Stories (70/0)
Three Essential Writing Techniques from Stoker's Dracula and the Epistolary Narrative
Epistolary writing was one of the earliest versions of reality entertainment. In the 17th century, epistolary works often started with letters between two lovers. Audiences back then were drawn to the quarrels and interpretations of the text and context between two characters the way our society gets sucked into scandals with revealing messages on social media, private texts, and the like. Epistolary writing is still used to this day for the sake of worldbuilding and characterization in roleplay video games, films, and other fictional works, proving there is still value to the way audiences see a letter, a journal entry, a news article, and other snippets of information. Bram Stoker wrote Dracula as a complex collection of documents, creating a more modified version of the epistolary form. There are essential techniques a fiction writer can reference from Stoker’s horror classic. We’ll explore those techniques after a brief history of the epistolary style’s rise and fall and Stoker’s artistic influences.
By Kris Leliel5 years ago in Horror
Elemental Magic - Earth
Earth is home. Home is where reality takes shape, where we start planting our roots. We start out as saplings looking up to the full-grown trees who are familiar with Earth and her nurturing ways. They seem proud of how far they've come. They seem invincible, so we believe them when they tell us that we will grow higher than they have, that we're destined to be even closer to the sun.
By Kris Leliel5 years ago in Poets
Getting Started With Tarot
Divination through reading the cards, also known as cartomancy, attracts those who love cryptic symbolism. Don’t think “cryptic” to mean “incredibly difficult to understand” in this case. Tarot cards are metaphorical in nature, but are usually simplistic and direct in design. Divination itself, or communing with the divine (or spirit work, and communication, if you prefer), can be ambiguous when starting out, but I think tarot is a great introduction to identifying personal and universal truths. Tarot is a great psychological tool for introspection. Whatever your reason is for picking up tarot, I hope this introduction will give you a general idea of what to expect while learning to read the cards, and provide suitable references to help you explore tarot further.
By Kris Leliel5 years ago in Futurism
Tarot Deck Testimony: 'Dreams of Gaia Tarot' Review
To seek, to feel, to grow, and to heal—this is the foundational philosophy of Ravynne Phelan’s vibrant, surreal tarot deck, titled The Dreams of Gaia Tarot (2017). The simplistic purpose interwoven with the art is present with every tarot spread. There are enticing colors, carefully placed symbols, and a strong connection with the natural and supernatural realms. I purchased the deck around the time it was released. It was the second tarot deck in possession, but the first deck I attempted spells with because this deck truly encouraged a genuine exploration of many facets of the self. Anyone into tarot magick will find this deck is easy to work with and easy to handle, but it will also target your inner truth relentlessly. This tarot deck is for those who are ready to heal from past trauma, face the strengths and weaknesses of their personal reality, and address the true level of their emotional, mental, and spiritual maturity.
By Kris Leliel5 years ago in Longevity
Springtime and Rune Magick: The Runic Book of Days [Book Recommendation]
I'm in a position where I must bet on myself or bet on a system that may or may not take care of me. I know for a fact that if the system doesn't have art or doesn't let me create art, I'll die. I've idealized death too many times to go there again. That was another risk. Another circumstance. Another chaotic instance of thrill and torment, but at least in art that torment tears me to pieces that I can reassemble and make into a new creation. Art provides rebirth beyond death or circumstance or consequence.
By Kris Leliel5 years ago in Longevity
Six Uncommon Magical Symbols or Items
Fancy yourself some cool symbols to satisfy an intellectual or mystical itch? Well, I hope you're ready for what's ahead. There are so many symbols out there that tickle our subconscious and reveal what and how our ancestors perceived the world and life's merciless circumstances.
By Kris Leliel5 years ago in Futurism
The “Lack Mentality” Is Killing Us
The truth bombs about reinforcing a mentality of shame due to lack of something in one’s life need to finally land. I’ve dropped these bombs on myself because this way of thinking led me and my friends to a life of torment, no matter how many stupid memes we post about how our life is a rancid garbage fire. The “lack mentality,” meaning the constant focus on what you don’t have or the habit of running away from the truth of your reality, is a slow, subtle suicide. As I break down how the “lack mentality” festers within us, the end of each point will propose what I call “Challenge the Illusion” statements. Please apply them to yourself if you struggle with this mentality or find yourself relating to the following points.
By Kris Leliel6 years ago in Psyche
How Kinetic Abilities Are Really Supposed to Work (Telekinesis and More)
The mind and body are constantly communicating. We don’t think about how natural it is until we try out our mental energy on something that isn’t inherently natural to us, but some people have tried and supposedly succeeded in making the inanimate animated without physical strength. Telekinesis, also known as psychokinesis, is described as, “…The ability to mentally influence objects or conditions in the absence of intervening physical energy or intermediary instrumentation,” (Weschcke and Slate 2016). Basically, mind over matter.
By Kris Leliel6 years ago in Futurism
Sleep Paralysis? Lucid Dreaming? Astral Projection? What's the Difference?
Sleep paralysis, astral projection, and lucid dreaming are all very different experiences that tend to overlap. Many paranormal enthusiasts who say they’ve been through these experiences claim that what they witnessed had to be an out-of-body-experience (a.k.a. OBE). Astral projection and lucid dreaming seem to be the most supernatural, but sleep paralysis is the least spooky out of all of them. Before we look over the differences between the three, know that I’m not a scientist but respect the scientific method. I don’t claim that the topics discussed in this article are complete fact. This is a conversational piece with references from those who observed the topics through their own methods.
By Kris Leliel6 years ago in Longevity