I am grateful to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva for offering me this precious opportunity to share my experience of practising Buddhism with you.
I am 62 years old. Today, I can eat, sleep and walk like a normal person. However, did you know that I once was a paralyzed woman who could not even get up from bed, had difficulty turning over, and could not take care of myself? Through practising Buddhism and reciting Buddhist scriptures, I have completely freed myself from the misery of hell. I want to tell you with hard facts that practising Buddhism and reciting the scriptures has not only given me a second life, but has also benefited me immensely. I want to share with you how I transformed myself from paralysis to health within four years without undergoing any surgery! May my presentation plant the seeds of bodhi in your hearts, so that more people will have faith in Guan Yin Bodhisattva who has boundless supernatural power, and recite Buddhist scriptures as soon as possible to be free from suffering and gain happiness!
1. When I was young, I opened two bars so I created bad karma, and karmic retribution is right on my heels!
I am the eldest daughter of my family and the eldest daughter-in-law of my in-laws family. Both my mother and mother-in-law are Buddhist practitioners and urged me to practise Buddhism as well. However, because of my youthful ambition and good fortune, at the age of about 36, I ran two bars and enjoyed the pleasure of earning money, not bothering to practise Buddhism at all. By then, I was young and foolish, in the bars I gained filthy money by means of woman’s charms, which invariably created a lot of bad karma. How many people lost their morals and conscience for my sake of monetary gain? How many families have been broken up behind the scenes? How many people have done many things against ethics and morality under the paralysis of alcohol? I hereby express my deepest repentance to Guan Yin Bodhisattva! Karmic retribution is inescapable. I planted the evil cause so I reap the evil effect. The bad karma I created within two years of running the bars has brought me a tragic retribution 13 years later! (So, dear fellow practitioners, please take this as a warning!)
In 2010, I was 49, my predestined 369 calamity arrived. One day in July, my karma exploded. I suddenly collapsed at home kitchen while stirring frying vegetables. In an instant, I felt that the sky was falling, and I had nowhere to turn for help. An otherwise healthy me entered a life of hell on earth from then on. Every day, I ate, drank, pooped and peed in bed, had difficulty turning over, couldn't wash my hands and face, had trouble swallowing, so it was worse than death. I was paralyzed in bed from then on. The doctor said I had a herniated disc in my lower back. All the bones in my back were misaligned. Both knee bones were necrotic and so swollen. I have visited all the local city and provincial hospitals, big and small, to seek medical care. I almost spent all the several hundreds of thousands of RMB I had gained from my bar business. However, the condition got worse and worse.
2. Since encountering the excellent Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door, I have been practicing Buddhism hard to overcome any obstacles on the way and finally achieved a new life.
Perhaps it was the blessing from my family members who had been making offerings to the Buddha and practising Buddhism for years. Thanks to the mercy of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, I finally encountered the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door in 2012 when I was in the most desperate situation in my life. The person next door to my bar heard that I was sick and came to see me. She brought me Buddhist scripture, recitation device, Buddhism in Plain Terms, counters and many other Dharma gems. She told me the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door was very efficacious, and asked me to try it. Although I could not move on bed, I listened all Master Lu's recordings like a thirst. I was pleasantly surprised to hear cases of patients who had been cured of cancer and serious illnesses by practising Buddhism and reciting the scriptures. The recordings of Master Lu's programs were like a bright beacon in the darkness, bringing me hope for life and giving me great encouragement. I felt I was awakened by a powerful energy, stirring up my strong desire to live. I told myself: I must survive; I must save myself! I started to practice Buddhism and recite scriptures as if I had grabbed a lifeline.
I am illiterate, so I had to lie in bed every day and learn to recite word by word with the recitation device. Due to the heavy karma, there was no virtuous and the high-minded practitioner around to teach me how to burn the Little Houses in a rational and lawful way. I foolishly took an ashtray instead of a plate to burn the Little Houses, which resulted in the ashtray blowing up. In order to eliminate karma quickly, I was foolishly reciting the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra after ten o'clock at night, which resulted in the light bulbs breaking several times (Here, I sincerely remind my fellow practitioners: Master Lu enlightened us not to recite the Heart Sutra and Amitabha Pure Land Rebirth Mantra after ten o'clock at night. Please make sure to read the Introduction to Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door carefully in order to avoid practising Buddhism irrationally). Therefore, we must follow the instructions of Master Lu, and never do what the Master does not allow us to do. The whole process of reciting Buddhist scriptures to eliminate karma is very bumpy. It is really easy to create karma, but very hard to eliminate it! However, I firmly believed that the Bodhisattva is infinitely powerful. As long as I diligently practised Buddhism, my fate would definitely get changed. Hence, I relied on the blissful cases in Master Lu's recordings as my spiritual support. I kept persevering, not afraid of any difficulties, and recklessly recited Buddhist scriptures.
Since I ate, drank and pooped in bed, my aura was very bad. As I could not get up by myself, so I had to lie in bed to recite the sacred Buddhist scriptures. I felt guilty and torn, wondering if this was the appropriate way to recite the sacred Buddhist scriptures. Will it affect the effect of the recitation? Gratitude to Guan Yin Bodhisattva for Her compassion, and I dreamed of Master Lu that night. Master Lu who was dressed in a black suit smiled at me and kindly comforted me: “don't worry.” After I woke up, I was very grateful for Master Lu's compassion. Master Lu knew about my special situation, so this is a sympathy and a condolence to me. After I recited Buddhist scriptures 4 to 5 months late, my neck and head were able to turn significantly. Such a Dharma blissful change thrilled me. All the trials and perseverance I had gone through in the past had not been in vain. Guan Yin Bodhisattva has boundless supernatural power, which had given me a glimmer of hope for recovery! (Here, I sincerely remind my fellow practitioners: In the absence of illness, recitation of Buddhist scriptures must be respectful. A point of respect harvests a point of benefit.)
3. The unique characteristics of attending the Dharma conference and formally acknowledging Jun Hong Lu as my master allow my physical health to improve with Dharma joy
In February 2017, I befriended a fellow practitioner. She invited me to attend the Macau Dharma Convention together. I thought to myself: “can I take the bus by myself?” “Can I attend the conference?” With a strong faith from my inner heart, I attended the conference via keeping reciting the Great Compassion Mantra on the trip. Unbelievably, I arrived at the conference as I wished with the blessing and protection of Guan Yin Bodhisattva, although my bulky legs could only barely support my body in the seat. I was in tears when I listened Master Lu's wise words and saw the holy icon of Guan Yin Bodhisattva. On the night of the conference, I dreamed of Guan Yin Bodhisattva! Gratitude to Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva for saving me from suffering and giving me a new life. At the end of the Macau Dharma Convention, I instantly made two vows: to be a vegetarian for 15 days per month and liberate 10,000 fish.
Before I attended the Macau Dharma Convention, I had to take a break whenever I walked two steps, and my body was not able to move much. After returning, my legs started to become strong enough to support my body and I could walk on flat ground. Despite they were not very flexible, they were no longer the same as when I was paralyzed like a limp in bed. My whole body is getting better and better in essence, vital energy, and spirit. I was very surprised! Master Lu has enlightened that there are many Buddhas and Bodhisattvas coming to bless attendees at each Dharma conference!
In August 2017, before the Dharma Convention in Malaysia, my fellow practitioners urged me to formally acknowledge Jun Hong Lu as my master. Since I am an illiterate, compassionate fellow practitioners helped me to fill out the application form of seeking discipleship. My fellow practitioners told me that there were so many people wanted to formally acknowledge Jun Hong Lu as their master that I might not be able to reach my wish this time. Then, I had to wait for the opportunity next Dharma Convention. I told myself that whether I could reach my wish or not this time, I would actively participate in Master Lu’s Dharma Convention. Considering my age, it is a blessing for me to attend one more Dharma Convention. To my surprise, one week later, my application for seeking discipleship was approved. Gratitude to Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva!
On the day of seeking discipleship, I was very excited. During the process of seeking discipleship, I heard a voice in stereo that was very loud. When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see Tathagata Buddha, and many other Bodhisattvas coming down from heaven. At that moment, I saw that the upper half of Master Lu's Dharmakaya appeared transparent with a huge lotus flower. I was suddenly moved to tears. I was oblivious to the fact that Master Lu had come to my side until the time of issuing the discipleship certificate. Master Lu was very compassionate and empowered me with blessing. Master Lu enlightened, "Because five people opened their eyes during the worship ceremony, they have no lotuses planted in the pure land. But it's okay, when the ceremony is over, you can go to the front and kowtow to ask the Bodhisattva (to plant a lotus)." I then rushed to the front to worship. Before I finished worshiping Bodhisattva, a young fellow practitioner came over. He asked, "How do you feel? Did you see anything?" I said, "I saw Tathagata Buddha." He asked, "How are you sure that was Tathagata Buddha?" I said, "Both my mother and mother-in-law are Buddhist disciples, and Tathagata Buddha has curly hair."
I was grateful for the compassionate blessing from Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Master Lu. When I returned home after seeking discipleship, I made two vows: to be a vegetarian for the rest of my life and never kill (animals). The power of a vow outweighs the force of karma. After I made the vows, Master Lu’s Dharmakaya came to help me heal my legs in my dreams. Once, I saw Master Lu’s Dharmakaya passing by my room while I was half-squinted. Master Lu asked me, "Which foot is uncomfortable? Where is aching?" Instantly I woke up and then I found that my feet didn't feel as heavy as they used to be and I walked more lightly. I excitedly shared the news with my old father, "Master Lu has come to bless me again!" I am grateful to Master Lu for his compassionate care for every sentient being. Every time I dreamed of Master Lu, he would always compassionately endow me with abundance of blessing, and I was always surprised by the improvement in my health.
In a short time, I could not only separate my feet and take turns to walk up and down the stairs independently. Moreover, I could bend back and forth freely with my arms crossed. The bones in my back, which were all misaligned and uneven, were now completely normal again. Previously, I couldn't raise my hands to wash my face, brush my teeth or comb my hair because the bones in my back would pull the nerves and cause severe pain when I raised my hands. In those days, whenever I sneezed or defecated, I felt like to cheat death on pain. In those hellish day I went through unimaginable pain and suffering. Now, however, I can take care of myself completely and move around freely. Sometimes I get a little tired after walking for too long, but I can recover after 10 minutes of rest in bed. Although it is still slightly bumpy while I was walking, if you don't look closely, you can't see it. My family was overwhelmed to see the dramatic change from being paralyzed and bedridden to walking independently since I practised Buddhism. My old father, who was taking care of me at the bedside, complimented me straight away: you have completely changed, becoming healthier and healthier now! I was so excited that I had tears in my eyes. Without the rescue of Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Master Lu, I really wouldn't have the blissful transformation I have today!
In 2019, at the Dharma conferences of Indonesia and Singapore, I pleaded with my fellow practitioners to be merciful to give me the opportunity to volunteer. According to the rules of the Dharma conference, I was already overage. However, I was adamant that I must do volunteer work. Guan Yin Bodhisattva has given me a second life, so I have to serve all sentient beings physically. I am grateful for Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva who helped me out. When I came back from the conferences, I found that I could bend and squat easily and freely, and I had no problem even sitting on the floor. I am grateful to Guan Yin Bodhisattva for compassionately helping me to eliminate my karma at every conference, so that I can obtain incredible blessings and improvement occur every time.
4. The incredible blessing of setting up the Buddhist altar accelerated my health recovery and created a medical miracle.
From the time I set up the Buddhist altar in 2017, I insisted on offering Bodhisattvas incenses morning and evening every day. At first, the body was still straight and could not bend and bow. For two years, in front of the Buddhist altar, I prayed for Bodhisattvas to bless me so that I could recover my health a little better so I can use my own experience as an example to convince sentient beings to gain faith on Dharma and practise Dharma. Gradually, I was able to stand to offer incense to Bodhisattvas, to bend and bow, and finally to kneel in front of the Buddhist altar to recite the scriptures. I was full of Dharma joy! Initially, my back still hurt from kneeling. With the karmic obstacles being removed, my back didn't hurt anymore. Sometimes when I went out with fellow practitioners to set up the Buddhist altar, particularly on the Buddha's Birthday, I could kneel to recite the Eighty-eight Buddhas Great Repentance for an hour and a half. My fellow practitioners couldn't keep it up, so I was the only one who kept it up until the end. I am so grateful to Guan Yin Bodhisattva for Her compassionate blessing!
At one time, the doctor at the provincial hospital told me that I had to have surgery to put two steel plates into the bone, but I refused. Because I firmly believe that with the of blessings of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Master Lu, I am afraid of nothing. Buddha is an extraordinary doctor. The only way to recover completely is to repent sincerely and practise Buddhism. I can now move as freely as a normal person. This medical miracle achieved was completely relied on practising Buddhism, reciting scriptures, being a vegetarian, helping new practitioners to set up Buddhist altars, volunteering at Dharma conferences, and actively propagating the Dharma. To improve my family economic financial, I went out to work on construction sites as a helper, do cleaning and housekeeping!
Those patients who were once slightly paralyzed did not recover as quickly and well as I did, even with surgery.
Dear readers, when you see such a dramatic change in me, what are you hesitating for? Hurry up and pick up the Buddhist scriptures to recite! I am the living example, the ironclad evidence. Guan Yin Bodhisattva does exist, and She is Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate, answers any prayers.
Thinking of the bad karma I created in the two bars when I was young, I feel grievously sinful. I have earned ill-gotten wealth, but the karma was produced, and karmic retribution is inescapable. If one hasn't been retributed, the time hasn't come yet. After I got old, all the retribution came to me. Not only did I use up all my money, but I also had to suffer from physical illness and paralysis. I advise everyone to remember Master Lu's enlightenment: Do not do anything that is evil; Do not fail to do good no matter how petty the deed; Do not engage in evil no matter how trivial the deed. Dear readers, please consider it carefully before earning any money, and don’t commit such deep sins as I did for the sake of monetary gain, or else the consequences will follow you!
Without the merciful salvation and blessings of Guan Yin Bodhisattva and Master Lu, I would not have been reborn today! I made a few great wows: honour the teacher and respect his teachings, live an ascetic life for lifetime, be a vegetarian lifetime, not kill, not eat eggs, not smoke, not drink; transcend the cycle of rebirth for good and attain enlightenment in one lifetime. In this life, I will follow Guan Yin Bodhisattva to cultivate my mind and change my behaviour and never quit. I will follow my benefactor, the Compassionate father, Master Lu, to propagate Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door and never stop! Although I am over 60 years, I will continue using my own experience as an example to convince sentient beings to gain faith on Dharma and practise Buddhism. Together with my fellow practitioners, I will get up early and go home late to help set up Buddha altars for new practitioners. No matter how far and how difficult the trip is, I will always be strict with myself. I will go wherever I am needed. Even if I am eating, as soon as I receive a mission for propagating Dharma, I will put down my chopsticks and set off without delay.
Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door is peerlessly efficacious, and Guan Yin Bodhisattva is Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate, saves beings from suffering, has supernatural power, and answer all prayers. As long as we have a devout heart and we persist in reciting Buddhist scriptures and practicing Buddhism, no difficulty can defeat us! My physical changes are the most powerful evidence! May my true presentation give some inspiration to those people who are still suffering from illnesses, so that they can acquire faith to practising Buddhism, and pick up the Buddhist scriptures to recite. May more sentient beings having affinity with Buddha break free from delusion and attain enlightenment, balance egoism and altruism, and free from suffering and gain happiness.
My deepest gratitude to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva!
My deepest gratitude to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from ten directions and three periods of time!
My deepest gratitude to the Dharma protectors!
My deepest gratitude to the selfless and altruistic Master Jun Hong Lu!
If there is anything that is not rational or in line with the truth in the presentation, I’d like to seek forgiveness from the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors, and Master Jun Hong Lu.
I’d also like to seek forgiveness from my fellow Buddhist practitioners.
I, not my fellow practitioners, will be responsible for my own karma!
Shared by: Dharma Practitioner Ganen, Gratitude and Namaste!
Translated by: Frank
Statement by Translator

