Submission deadline for Issue #2, Spring 2012, is March 1st. Send submissions to hakuchou at allusion dot net, to my PM box on Dreamwidth, or my submit box on Tumblr.


Submissions can be:

• Essays
  
• Fiction
  
• Poetry
  
• Recipes
  
• Reviews
  
• Glamourbombs
  
• Meditations
  
• Rituals
  
• Tutorials
  
• Songs and chants
  
• Art
  
• Or anything you like!

For art, note that The Forest Voice is a black and white zine, so please submit arts in greyscale, or, be prepared that they will be coverted to greyscale. The Forest Voice has a "medieval illumination" style so arts in this style are particularly wanted, as well as other traditional styles like sumi-e, etc. But, your art can be in any style you like.

For essays, The Forest Voice does not have a lot of rules, but, I ask that you do not submit anything ableist, racist, sexist, cissexist, etc., and, people who submit should be open to a polite discussion of the content and an ask for them to edit their content if it does contain these things. Important note particularly that people might not notice: Saying that people can, or should "get over" things like dysphoria, bullying, stress, etc. is considered ableist here, because not everyone has the psychological ability to do these things.

People have been really nice about this with all your submissions! So, let's continue this way! ^v^

The first issue of the new non-human zine, The Forest Voice, is calling for submissions!

The theme of the first issue: Walking Man’s Road: The challenges of living non-human in the human world

I’m looking for all kinds of submission: stories, poetry, art, quotes, essays, glamourbombs, recipes, anything you like. You can write something that’s five words long or five pages. You don’t have to write perfectly (I don’t!) but please try to write with passion! Nothing too strange! Nothing too extreme! Imagine you were writing for a magazine to be delivered to the fae, and pour out your pure and wild heart.

Anything that blurs fantasy and reality (making it seem like you are writing as a physical nonhuman in the Earth world) is particularly welcome, as I hope this zine will also be a glamourbomb, for people who don’t know about nonhumans.

Anonymous submissions are of course, always okay!

Please send submissions to hakuchou at allusion dot net, or, as a PM, by December 1st! (This is just a rough look at the cover: it won’t have Autumn/Winter 2011 on it now obviously, hehe~)

And, please signal boost! <3

So! My spreads are finally dry, and I have readings for you~~ (Thank you so much to niya for helping me set this up so I can get paid!)


Deck I'm using: Shadowscapes by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law


Readings available:

• One card draws: Free


• Three card draws (Mind/Body/Soul, Past/Present/Future): Free


• Large spreads: $7 (will also do trades for a piece of art, or a story at least 300 words)
  
  You can always ask for one and three card draws first, to get a feeling for if you like me as a reader. As many as you like. ^v^
  
  (...ppplease excuse my messy attic for the pictures m( _ _ )m They are very big spreads because the cards are big so, I only have one place to lay them and it's not very tidy...)
  
  
  • Tree of Energy spread (7 cards): good for seeing a detailed picture of your spiritual health/state/nature, for finding out a place of spiritual or emotional block, or looking at a picture of a current situation, just the general health or state of something. "What is this right now?"
    
    I think this is an interesting one because it is kind of like... doing a health scan of your energy, but with cards! I'm quite excited about this. I seem to be good with this spread too.
    
    
  
  
  
  • Alchemical Transformation spread (7 cards): good for a very detailed instruction of how to progress in a situation, or how a situation will change over time. This can look at a progress up to length of your whole life, or, a short length of a few weeks or months, but it's better for longer situations because of the detail. It's the opposite of the Tree of Energy, it's about movement. "How do I get where I want to be, and what are my struggles on the way?"
    
    
  
  
  
  • Cygnus spread (10 cards): good for something in between the first two. This has a picture of who you are, what influenced you until now, what supports your "flying" and gets in the way, and where you should go. It's good if you don't need to know a super super detailed picture of how to get somewhere like the Alchemical Transformation, but you want to know the general direction, and what might influence you that you need to think about. "Where did this come from, and where is it going? What are the wind conditions like for setting on this journey?"
    
    


Custom spreads! (No trades)


• For $12, I will make you a custom spread based on a constellation, creature or symbol (up to 12 cards) and give you a detail reading from that spread. If you want a spread with more than 12 cards (for example, you want me to work with a constellation that has more than 12 stars), it's $1 extra for each card.
  
  $10 extra if you want me to make an actual painting of the spread and mail it (I need to buy very large card and it's expensive o.o these are about 30 inches by 40 or something ridiculous), otherwise I just design it on the computer and tell you how it looks. If you want paintings I'll do them better than I did here, these are a little rough.



• For $25, I'll make three custom spreads of your choice and give you three readings. +$20, three paintings as well.


Special deal on spreads! I want to also help my reader and friend Charley, so... if you buy any reading worth $5 or more from whatawaytoburn, I'll make a custom spread for you and give you a reading from that spread, for $7. So, you can get two readings (and a custom spread) for the price of one!

So, you want a reading~? You can ask a particular question or just ask me what the cards want you to know. Here are other questions I need you to answer before the reading (I find this really helps me give an accurate reading):

• Focus (some kind of thing you identify with strongly that I can use to get a sense of you)


• Out of these 4 categories, what is most represents you: passionate inspiration and outward directed energies (wands), gentle inside emotion and spiritual thoughts (cups), thinking and intelligence/communications in an unemotional way (swords), or practical and physical things (pentacles)? Please give me the suit that most fits you.
  
  If you're not sure, ask this question: if you have a free day, will you like to:
  
  • go to a karaoke to sing with friends (wands)
  • spend the day dreaming out of your window (cups)
  • read a philosophy book (swords)
  • eat a yummy big meal (pentacles)


• (Optional) If you know Tarot, are there any cards that you particularly identify with in a personal way? What is the meaning of these cards to you?

I'll try and answer in 24 hours, unless it's create a spread, then it might take a couple of days. You can post a comment here or PM or email me~