1. Story was translated from Chinese into English by meaning, not word by word. If there is anything that is not rational or in line with the true meaning of the Chinese version, I’d like to seek forgiveness from the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors and Master Jun Hong Lu.
   
2. Author Ganen was interviewed by Frank during the translation for the detailed information.
   

Propagation
It would be greatly appreciated if you would forward this presentation to all sentient beings you know, sick or healthy. You will accumulate immeasurable merits and virtues. Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda!
Would you like to change your destiny?
We will show you how to do the Five Golden Buddhist Practices of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door: (1) making vows, (2) reciting Buddhist scriptures (sutras and mantras), (3) performing life liberation, (4) reading Buddhism in Plain Terms, and (5) repenting. You will personally witness how you and your family can achieve physical and mental stability, relief from illness and grievances, wisdom growth, academic progress, career advancement, and family happiness through Dharma. It’s free of charge.
Contact
Buddhist practitioner: Lily
Email: [sunnypurplelily@gmail.com](mailto:sunnypurplelily@gmail.com)
WeChat: HanJing20210820
原文如下:
从瘫痪卧床到行走自如做家政，心灵法门创造了医学奇迹
感恩南无大慈大悲救苦救难广大灵感观世音菩萨摩诃萨！
感恩十方三世一切诸佛菩萨！
感恩龙天护法金刚菩萨！
感恩恩师慈父卢军宏台长！
感恩师兄们！
感恩大慈大悲观世音菩萨慈悲，让我能有这个宝贵的机会与大家分享我的学佛经历。我今年62岁，现在是一个能吃、能睡、能走路的正常人了。但是，你们可曾知道，曾经，我是一个连床都起不了、翻身都困难，生活完全无法自理的瘫痪老人！如今，通过学佛念经，我把自己从地狱的苦海里完全挣脱了出来。我要用铁一般的事实告诉大家：学佛念经不仅给了我第二次生命，更让我受益无穷。我要跟大家分享，在这患病的四年里，在没有经历任何手术的情况下，如何让自己从瘫痪到健康的蜕变！愿我今天的分享给有缘人种下菩提种子，让更多的人相信观世音菩萨法力无边，早日学佛念经，离苦得乐！
1. 年轻时开酒吧造恶业，得现世报！
我是家中的长女、婆家的长媳。母亲和婆婆都是学佛人，都劝我也学佛。但是，由于年轻时好胜心强，加之财运不错，36岁左右，我经营两家酒吧，享受挣钱的快乐，根本无心学佛。年轻愚痴的我经营酒吧时靠女色来赚取黑钱，赚的都是不正之财，无形中造了很多恶业。在这种灯红酒绿中生活，我为了金钱利益，让多少人丧失了自己的道德与良知？背后又造成多少个家庭的破裂？又有多少人在酒精的麻痹下做出多少违背伦理道德的事情？弟子在此向观世音菩萨深深忏悔！因果报应丝毫不爽，种恶因得恶果。开酒吧这两年中我所造下的恶业，在十几年后让我得到悲惨的现世报！所以，请大家引以为戒！
2010年我49岁，正逢“三六九”关劫。7月的一天，我的业障大爆发，在家炒菜时突然间倒下。瞬间，我感觉天塌下来，叫天天不应，叫地地不灵。一个原本健康的我从此进入人间地狱般的生活。每天，我吃喝拉撒都在床上，翻身都很困难，没法自己洗手洗脸，吞咽困难，简直生不如死。我从此瘫痪在床。医生说我是腰椎间盘突出。后背的所有骨头都错位。两个膝盖骨头坏死，肿得很大。当地市里、省里大大小小的医院我都看过了。我几乎把我做酒吧生意所赚到的几十万块钱都花光了。然而，病情越来越严重。
2. 得遇殊胜法门，坎坷学佛路中坚持不懈地修行换来重生
也许是家人一直供佛学佛的福德。承蒙观世音菩萨慈悲，在我人生绝境之时，我终于在2012年得遇心灵法门。以前我开店隔壁的人听说我病倒了，就来看我。她给我送来了经书、念佛机、《白话佛法》、计数器等很多法宝。她告诉我心灵法门很灵验，让我试试。我躺在床上虽然无法动弹，却如饥似渴地把师父的录音听了个遍。听到人们通过学佛念经把癌症、重症都治愈的案例，我惊喜万分。师父的节目录音就像黑暗中的一盏明灯，让我看到了生活的希望，给了我很大的鼓舞。在这个过程中我像被一股强大的能量加持唤醒，激起了求生的强烈欲望。我告诉自己：我一定要活过来；我一定要自己救自己！我像抓住了救命稻草似地开始拼命学佛念经。
我不识字，只能每天躺在床上跟着念佛机一字一句地学着念。由于业力牵引，身边没有遇到善知识教我如理如法地烧送小房子。愚痴的我曾拿个烟灰缸代替盘子烧送经文组合小房子，结果烟灰缸炸掉了。为了抓紧时间消业，我晚上十点后还在念《心经》和《往生咒》，结果家里的灯坏了好几次（趁此机会我诚心提醒师兄们：师父开示，晚上十点后不要念诵《心经》和《往生咒》，请师兄们一定要好好看《心灵法门入门手册》，避免操作不如理不如法）。所以，我们一定要听师父的话，师父不让做的就不做。念经消业的整个过程非常坎坷。真是造业容易，消业难啊！但是，我坚信菩萨法力无边，只要精进努力，一定会得到改变的。于是，我依靠师父录音中的法喜案例作为精神支撑。我一直坚持不懈，不怕万难，拼命念经。
由于吃喝拉撒都在床上，气场非常不好，自己又无法起身，只能躺在床上念经。我内心愧疚又纠结，不知道这样念经是否如理如法？会不会影响念经效果？感恩菩萨慈悲，当晚我就梦见师父了。师父身穿着黑西装，一边慈祥地笑着一边安慰我：不要担心。醒来后，我非常感恩师父的慈悲。师父知道我的特殊情况，这是对我的宽容和安慰啊。后来，大概念经差不多4～5个月后，我的脖子和头也能明显地转动了。这样法喜的变化，让我激动万分。我过去所经历的磨难与坚持都没有白费。观世音菩萨法力无边，让我看到了康复的一丝希望！（作者提醒：师兄们，在没有病痛的情况下，念经一定要体态恭敬，一分恭敬一分受益。）
3. 参加法会与拜师的殊胜，让我的身体不断法喜蜕变
2017年2月份，我结识了一位师兄。她邀请我一起去参加澳门法会。我心想：我能自己坐车吗？能去法会吗？凭着内心坚定的信念，路途中我一直念《大悲咒》。虽然我笨重的双腿只能勉强支撑着身体坐在座位上，但在观世音菩萨一路加持护佑下，我竟然能够如愿到了法会现场。现场听到师父开示、看到观世音菩萨的圣像，我泪如雨下。大法会当天晚上，我就梦到了观世音菩萨！感恩大慈大悲救苦救难观世音菩萨救我于苦海，给了我新的生命和生活。澳门法会结束，我当即发愿：一个月吃素15天，放生一万条鱼。参加澳门法会前，只要走两步路我就要歇一歇，而且我的身体没办法大幅度活动。
澳门法会回来后，我的双腿开始变得有力，可以支撑起身子在平地上走路了。虽然还不是很灵活，但是比起原来像软泥一样瘫痪在床的状态，已经不可同年而语了。我整个人精、气、神也越来越好。我非常惊喜！师父开示过，每场法会有很多佛菩萨来加持大家！
2017年8月，马来西亚法会前，师兄们让我拜师，但我不识字。慈悲的师兄们帮助我代笔填写拜师申请表。师兄们告诉我，这次拜师的人太多，有可能排不上队，得等到下一场法会才有机会。我告诉自己，无论这次能不能拜师，我都一定积极参加师父的法会。我这么大年纪了，能参加多一场法会都是我的福报啊。让我惊喜的是，一个星期后，我的拜师申请通过了。感恩观世音菩萨慈悲！
拜师当天，我激动万分。在拜师过程中，我听到一个非常立体、非常响亮的声音。我睁开眼睛时，我竟然看到了如来佛祖，还有好多菩萨都从天上下来了。这时，我看到师父上半身的法身呈现透明状，有一朵大大的莲花。我顿时感动得泪如雨下。直到颁发弟子证的时候，我浑然不觉师父已经走到我的身边。师父非常慈悲，给我灌顶加持。师父说:“因为拜师过程中有5个人睁开了眼睛，所以莲花没有种上去。不过没关系，等拜师仪式结束后，可以到前面去磕头求菩萨。”我就赶紧跑到前面去拜。我还没拜完，就过来了一个年轻师兄。他问我：“您感觉怎么样？有没有看到什么？” 我告诉他：“我看到如来佛祖了。” 他说：“您怎么确定那是如来佛祖呢？”我说：”我家母和家婆是学佛人，如来佛祖头发卷卷的。”
感恩观世音菩萨与师父的慈悲加持。拜师结束回家我就发愿: 终生吃全素，不杀生。真是愿力大于业力，发愿后，师父又来梦里帮我治疗双腿。有一次，我半眯着眼睛看到师父从我的房间经过。师父问我：“还有哪只脚不舒服？还有哪个地方疼痛的？” 瞬间我就醒了，醒来我发现我的双脚没有了原来的沉重感，走起路来更加轻盈了。我激动地跟老父亲分享：“师父又来加持我啦！”感恩师父慈悲关怀着每一位众生。每次梦见师父，师父都慈悲给予加持，我的身体总会有惊喜的好转。
没过多久，我不仅可以分开双脚，轮流迈开步伐独立上下楼梯。而且，我双手叉腰，可以前后自如地弯腰。后背的骨头原本因为全部错位并高低不平，如今完全恢复正常了。原本我没办法把手举起来洗脸、刷牙和梳头，因为手一抬，后背的骨头扯神经会导致剧烈的疼痛。每次打喷嚏或排泄的时候，都有种痛不欲生的感觉，就像死里逃生一样。这种地狱般的日子让我历经常人难以想象的苦痛折磨。然而现在，我的生活可以完全自理并且行动自如。有时候走太久会有一点点累，但是卧床休息十几分钟就可以恢复过来。虽然走路还有一点点高低现象，但如果不仔细看，是看不出来的。看到我学佛念经以来，从瘫痪卧床到独立行走的巨大变化，我的家人无比震惊。当年在床头边照顾我的老父亲直夸我：现在整个人完全变了，变得越来越健康了！我激动得泪眼婆娑。没有观世音菩萨与师父的大慈大悲救苦救难，真的不会有我今天的法喜蜕变！
2019年印尼法会和新加坡法会上，我恳请师兄们慈悲给我做义工的机会。按照法会规定，我已经超龄了。但是，我坚决一定要做义工。观世音菩萨给了我第二次生命，我就要身体力行地为众生服务。感恩观世音菩萨的慈悲，让我能如愿以偿。从法会做完义工回来，我发现我可以轻松自如地弯腰和下蹲，就连坐在地板上也没有问题了。感恩菩萨每次法会上都慈悲帮我消业，让我每次都能有不可思议的加持，变化。
4. 设佛台的不可思议加持，加速我身体恢复健康，创造医学奇迹
从2017年设佛台起，我每天坚持上早晚香。起初，身体还是直直的，不能弯腰鞠躬。两年里，我每天在佛台前上香求菩萨加持，让我身体能恢复得更好一些，能为众生表法。慢慢地，我从站着上香到弯腰鞠躬，到最后可以跪在佛台前念经。真是法喜充满啊！刚开始跪着后背还是很痛。随着业障的消除，我的后背也不疼痛了。有时候和师兄们出去设佛台，遇到佛诞日，我跪着念诵《礼佛大忏悔文》足足有一个半小时的时间。许多师兄都坚持不下来，唯独我坚持到结束。真是感恩菩萨慈悲加持！
曾经，省医院的医生告诉我，必须做手术把两块钢板放进骨头里，但我回绝了。因为我坚信有观世音菩萨和师父两座靠山，我什么都不怕。在因果面前，佛是大药王。唯有诚心忏悔，学佛修行才能彻底康复。我完全靠学佛念经吃素、设佛台、参加法会做义工，积极弘法度人，才创造了医学奇迹：现在和正常人一样行动自如。我甚至去工地做小工，搞卫生、做家政弥补家用！那些曾经轻微瘫痪的患者就算做手术，也没有我恢复得快，恢复到如此好的状态。
读者朋友们，你们看到我如此天翻地覆的变化，还犹豫什么呢？赶快捧起经书念经吧！我就是活生生的例子，铁一般的证据。观世音菩萨真实存在，并且大慈大悲有求必应啊！
现在回想起年轻时开酒吧所造下的恶业，真是罪孽深重。不正之财赚到了，可是，因果报应丝毫不爽，不是不报，时候未到。在我人到老年时，所有的报应一涌而来。不但钱财全部用尽，还要遭受肉体病痛的瘫痪之苦，因果不空啊！奉劝大家一定要谨记师父的教诲：诸恶莫作，众善奉行！不以善小而不为；不以恶小而为之！挣任何钱财之前都要三思，切记不可为了金钱利益而像我一样造下如此深重的罪孽，否则果报如影随形！
没有观世音菩萨和师父的慈悲救度与加持，就没有我今天的重生！弟子许愿尊师重道、一生清修、终生吃全素、不杀生、不吃鸡蛋、不抽烟、不喝酒；一世修成，永断轮回。今生跟着观世音菩萨修心修行，永不退转。跟着恩师慈父卢军宏台长弘扬心灵法门永不停息！我虽然60多岁了，但是我要身体力行地为大家表法，起早贪黑地和共修组师兄们一起去助缘设佛台。无论路程多么遥远，多么艰辛，我都严格要求自己。哪里需要我，我就走到哪里。哪怕我在吃饭，只要接到弘法任务，我一定当即放下筷子，一刻也不能耽误地出发。
心灵法门灵验无比，观世音菩萨大慈大悲，救苦救难，法力无边，有求必应。只要我们有一颗虔诚的心，只要我们坚持念经修行，没有什么困难可以打倒我们！我的身体变化就是最有力的证据！愿我的真实分享给那些还在受着病痛折磨的人们一些启发，让大家生起学佛念经的信念，捧起经书念经，愿更多的有缘众生能够早日破迷开悟，自利利他，离苦得乐！
我的分享结束了，分享中如有不如理不如法的地方，请观世音菩萨慈悲原谅！请十方三世一切诸佛菩萨和龙天护法菩萨慈悲原谅！请师父慈悲原谅！请师兄们批评指正！我自己的业障自己背，不让师兄们背！感恩合十！
分享人：感恩～全素
2022-02-28
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Nature of Humanity Ch 67 A NoP fic
Under Pressure Part 10
A Fanfic of u/SpacePaladin15’s work “The Nature of Predators.” Thank you for the story!
___
Memory transcription subject: Silvera, Factory 13 Manager
Date [standardized human time]: November 4th, 2136
If it wasn't for the clearly artificial sky above my head someone could possibly convince me I was outside in a new park. The neon blue screen with a white dot to represent the sun was nothing like the actual pale gray visage a mile above. Yet, it did have an enjoyable warmth to it.
A smooth artificial wind swept through the saplings ensuring that they would develop healthy stress wood. It also pleasantly cooled the fur of anyone in here, providing a nice little respite from the heater simulating the sun's unbearable hatred of us. Fuck you fake sun!
Any flora used to decorate the park would be exotic to Frozen Mountain, even if it came from the nearby tundra, but my humans decided to do something interesting. While they had covered most of the ground with a soft short-growing Terran clover, they chose to make the rest of the decorative plants functional. All of the saplings were different types of fruit trees that, when mature, would be free for anyone to harvest as much as they want. Even the decorative topiary isn't hardy tasteless plants, but berry bushes that would provide a variety of sweet treats relatively soon.
Agurcorp was more than happy to allow its failed startup out here to be turned into a local park. Well, so long as they didn't have to pay for this expensive mistake of theirs. The Mayor was all too happy with this, especially since my humans were happy to let him have all the credit so long as they got to design the park. With voting season right around the corner, the Mayor that ‘Brought life to this blighted land’ was a shoo-in to get re-elected. Or would be if he also wasn't ‘The idiot who allowed predators into the city.’
With everything that's happened I am still a bit surprised at everyone currently enjoying the park. A small herd of Venlil are exercising in the open field. A family of Gojids are walking along the cobblestone path. All the while, some humans are playing a very weird game of throwing a round plastic plate into chain nets. It's almost as if this city didn't have two separate riots on the same day.
The sound of wheels traveling across a bumpy path caught my attention. I glanced across the way to see an embarrassed-looking John driving an electric wheelchair over to me. His eyes locked onto mine before quickly switching to the ground. He tried to laze in a chair designed to enforce good posture and looked rather silly as he adjusted himself.
He came to a stop just a foot away from where I sat, “Hey Silv… I, uh… I don't actually need the wheelchair but Mikvia threatened to break my legs if I didn't use it, so I'm just humoring her.”
Oh, don't freaking tell me. Why are humans like this… “John… you were hospitalized with a punctured lung. Sure, doctors have some miracles they can perform these days, but you know you shouldn't be stressing yourself by walking.”
He huffed, “Please, I'm fine. Really. It wasn't as serious as everyone is making it out to be.”
I thumped my hind paw against the ground, “John.”
He threw his hands into the air with a huff, “I'm in the damn wheelchair ain't I? Gawd…”
He grasped his nose before calming down, “I apologize. Shouldn't have raised my voice like that. I mean… I am using the wheelchair and not lifting stuff. Doctor's orders. They even said getting out in this park would be fine. Said it might even help!”
We let out a deep sigh together. I hopped down from my bench and back up onto his lap, “Let's go for a ride… while we figure… us out…”
I could see John's guard drop as the exhaustion crept back onto his face, “...alright...” He pressed his controls forward, and we slowly began our first lap of the park.
John wrapped one of his lanky ape arms around me like a fleshy seatbelt and I laid my head on his chest appreciating the contrast of his warmth with the cool artificial breeze. I could have slept like this. The beating of his heart was rhythmic, and his deep breaths sounded a bit like waves washing up on a shore.
I even heard his heart quicken as I cleared my throat, “So… we aren't really dating are we?”
His exhaustion was quickly replaced with unease as he started to fidget a little, “I'm sorry…”
I held his hand and stared into the ocean blue eyes of his, “Don't be sorry. I think we were both drunk when we agreed to go on a date…”
He shook his head, “I still should have said something before then.”
It wasn't like I couldn't have taken the initiative and talked to him sooner too, “I know you were going through a lot. Actually, I know you still are… I'm really only able to guess but… Are you one of the types that thinks Xeno-dating is weird?”
He looked ashamed as he scrambled to smooth things over, “I- No- well, yes- but- it's just… ok. Let me start over… alright… yeah… so… uhm… the thing is… how do I put this… it sounds bad… well, it is bad… it’s just…”
My tail wagged involuntarily at the rather cute display of embarrassment radiating from John. I leaned in and let him have a doey-eyed look to help heap the embarrassment on.
It felt like John tried to stop the next words from rolling out of his mouth, “Sometimes I have trouble thinking of you all as people.”
John came to a complete stop as I just stared at him wide-eyed. My brain struggled to grasp what he was saying and the implications of it. He cringed and covered his face with his hands, “Gawd, that sounds horrible. It's just… It's not as bad with you and the others… I talk to y’all a lot. It's easier for it to click that you are people too.”
I was desperately trying to see this from his angle, “Wha- why does this happen in the first place?”
His hands drug down his face trying to drag the flesh with it, “I think it’s cause you are always naked. Like your back brace helps a little bit, but still everything else is… That and I hear your voice and the chip in my head then gives it meaning. Like its disjointed. Then it's the way your body language works and- and- fuck. Just…. Fuck me man. I don't even think that's all that's wrong with me. It’s just… like you look, sound, and smell like animals. It's just not really what my mind had in place for aliens. So- like- ugh! Why can't I just explain it!?”
It's difficult to explain, but his words connected to a deep sad memory, “It's like everything is just too… slightly wrong…”
It felt like I had been whisked back decades to my own childhood. I could still smell the bleached halls of the Venlil orphanage on Nevis. My heart whimpered when the Sivkits who came to adopt me shuddered with fear and disgust. Their strange voices sounded slow as they spoke a strange version of Klipic. Like hearing a pale imitation of yourself, try and pretend to be just like you.
My eyes locked with his as I carried on “It’s like you look at them and a part of you knows what they are, but your brain just snaps back to… to what you think reality is.”
I could see a glimmer of hope well up with his tears, “Y-you know? I-Iv've felt like such a monster! How can I- How can I look them in the eyes when they took me in and say- say- that I can't see them as people sometimes!? After everything they've done for me?! They want to adopt me and I- I- I can't even!”
I wrapped my arms around his neck as he buried his face in mine. It felt like he could crush me with his arms, yet they held me gently. What was causing me pain was this damn back brace. The blasted thing was trying to force my arms down while it hunched me over. I wiggled out of John's embrace and ripped the freaking thing off and chucked it as far as I could before burying myself in his embrace again.
We held each other as he drew in shuddering breaths and let his emotions flow out. John’s grip eventually began to loosen and we both took a moment to calm down. I gently tugged at the shirt covering John's torso, “So… Us not wearing clothes constantly is… disconnecting for you?”
He nodded his head, “Y-yeah… It’s like… every person I have ever known wears clothes. Animals never wear clothes and at most wear like a collar or harness if someone owns them. Then a few months ago, a bunch of nudist aliens show up and… well, my brain lops them into the animal category and the translator isn't helping.”
I glanced down at my body and suddenly felt… exposed, “So now that I am no longer wearing clothes…”
He cringed, “You look more like a large rabbit thing than a person… when you had the brace on it helped a little, but you were on all fours… When you were wearing your weather suit and had your hood off, It felt like you were a person, just different.”
An idea crossed into my skull, “Ok then… so your brain attaches personhood with a level of nudity, body plan, and familiarity… take your shirt off and give it to me- Don't give me that look! I know you’re male and are far less sensitive about people seeing your nipples. So gimme.”
He begrudgingly took off his shirt, revealing a pelt of fur that caught me off guard. I shook off the confusion as I slipped his shirt overhead and stuck my arms through the sleeves. It immediately tried to slip down my body and off. Mostly due to how large the hole for his head is, but also due to my utter lack of true shoulders. Another gift of my freak mutation. The ability to walk upright as well as sprint on all fours like a fucking Arxur.
I bunched up the collar and knotted it on itself, solving the slipping issue. With a small twirl, I spun in a circle, “So how is this?”
A smile formed on his face, “You look adorable!”
I happily flicked my tail, “Is that girlfriend adorable or pet animal adorable?”
His grin beamed with happy, mischievous energy, “Little sister adorable.”
I stomped my hind paw again, “Wha- why?!”
He held out his arms and I hopped back into his embrace, “Its cause it's my shirt. Jamie would wear my clothes sometimes, and they were so baggy on him, and well… on you that's practically a sundress! … you’d look really nice in like… a yellow sundress with like a straw hat.”
My mind tried and failed to make an image to match his description, “Hrm… well… I wouldn't know where to even start getting a… sundress.”
John carried on like clothes shopping was a normal intergalactic thing, “You would have to go to a tailor and have it custom-made. Like you already had to adjust my shirt cause you don't have shoulders like we or the Gojids do.”
We sat in a comfortable silence as John started the wheelchair back on its path. I almost fell asleep in his arms before I asked, “So… Are we dating?”
John didn't hesitate to bend over and freaking bite the top of my head! I, rather fruitlessly, slapped my paws against his face as fast as I could and only managed to elicit a laugh from him. Jumping up, I got a mouth full of his cheek in my teeth.
I made sure not to crush as I mimicked what he had done to me back, “Ah! The turns! They've tabled! I'm sorry! We're dating! Augh!” I spit out the lump of flesh between my teeth and sat down rather proudly.
It was only then I looked around to see most of the nearby groups staring at us. As well as three silver suited flame whack jobs walking our way. One of them held up his paws to try and seem as big as possible, “YOU! PREDATORS! DON'T MOVE!”
John growled at them, “YOU FUCKING IDIOTS. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?”
The trio froze in their steps and reached for weapons they didn't have. The boldest one took another step forward and shouted, “SHUT UP PREDATOR!”
John held his issued jacket up, letting the reflective emblem of the guild shine for all to see, “I WORK WITH YOU NUMB NUTS! I'M JOHN! ADOPTED SON OF YOUR FUCKING CHIEF! RING ANY BELLS?”
The trio halted in their tracks and the most skittish of them turned a one-eighty on their paws and began to walk away. The boldest one’s paws slowly dropped, “J-John?! I- I've never seen you without the mask or artificial pelt… wait! You're supposed to be in the hospital!”
Johns voice grew cold, “They said I could go out around the park so long as I mostly stayed in the chair. If it pleases you, you can talk to Loke. He's right over there with his wife and two kids. I bet he'd be thrilled to learn you three are going around accusing people of being predators.”
The bold moron took a fearful half step back, “D-d-d-d-don't twist my words! You bit her and she bit you back! I have witnesses! That's predatory!”
John leaned back and stroked the fur on my cheek, “No, it’s erotic.”
I could see the gears turning in the bold one's head grind, “What.”
John pressed his lips into my neck, “Ya know… sexy. It’s like… gently grooming your significant other's neck from behind but more playful.”
They looked revolted, “That's disgusting.”
John cocked his head to the side like a confused Gojid, “That’s odd.”
The look of revulsion quickly transitioned back to confusion, “What?”
A smirk grew on John's face as his fingers massaged into the sore muscles on my back, “It's just, that’s exactly what your mom said last night, but she grew to like it.”
I slapped my paws to my mouth to avoid laughing as the rage flared up in the bold one's eyes, “WHAT!?”
I let out a happy purr as John began to work at my sore muscles and utterly humiliate the idiot bothering us, “Yeeeeah. You weren't supposed to find out like this, but I'm your dad now.”
Their ears pinned back in rage, “You're lying to me.”
John waved a hand at our surroundings, “We are in a hermetically sealed park. There is no way for any significantly threatening animal to get in here. You are only here looking for trouble and I assure you, this will be looked into. Go clean your nose and keep it clean. Understood?”
They both tucked their tails, “Understood, sir.”
John nodded his head and calmed his tone, “Dismissed.”
As the trio of troublemakers left, we sat in relative silence as John continued to work away at the stress in my muscles. If you proved this was how humans prepared their food before eating it, I would argue that it's still worth it.
His rough voice messaged my ears, “Hey Silv?”
I stretched and enjoyed the pops my spine made as it took its natural shape, “Hrm?”
A hint of curiosity hung in his voice, “Why did you understand what I meant? Shouldn't… You've lived with aliens being a part of everyday life for… Like… ever right?”
I slumped against John and thought. Dredging up old memories that I almost wished I didn't have, “It was… a very long time ago. My doctor told me I was making up false memories to cover up a traumatic event and make it to where I was normal and everyone around me were the weird ones…”
I could hear John doubt my doctor's claims, “That sounds… fishy.”
Despite John's odd word choice, the meaning still fit perfectly, “It feels like it, but I just have no proof. I swear to you, I remember running along a beach, with my parents on two legs. Every Sivkit I knew as a child walked on two legs. It’s like… well…”
I grabbed John's hand to stop it from distracting me, “One day I woke up, and I was unbelievably cold. I thought I was a corpse. There was this strange… tentacle thing with bulgy eyes standing above me. His words didn't match his lips, but I understood him. It was terrifying.”
“He scooped me up and started running. Said I was in grave danger, and he was going to keep me safe. I didn't trust him one bit. He jumped into some strange ship and told me I had to be very quiet. The bad people would attack us if they heard either of us talking.”
“Eventually, he crashed the ship into something and pulled me out of it. I was surprised to see we had been on a submarine that entire time. That and the sky was the wrong color. I didn't even have an opportunity to think about it as he carried me to a weird looking vehicle that once again surprised me as a giant wall turned into a window.”
“I had never even heard of spaceships before, and I watched as we went up and just moved into space like it was nothing. He tried to calm me down, but he told me my parents were dead. I- just remember sobbing in his tentacles for hours. Eventually, I calmed down enough for him to play with me.”
“For a few days it was just me and him. Then we met up with another ship, and he left that one to drift in the void. He said we were meeting his friend Aylin on Nevis… a Venlil colony not too far from here, actually. I got to meet more aliens on that ship but Kalova- sorry that was the name of the Kolshian who took me out here. Kalova didn't want me to talk about anything to anyone. Said to just say I was his adopted daughter, and he just got a job on Nevis managing the new colony.”
“He never saw it. I didn't know what they were at the time but the Arxur attacked. They were trying to raid the colony and the Gojids and Venlil where desperately trying to protect it. I remember the alarm going off the second the ship’s captain announced we were leaving FTL. Kalova sprinted through the ship carrying me. He placed me in an escape pod just before that terrible lizard spotted us. He pulled the lever and my pod jettisoned down to the surface.”
“I was in that pod for three days before the Venlil found me and put me in an orphanage. Every time I met other Sivkits… they made my skin crawl. There's something wrong with all of them. I swear to you, we Sivkits are supposed to walk on two legs. We also aren't supposed to be that… stupid. Between how they talk being just… off, and the fact what they said was often either retarded or downright wrong, I couldn't ever feel like one of the so-called Grand Herd.”
“Eventually, I aged out. Graduated college, top of my class. And started working out here when they began to rebuild my plant after it burned down. That’s all there… Well, there is more, but It's not actually relevant to your question.”
John leaned down and kissed the top of my head, “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
I groomed the tip of his nose in return, “You're welcome. … Hey John?”
I could see a small bit of… hope in the back of his eyes, “Yes Silv?”
“Can you tell me about your past?”
He frowned as memories came back to him, yet he smiled still. “Yeah… it’s not a happy story either.”
I pressed myself into him, “Well… we can both be sad together, at least.”
John's hands began to absentmindedly work through my fur again, “Yeah… That doesn't sound as bad.”
___/\___
Important question, do you want a chapter dedicated to John retelling his story? Or would you like it smash cut out in favor of more of their first real date? I am not sure how I want to do it and am happy with both, so please let me know.
John and Silvera finally had the relationship talk! Woooooo! John's confessed something he'd rather never bring up, but knows he needs to address to start living a happy life with his new family. Aaaaand, It's time for Silvera’s tragic backstory! (Trademark pending). Strange names though, right? Kalova… weird how John's old boss has a missing brother with the same name as an alien Ivan the Arxur knows! And Aylin… strange they share a name with Talen's dead wife! Man that's just weird!
Special thanks to u/JulianSkies for proofreading! Seriously it felt like my eyes were melting out of my skull and your feedback was everything I needed!
___/\___
Directory
Library of BiasMushroom contains every link for everything I have written! Check it out as some stuff related to Nature of Humanity may not appear on HFY! As well as my little side stories and Fanfics of other NoP fanfics!
The Nature of Humanity
First / Previous / Next
Under Pressure
First / Previous / Next
For anyone posting to HFY do NOT select HFY first. It bugs out and doesn't work nice with copy/paste from google docs.

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some realistic advice and insights on my current job search situation in Shanghai. Here’s a bit about my background and what I’m facing:
My Background:

• Nationality: EU citizen
• Education: Studied in the UK for 5 years. I hold a BSc in Computer Science (First-class Honours) and an MSc in Advanced Computer Science (Merit).
• Experience: 3+ years in software development:
  • 2 years at a private company
  • 1 year at a government research agency working on control software for particle accelerators
  • All work experience was before & during my undergrad and postgrad studies (all full-time: office, remote, and placement year).
• Relevant Languages: Fluent in English (though not a native speaker), very limited Mandarin.

Visa Situation:

• Looking to stay in Shanghai for around 2 years.
• My passport doesn't allow long-stay multi-entry L visas. I’ve managed to get a 60-day single-entry L visa before (considered rare for my passport), but I’ve been told by the visa people that I can’t stay longer than 6 months within a 12-month period using short-term L visas.
• Therefore, I need to secure a work (Z) visa or, as a last resort, an X1 student visa (though scholarship applications for this year seem to be closed).

Job Search Efforts:

• Applied to over 200 jobs at 100+ companies (multinationals, domestic companies, schools, etc.) in the past 2 months.
• Used multiple job platforms: LinkedIn, Indeed, GlassDoor, LaowaiCarrer, eChinaCities, HiredChina, SmartShanghai, LiePin (猎聘), and ZhiLianTuiTui (智联推推).
• Applied to a variety of positions: software-related, IT and tech support, CS/Programming & ESL teaching, customer support call centers, SEO optimization, QA/Localisation, marketing, various internships, etc.
• I've been open and flexible in my job search, willing to make sacrifices in career progression for roles I may be overqualified for or not directly related to my background.

Challenges:

• Multinationals seem to only need seniors or team leads with many more years of experience and have, for the most part, ghosted me.
• Expat websites are flooded with listings for teaching jobs that have good benefits and (frustratingly) loose requirements but require native English speakers.
• Many English-related jobs (localization, proofreading, digital content creation, translation QA, user research, etc.) inexplicably require native English speakers. Despite being able to excel in these roles and achieve a high IELTS/TOEFL score if needed, I am deemed unqualified solely due to my passport.
• HR on Chinese job boards have shown a lot of interest in me, but most Chinese companies don’t seem to be currently hiring international talent.

Current Plan:

• Planning to stay in Shanghai later this year for as long as my tourist visa allows, to continue job hunting in person. I am hoping that this will simplify the process and improve my chances. I will have, at most, 3 months on my L visa.
• If during that time I still don't manage to secure work, I really won't know what else to do, as I may not be issued another L visa.

My Question:
I'm currently in a bind. With my background and qualifications, finding a good programming job in Europe wouldn't be too difficult. However, in Shanghai, it's been so challenging to find any job, even those I'm grossly overqualified for, no matter how much I lower my standards regarding career progression and compensation. Although I could find a remote job, that wouldn't solve my visa issue.
Given my qualifications and experience, what are the realistic chances of finding any job in Shanghai that provides a livable wage and normal work hours? Any advice on navigating the job market or improving my odds would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have insights on making this work?
Thank you!

Hi guys. I am making this publication because I feel worried and I would like you to please read my case and respond to me based on your experience. I really need it... and I don't know if it's this the right forum...
I am a 25 year old man who attends parties and drinks alcohol occasionally and with self-control, my head may spin, but I am always aware and remember everything. On Saturday, May 11, I attended a party where I went alone and was drinking and socializing with different groups. I have no idea how much I drank all night, but it was several sips of a 6% vodka carbonated drink. I believe that from 11 p.m. until 4 a.m it will have been 1 liter in total, I think. I usually drink little by little, but when the party got exciting around 3:30 a.m It was when I started drinking the drink as if it were water (By then I had already joined another group). At 4:20 a.m They were already throwing us out of the place because they were already closing and I left with this group walking towards the whereabouts (which was 20 minutes from where we were). By then my condition was normal, I was not sleepy and much less drunk, I was super aware of what was happening around me. A few minutes later while I was walking... in the blink of an eye I wake up in a hospital with an serum IV, but only for a brief moment because then in another blink of an eye I remember that I am getting to my room with the help of my relatives and the first thing I do is turn on my PC, I could barely write and I tried to look for answers and what had happened, but my head hurt a lot like I had a hangover. (My jacket, my glasses, my cell phone, my card were stolen, and the password had been changed on one of my emails) After that I don't remember much, I think I went to sleep and got up the next day in the early morning more aware. That day I had not eaten anything all day.
In my emails he said he had done a transfer at 4:52 a.m. and another at 08:06 a.m. and I wonder: How? Because to enter mobile banking you need a pin number (I don't have my fingerprints registered in the app, only to unlock my cell phone) and then according to my Google route at 4:48 a.m. I was already at the whereabouts, where they found me lying on the ground 3 hours and later notified my relatives. Why can't I remember anything? Is it possible that I was drugged or did I just drink too much? This is the first time this has happened to me and I am worried about how I was able to be so accessible to give important information, because I have no signs of having been physically attacked and to this day I have a slight taste bitter in my mouth.
My mom shows me the photos of that day in the hospital where I look terrible, my eyes drooping, staring at nothing, and super serious. She said that sometimes she would shake (maybe from the cold) and she could barely get up. The only words I said to my mother were: How did you get there? How did you find me? She also says that I was the one who had given the number when the police had found me lying there. (He tells me all this days later)
It's been 1 week since then, I've cried a lot and I can't sleep because I can't understand how this happened to me, but I'm grateful to God for being alive and without any injuries.
Has something like this happened to you? Some answer? How does the body of a person with excess alcohol function? Do they really faint? In the sense that they faint fall to the ground? Or is there another type of internal fainting? I'm new to this and I would appreciate if you could answer me, please. Sorry for my English, I'm using a translator.
Thank you.

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some realistic advice and insights on my current job search situation in Shanghai. Here’s a bit about my background and what I’m facing:
My Background:

• Nationality: EU citizen
• Education: Studied in the UK for 5 years. I hold a BSc in Computer Science (First-class Honours) and an MSc in Advanced Computer Science (Merit).
• Experience: 3+ years in software development:
  • 2 years at a private company
  • 1 year at a government research agency working on control software for particle accelerators
  • All work experience was before & during my undergrad and postgrad studies (all full-time: office, remote, and placement year).
• Relevant Languages: Fluent in English (though not a native speaker), very limited Mandarin.

Visa Situation:

• Looking to stay in Shanghai for around 2 years.
• My passport doesn't allow long-stay multi-entry L visas. I’ve managed to get a 60-day single-entry L visa before (considered rare for my passport), but I’ve been told by the visa people that I can’t stay longer than 6 months within a 12-month period using short-term L visas.
• Therefore, I need to secure a work (Z) visa or, as a last resort, an X1 student visa (though scholarship applications for this year seem to be closed).

Job Search Efforts:

• Applied to over 200 jobs at 100+ companies (multinationals, domestic companies, schools, etc.) in the past 2 months.
• Used multiple job platforms: LinkedIn, Indeed, GlassDoor, LaowaiCarrer, eChinaCities, HiredChina, SmartShanghai, LiePin (猎聘), and ZhiLianTuiTui (智联推推).
• Applied to a variety of positions: software-related, IT and tech support, CS/Programming & ESL teaching, customer support call centers, SEO optimization, QA/Localisation, marketing, various internships, etc.
• I've been open and flexible in my job search, willing to make sacrifices in career progression for roles I may be overqualified for or not directly related to my background.

Challenges:

• Multinationals seem to only need seniors or team leads with many more years of experience and have, for the most part, ghosted me.
• Expat websites are flooded with listings for teaching jobs that have good benefits and (frustratingly) loose requirements but require native English speakers.
• Many English-related jobs (localization, proofreading, digital content creation, translation QA, user research, etc.) inexplicably require native English speakers. Despite being able to excel in these roles and achieve a high IELTS/TOEFL score if needed, I am deemed unqualified solely due to my passport.
• HR on Chinese job boards have shown a lot of interest in me, but most Chinese companies don’t seem to be currently hiring international talent.

Current Plan:

• Planning to stay in Shanghai later this year for as long as my tourist visa allows, to continue job hunting in person. I am hoping that this will simplify the process and improve my chances. I will have, at most, 3 months on my L visa.
• If during that time I still don't manage to secure work, I really won't know what else to do, as I may not be issued another L visa.

My Question:
I'm currently in a bind. With my background and qualifications, finding a good programming job in Europe wouldn't be too difficult. However, in Shanghai, it's been so challenging to find any job, even those I'm grossly overqualified for, no matter how much I lower my standards regarding career progression and compensation. Although I could find a remote job, that wouldn't solve my visa issue.
Given my qualifications and experience, what are the realistic chances of finding any job in Shanghai that provides a livable wage and normal work hours? Any advice on navigating the job market or improving my odds would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have insights on making this work?
Thank you!

English: artillery

1. ordnance, including guns, mortars, howitzers, etc., with their equipment of carriages, balls, bombs, and shot of all kinds
   
2. cannon; great guns
   
3. the men and officers of that branch of the army to which the care and management of artillery are confided
   

––––––––––––
Translations

• Catalan: artilleria
  
• Chinese: 炮兵，火炮
  
• Esperanto: artilerio
  
• Galician: artillaría
  
• German: die Artillerie
  
• Italian: artiglieria
  
• Japanese: 砲兵 / ほうへい
  
• Portuguese: artilharia
  
• Romanian: artilerie
  
• Spanish: artillería
  
• Swedish: artilleri
  

––––––––––––
See previous words @ https://wordofthehour.org/past

I've been studying Mandarin for about a month and around two weeks ago I started using a graded reader (DuChinese). I can read most of these short beginner stories and understand them, but a lot of the time that requires translating the text back into English in my mind. I can know what the word for "I", "to walk" and "store" is, but when reading them together I have to translate back into English to get the true meaning. This is a very simple example, but for bigger sentences I can only get a feeling of the meaning if I don't bring it back into terms I understand.
I talked to a friend who learned Japanese and he said he never converted it back into his native language when he was starting, but I don't know how else to do it. If I don't have some frame of reference, reading is just meaningless. I can know the words, but outside of the most simple sentences I won't construct meaning without comparing it to something else in my mind.
Am I using graded readers incorrectly? Should I stay on course and meaning will eventually follow without having to translate? I can read a whole story in the correct tones and pronunciation with words I'm already familiar with, but I won't understand it until I turn it back into English.

Recently, my school organized a special lecture on the history of the Orient.This lecture was called "The Miracle of the Han River," and it was given by a professor from outside Korea.I was very curious about Korea, so I was looking forward to this lecture. In fact, the reason why this lecture was held was at the request of the students. Since Korean culture has been penetrating into American society for a long time, and many things that we enjoy without thinking are related to Korea, students were curious about what Korea is like.
Then Patrick, the student leader and president of our school, asked the teachers if they could organize a special lecture on Korean history, and they accepted, and eventually the whole class gathered in the auditorium and participated in the lecture. Often, our school invites outside professors to give lectures like this, and most of the time, the interest in such lectures is very high, and the lecture on Korean history was also extremely popular. However, the lectures that invite professors from prestigious universities and the opportunity to gain new knowledge about Korea are popular enough to fill the gymnasium.On this day, there were many students in the gymnasium converted into a lecture hall.As the professor entered, gave a brief introduction, and announced the topic of the day's lecture, everyone looked at him with interest. The professor said that he was asked to give a lecture on the history of the East, and when he was thinking about what topic to tell the students, he thought it would be better to talk about the modern history and economic development of Korea, and for two hours without a break, he explained in depth, in detail, easily understandable, and really interesting.
The professor's first words were impactful: "You all know Haiti, the country that receives U.S. aid, suffered a major earthquake about 15 years ago and has never recovered from it, and is in a state of chaos as one of the poorest countries in the world." "But how would you feel if, 30 years later, you were told to congratulate Haiti on becoming an economic powerhouse?" "I'm the generation that actually witnessed it. "I'm the generation that actually saw that happen, where we were the poorest country in the world, and all of a sudden, we were told that we were an economic powerhouse and that we should be congratulated."The students were surprised to learn that South Korea was once the poorest country in the world, even though it was still a decade after the end of World War II.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Korea was a very poor country until the middle of the 20th century, but since the 1960s, it has experienced rapid economic growth and made remarkable progress, which has been called the 'Miracle on the Han River', and today I am going to tell you the story."
From the beginning of the lecture, the students listened attentively as the professor engaged their interest, and I was particularly curious about how South Korea was able to develop so quickly.
"Korea was devastated after the Korean War in the 1950s, but in the 1960s, a government-led economic development plan began.At that time, Korea made a five-year plan for economic development under the leadership of the government, and fostered industries centered on heavy chemical industries such as steel, chemicals, and electronics.In addition, the country invested heavily in education, and many talented people were produced based on high educational enthusiasm."
The professor's explanation was very detailed and interesting, and I was in awe as he talked about Korea's economic development.
"In particular, in the 1970s, the Saemaul movement was launched to promote the development of rural areas and improve the living standards of the people."At that time, residents in rural areas voluntarily maintained their villages and strived for the development of their communities."These efforts helped Korea to rapidly transform from an agriculture-oriented society to an industry-oriented society.""And this Saemaul movement has become an example for many developing countries to this day, and countless policies have been implemented to copy Korea's Saemaul movement. "It is now accepted wisdom that Korea's Saemaul movement was a seemingly simple campaign that contributed tremendously to building the country's economic foundation, with reports of rapid development in some cases and failure in others." "Korea has written a textbook curriculum on how to grow an economy, and its achievements have become a model."
I realized how much effort Korea, which was poor in the past, made to grow its economy.It was a huge lecture of 2 hours, so I can only write down the core flow, so please understand.The process of Korea laying the economic foundation and starting the high-speed growth was really interesting, and there were many points where I learned how much effort Korean policy researchers made at that time.And the efforts of Korean people who believed in the government and followed the policy, even sacrificing themselves, were also great.
"Today, Korea is an IT powerhouse, with world-class companies such as Samsung, LG, and Hyundai Motor, which have great influence in the global market and are an important pillar of Korea's economy." "The characteristic of Korean companies is that they have always strived to develop technology. "There are five technological powers in the world," he said, "the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea, and France." "The United States and Germany have been doing research and development since the Industrial Revolution, while France has been doing research and development since the Industrial Revolution, and Japan received a huge amount of aid from the United States in 1950, taking advantage of the Korean War. It was thought that Japan, which started 20 years earlier than Korea, would be recognized as the last technological power of the 20th century, but how Korea, which started research and development from the 1970s onwards, became the world's fifth technological power, was a very interesting topic among professors in the 1990s.
And unlike Japan, Korea became a semiconductor powerhouse in the 21st century, and even succeeded in fostering an industry that Japan did not, and created a great foundation for Korea to become a developed country.Look at the iPhone you're using right now, and look at it.Do you see a Samsung product in there?
Most Americans think that the iPhone is made by Apple and developed by Apple, but many of the components in it come from Korea, and without Korea, the product you're using would be half as powerful as it is today.
The professor kept the students' attention for the entire two-hour lecture, explaining the difficult content in terms of the smartphones they use.
At the end of the lecture, the professor said that there are only two role models of economic development in the 20th century, Germany's development and Korea's development are very meaningful, and if you want to major in economics or international affairs, you should familiarize yourself with these contents because they are all liberal arts contents.
And originally, this kind of lecture should be 200 hours instead of 2 hours, but since it was shortened to a hundred and one, the fun is only a hundred and one, and if you want to hear more details, you should study hard and go to the prestigious university where you are, and the excellent lecture ended with the story.
After the lecture, I wanted to ask the professor more questions, but there were already a lot of students gathered around him.Then, my friend Xiao approached me.Xiao was a student who was educated in China until elementary school and then moved to the United States."Avery, how did you like the lecture?" Xiao asked me. I really liked the lecture and I have a lot of questions, so I wanted to ask the professor, but I could already hear the other students lamenting that they wouldn't be able to because the professor was surrounded by other students.I had to leave the lecture hall with Xiao, who was listening to the lecture with interest next to me.As we walked down the hall, I continued to talk to Xiao.Minhwa and Jia told me that they didn't know why they hated Korea so much, and they had to tell me a frustrating story.
In fact, Minhwa and Jia are two students who are very anti-Korean, especially since the student council voted for and against this lecture, and there were two votes against it, so everyone could tell that it was Minhwa and Jia from China, and their anti-Korean feelings, or even hatred, were very strong.
Xiao told me that today's lecture was very different from what they teach in China, and what the professor told us today. Of course, in China, they teach distorted facts, and they don't believe in it, but if you're like Min Hua or Jia, who went to school in China until middle school, it's natural to have a negative opinion of Korea.
Xiao's words were sincere because he had lived in China until elementary school and had been educated in China, so he knew the reality of China very well.In China, Korea is often taught negatively, and Xiao also said that when he went to elementary school in China, he was taught that way, but when he came to the United States and was exposed to different perspectives, he realized that it was wrong.
At that moment, Minhwa and Jia walked up to us, or maybe I should say they walked up to Xiao.Minhwa had a disgruntled look on her face."Korea is so great? I never think so, Korea is worse than our China," Minhwa said unhappily.Jia, who had an equally unhappy look on her face, also spoke up."Right. What's so great about Korea, our China is better."
I was offended by their words, because the facts I learned about Korea all seemed interesting and amazing, so why didn't they think so? And when they said that China was better, they didn't have any basis, they just said that China was better, what's so great about Korea, and there was no power in their argument.Xiao was also not happy when his two Chinese friends asked him to sympathize with them.
Xiao usually doesn't like to argue with them, but this time he was in the mood for a fight.I intervened first."Korea has made great progress, and you'll see that when you do a little more research," I said calmly to Minhwa and Jia.But Minhwa and Jia didn't listen to me.They wouldn't even look at me when I was talking to them.That's when Xiao stepped in and said.
"I'm sorry Avery, Minhua and Jia have been mis-educated, so I'll apologize for them.I know why they think that way, but I know the truth is different, so I want to apologize to you."
After hearing Xiao's words, Minhua and Jia still showed their disapproval. They even loudly argued with Xiao in the hallway. All the students passing by couldn't help but notice that two Chinese friends with wrong ideas were bullying Xiao, a normal thinking Chinese friend, again.
In fact, this scene was not uncommon, but this day was different. Despite the fact that everyone had attended an impactful and fact-based lecture by a professor from a prestigious university, Min Hua and Jia seemed to have no room for improvement, and they were still shouting distorted facts and misinformation without any basis.
From that day on, they were increasingly bullied by their schoolmates. Even when Minhua and Jia tried to talk to their American friends, all their American friends would scold them, saying, "Are you going to distort American history like that?" and no one would listen to them.
At first, Minhua and Jia's attitude was nonetheless brazen and confident, but two Chinese students armed with wrong ideas can't live in isolation in this school. Our school has group work as the basic form of class participation, so there are many tasks that require the help of other students.
Eventually, Minhua and Jia came to me, Xiao, and our Korean friend Minji and apologized to us.To be honest, to this day, I don't know if their apology was sincere.They said that they had learned that much of the education they had received was false, and they promised that they would never say anything wrong again in the future.Part of me wanted to tell them that I knew they were lying to survive, but I couldn't turn my back on them, so I accepted their apology.After Minhua and Jia's disturbance and apology
Although I'm still a high school student, I know that when I grow up, I want to exercise my right to vote and join the anti-China movement. We also realized that China's policy of teaching the wrong history and the wrong international affairs is having a negative impact even here in the United States, a country so far away, and that it is causing the Chinese people to suffer.China's ambitious plan to turn the tables by playing shallow games is just ridiculous and will not work.
I can't help but think that the impact of these lectures on our school is great: first of all, we learned how important it is to filter out misleading and distorted information, and how important it is to listen to such information; secondly, many students have a deep understanding of what exactly the "Miracle of the Han River" is.
As a reminder, South Korea was very poor until the mid-20th century, but through government-led economic development plans and people's efforts, it has achieved remarkable growth, especially spontaneous rural development movements such as the Saemaul movement, which played a huge role in accelerating South Korea's industrialization.
Korea's development has been not just economic, but social as well, with Koreans overcoming difficulties and achieving remarkable results through their high levels of education, hard work, and sense of community.
Now, do you feel that there is any reason for Chinese people here to say that China is greater than Korea? Isn't it just that Korea has created a remarkable growth in the history of East Asia, and it is because of Korea's development that China's factories are able to operate? Just because China is lagging behind, to say that Korea is a lesser country is an expression of inferiority, and it is seen as a desperate attempt to deny their own lack.
This is a good liberal arts course where you can learn the facts about what Korea has done and speak about it with confidence in public, but I think the disturbance by the two Chinese students clouded the essence of the course, because the impact of the miracle of the Han River was diluted by the emotion of outrage at the Chinese students' behavior.
In my final presentation at the end of the semester, I plan to find more information about the Han River Miracle, add new information, and present it to my class, because I feel that it is unfair that the attention to Korea has been diverted for a while, and I think that it would be meaningful to talk about Korea in front of Minhwa, Jia, and my Korean friend Minji.
I hope that the country will soon develop into a mature society that can accept the truth as the truth.

Welcome, beautiful people of wicked_edge, to the inaugural installment of The People’s Republic of Croap - my latest review series wherein I evaluate, pontificate upon, and review soaps, creams, and croaps that have a connection to China. Too long has the world not seen the glory of Chinese wetshaving artisans and my review series aims to rectify that injustice. The contributions China has given to wetshaving are vast. The overwhelming majority of all badger hair used in shaving brushes is sourced from China. Nearly all synthetic fibers in synthetic hair brush knots were also pioneered and developed by Chinese cosmetic companies. Resin materials used for brush handles are primarily manufactured by Chinese industrial companies. Millions of razors are produced every year by Chinese companies for entry-level and high-end razor brands spanning from the Maggard Razor store-brand heads, all the way up to Aylsworth’s APEX AL, APEX SS, and Kopparakant razors. And yet rarely is the soapmaking prowess of China’s artisans contemplated. So now we will embark on a journey to the East, with me as your monkey king, and together we will discover the boundless wealth of high quality wetshaving software that hails from mainland Taiwan China.

Aren’t you retired from posting? Why didn’t you stay retired?

For better or for worse, on April 3rd, in the two thousand and twenty fourth year of our Lord, I hijacked a thread that should have been the opportunity for this amazing community here at wicked_edge to join creative forces with the community’s preeminent buyer of women’s panties, the man who ended the base race, the man who wanted to create a sub exclusive (which by all accounts is still happening) that would finally make barbershop scents interesting again: u/bostonphototourist. In subsequent groveling negotiations on another chat platform, I joined forces with likeminded individuals to harangue Will into conceding request that Barrister and Mann revisit the legendary scent Roam, and out of that discussion came the a seed of an idea that would become Roam 2: Yes. Really. in a vegan version of the legendary Omnibus shaving soap base. My part in these negotiations was the threat offer that I would “un-retire” from my legendary career as a shitposter community icon. Well Roam 2 is confirmed for release on June 4, and I am nothing if not a man of my word. So here we are.

Enough about you, what about the soap reviews?

Those of you familiar with my review methodology know that everything I evaluate is objective and scientifically proven. Those of you unfamiliar with my review methodology can kick rocks.
Scoring will be conducted based on my interpretation of the Four Cardinal Principles derived from the Legalist text Guanzi, attributed to the Qi philosopher Guan Zhong.

• Lǐ (禮) - the rites, ritual; how does this soap engage with the ritual of wetshaving?
  
• Yì (義) - righteousness; does this soap behave appropriately and without deception?
  
• Lián (廉) - integrity; is the soap upright in its behavior?
  
• Chǐ (恥) - shame; how does this soap acknowledge its faults?
  

Twoface Brothers Shaving Cream - Classic

For the inaugural soap of this review series, I could choose no better subject than Classic, a shaving cream from Beijing-based Twoface Brothers. The brainchild of Master Chen, Twoface Brothers is a high-end, luxury barbershop at the absolute pinnacle of classic barbershop style. Twoface Brothers is also a line of wetshaving products, including a unique shaving cream formulation that is offered in four scents: Classic, Everest, Tobacco, and Rum. I purchased a tub of 3, to the exclusion of Tobacco due to the scent note, “cigarettes,” though I have been informed this may have been a translation confusion and that it does not smell like straight cigarettes. Twoface Brothers recently partnered with Oumo to offer their line of shave creams, aftershaves, and preshave oil to international customers outside of China. The branding is an elegant combination of East-meets-West style considerations.
Lǐ (禮) - the rites, ritual; how does this soap engage with the ritual of wetshaving? Unusual/5
The cream is truly a cream, with the consistency of whipped cream cheese. If you were to swirl your brush in this shaving cream like you would with a hard soap, you would scoop up cream as if your brush was a spoon. This disrupts the customary ritual of loading soap into your brush.
Yì (義) - righteousness; does this soap behave appropriately and without deception? 110%
This soap builds into a lather very well, able to take quite a bit of water and with appropriate thickness and stickiness that it remains solidly on your face while the brush works it into a rich, foamy lather.
Lián (廉) - integrity; is the soap upright in its behavior? 10/10
The lather retains moisture well and is incredibly slick once hydrated. The scent is of good strength, and Classic smells very good to my nose.
Chǐ (恥) - shame; how does this soap acknowledge its faults? 2/3
The tin lid, designed for impeccable aesthetics, is susceptible to denting around the rim. Unfortunately mine was dented while in transit to the United States from China.
Final Verdict: 13.1+Unusual/19
Disclosure: I buy all my soaps, either new at full price, used, or on clearance. Ain’t no soaper out there gonna send me free stuff. Get off my jock.

What exactly are Dharāṇī?
Dharāṇī, also known as Parittas, are Buddhist chants, mnemonic codes, incantations, or recitations, usually the mantras consisting of Sanskrit or Pāli phrases. Believed to be protective and with powers to generate merit for the Buddhist devotee, they constitute a major part of historic Buddhist literature. Many of these chants are in Sanskrit and Pāli, written in scripts such as Siddhaṃ, as well as transliterated into Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Sinhala, Thai and other regional scripts. Dharāṇī are found in the ancient texts of all major traditions of Buddhism. They are a major part of the Pāli canon preserved by the Theravāda tradition. Mahāyāna Sūtras such as the Lotus Sūtra and the Heart Sūtra include or conclude with Dharāṇī. Dharāṇī are a part of the regular ritual prayers as well as considered to be an amulet and charm in themselves, whose recitation believed to allay bad luck, diseases or other calamity. In some Buddhist regions, they served as texts upon which the Buddhist witness would swear to tell the truth. Dharāṇī recitation for the purposes of healing and protection is referred to as Paritta in some Buddhist regions, such as Laos, Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. Paritta is generally translated as ‘Safeguard’ or ‘Protection’ in the Pāli language.
Historical Context:
The word Dharāṇī derives from a Sanskrit root √dhṛ meaning "to hold or maintain". Some Buddhist communities outside India sometimes refer to Dharāṇī with alternate terms such as "Mantra, Hṛdaya (Hridiya), Paritrana (Paritta), Raksha (Pali: Rakkha), Gutti, or Vidyā" though these terms also have other contextual meanings in Buddhism. The Buddhist Dharāṇī invocations are the earliest mass printed texts that have survived. The earliest extant example of printing on paper is a fragment of a Dhāraṇī miniature scroll in Sanskrit unearthed in a tomb in Xi'an, called the Great spell of unsullied pure light (Wúgòu jìng guāngdà tuóluóní jīng; 無垢淨光大陀羅尼經). It was printed using woodblock during the Tang dynasty, c. 650–670 AD. The Hyakumantō Darani found as charms in wooden pagodas of Japan were broadly accepted as having been printed between 764 and 770 CE. In 1966, similarly printed Dharāṇī were discovered in stone pagoda of Pulguksa temple in Gyeongju, Korea. These are dated to the first half of the 8th century.
How to start the practice:
As stated, Dharāṇī, are used as a sort of mnemonic code, specifically curated to help a practitioner remember the text in which the teaching and incantation comes from, such a practice is a good starting point in exploring the genre of Buddhist text that have the ability to generate positive karma, and dedication of merit to other sentient beings. Remembering and reciting a Dharāṇī is useful, and is a good recommendation for beginners, linked here is also a guide on how to pronounce Sanskrit if you happen to have some linguistic difficulties:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnFLN_eBOBMVEWX7pGJMGJNr_HK75VL_9&si=wSLN1Pz95q9bTcNA
Please note as some Dharāṇī/Paritta are esoteric and passed down by lineage of teacher to student, it is highly recommended for beginners to receive oral transmissions of such text. However, in this short list, all listed text are Sūtric and are free to recite without need of oral transmission.
Here is a good beginners list:
(Sanskrit works) Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtraṁ (White Lotus Sūtra, used for praising the White Lotus Sūtra, and its benefits.)
Nīlakaṇṭha Dharāṇī (Blue-Necked One Dharāṇī, used for honoring, venerating, and requesting Avalokiteśvara protection, and clearance of obstacles.)
Śūraṅgama Mantraḥ/Sitātapatroṣṇīṣa Dhāraṇī* (Śūraṅgama Sūtra Mantraḥ, and the Dharāṇī associated in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra; White Parosal Dharāṇī of Sitātapatra Dharmapāla. Used for honoring, and venerating, the Śūraṅgama Sūtra, as well as requesting the help of Sitātapatra Dharmapāla to combat negative spiritual forces, magic, and beings.)
Bhaiṣajya-Guru-Vaiḍūrya-Prabhā-Rāja Dharāṇī (Used for honoring, and venerating, the Medicine Buddha Sūtra, as well as requesting his spiritual powers to heal and help sentient beings.)
Prajñāpāramitā-Hṛdaya (Sūtra) (Used for honoring, and venerating, the essence of Mahāyāna teachings on Śūnyatā, beneficial at warding off ill calamities, and dispelling negative forces.)
Munīndra-Hṛdaya-Mantraḥ (Shakyamuni Heart Mantraḥ, used for honoring, venerating, and establishing a connection to the Buddha Dharma.)
Śyāmatārā-Mantraḥ (Green Tārā Mantraḥ, used for requesting assistance from Green Tārā Bodhisattva.)
Amitāyus Dharāṇī (Amitāyus Buddha Dharāṇī used for honoring, venerating, and establishing a connection to the Amitabha Buddha Dharma, and for requesting longevity.)
Sarva-Tathāgatāyur-Vajra-Hṛdaya-Dharāṇī (All Thus Come One Life Diamond Heart Dharāṇī, used as an aspiration prayer towards Sukhāvatī, as well as praising, and venerating Amitābha Buddha.)
*Disclaimer, although this is an open mantraḥ, it is highly recommended to follow a teachers instructions on the usage of such a powerful mantraḥ. The Śuraṅgama Mantraḥ request the help of Vajrapaṇi Dharmapāla and is an extremely wrathful mantraḥ, often used at the most extreme of cases. Repeated usage is to advised by a qualified teacher.
For a more general overlook on Paritta works, which are often more peaceful in nature, and have a heavy emphasis on Mettā and merit dedication, here are a few open protective Parittas:
(Pāli linguistic works) Mettā Sutta/Karaṇīyamettā Sutta (The Discourse on Goodwill, used for spreading Mettā Pāramī to other sentient beings.)
Uddissanādhiṭṭhāna Gāthā (Verses for dedication of merit, used for dedicating merit to sentient beings, as well as multitudes of spiritual beings.)
Tiro-kuḍḍa-kaṇḍa-sutta Gāthā (Hungry Shades outside the walls verses, used for dedicating merit and food for ancestors and Pretā spiritual beings.)
Āmantana-Devatā Gāthā (Invitation to the Devās, used to invite the Buddhist and local deities protect those listening and preaching the Dhamma.)
Namakāra-siddhi Gāthā (Verses on success through homage, used as the beginning Paritta of ceremonies to venerate Buddhas and to bring success to rituals.)
Cha Ratana Paritta Gāthā (The Six Protective Verses from the Discourse on Treasures, derived from the larger Ratana Sutta, used for dispelling evil and negative forces, and proclaiming the truth [Saccakiriyā] of the triple gems.)
Khandha Paritta (The Group Protection, used for calming down and venerating the Nāga families, as well as dispelling harmful two footed, four footed, poisonous, and crawling creatures.)
Dhajagga Paritta (Top of the banner staff Protection, used for dispelling fear, and negative forces.)
Buddha-jaya-maṅgala Gāthā (The Verses of the Buddha’s Victory Blessings, used for proclaiming the eight auspicious victories of Shakyamuni Buddha in his life.)
It is recommended before the start of any Dharāṇī or Paritta chanting that one is to take refuge in the triple gems, and make aspiration prayers towards one’s goal, an example, as seen in the Theravāda Nikāya:
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa. (Recite three times.)
Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Rightly Self-awakened One.
Tisaraṇa (Triple Gem Refuge.)
Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi. Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi. Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
I go to the Buddha for refuge. I go to the Dhamma for refuge. I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.
Dutiyampi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi. Dutiyampi Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi. Dutiyampi Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Twice, I go to the Buddha for refuge. Twice, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. Twice, I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.
Tatiyampi Buddhaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi. Tatiyampi Dhammaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi. Tatiyampi Saṅghaṁ saraṇaṁ gacchāmi.
Thrice, I go to the Buddha for refuge. Thrice, I go to the Dhamma for refuge. Thrice, I go to the Saṅgha for refuge.
[Āmantana-Devatā Gāthā is said here.]
[Namakāra-siddhi Gāthā Paritta Chant, and so on…..]
Please feel free to ask questions, I don’t even know if you’re still reading, but…. Feel free to add suggestions too I guess. Have a nice day, and thank you for coming to my Ted-talk.

Hi everyone,
I wanted to share with you my response to the introduction found in the only edition of Use of the Self currently in print. I believe it's a rather misleading intro to FM Alexander's work, so I'm sharing this in the hope that I can help clear up misconceptions people may have about the Alexander Technique, not derived only from Anthony Kingsley, but many bland blog posts one tends to encounter when researching the Alexander Technique. That said, this is not intended to be an introduction of its own, but rather something experienced students, teachers, and anyone enthusiastically learning the Technique may find useful. In the tradition of Alexander himself, I've included extensive footnotes, some painfully long. I'm happy to answer any questions or otherwise discuss what I've written. Understand these are my own interpretations and opinions about what some call "the work," so take them as you will. I've taken lessons for a number of years and currently am training as a teacher, so my view of the Technique is based on these experiences, as well as my interpretations of Alexander's writings. Some of these interpretations you may object to, but I hope you find my arguments reasonable.
Response to Anthony Kingsley's Introduction to The Use of the Self
The Use of the Self may be FM Alexander's most important work, since it contains his own account of how he developed what is now called the Alexander Technique. While Alexander's other volumes are available from Mouritz, the only edition of The Use of the Self currently in print is published by Orion Spring. This edition replaces the philosopher John Dewey's introduction—which praises the technique's "genuinely scientific character"—with one by the contemporary teacher Anthony Kingsley, who is heralded on the book's front cover as a "leading Alexander Technique teacher." Therefore it is probable that many readers' first impressions of the Alexander Technique will be framed by Mr. Kingsley's opinions. I submit this is problematic, since his introduction is in my view contradictory to fundamental principles of the Alexander Technique. I write this response to address the introduction's two most dire faults: Kingsley's misrepresentation of the concepts inhibition and direction, and his dismissal of the concept of the primary control. I'll begin with the second, since it is a more straightforward error.
Primary Control
Kingsley opens his paragraphs on the primary control with the opinion that the concept should be "recast," then describes Alexander's definition of the primary control as a "particular relationship of his head, neck and back [that] acted as a master reflex that conditioned his whole organism." Then he discards this definition, claiming the head-neck-back relativity should instead be "regarded as an indicator[sic] of overall health rather than an area considered in isolation." He concedes the "region of the neck and back is a [...] barometer of our state of being," but concludes that "no single element is actually primary," since our eyes, breath, digestive system, and all other psychophysical elements are "simultaneous and interdependent" and also like barometers. Finally, he reveals his "recast" of the primary control, defining it as "the unknown and unseen self-righting and self-healing mechanism that can be restored and vitalized."
In sum, Mr. Kingsley has presented the primary control—which Alexander wrote extensively about and considered central to his technique—with an ill-defined mystical force which, accordingly, Alexander must have unwittingly stumbled upon and mistaken for a certain relativity of the head, neck and back.
Ironically, it is in The Use of the Self where Alexander wrote of discovering the necessity to first free his neck in seeking a better condition for his vocal apparatus, since that was the sine qua non of taking his head forward and up, of widening the back, and so forth, which are in turn the necessary conditions of freedom and stability in the limbs. This is the genesis of Alexander's use of the word "primary" in describing the head-neck-back relationship, and in my experience, as in Alexander's, it holds true: the sequence of directions given to oneself matters greatly, since tense feet, for example, can hardly flatten on the floor if the head is taken back and down, whereas the head can be taken "forward and up"1 to a fine degree even if there is tension in the lower extremities, particularly while sitting. Further, and maybe most significantly, the relativity of the head-neck-back rarely need change during any manner of activity, whereas the arms and legs are constantly bending, rising, stretching, and so on. Small wonder Alexander considered this relativity primary.
Of course, Kingsley is not wrong to point out the interdependence of all processes in the body. It is certainly true that undue tension in the feet creates a downward pull on the head, neck and back. Yet what is crucial to understand here is that in the context of learning and teaching the Alexander Technique, the primary control is an indispensable concept. It instructs the pupil to guide his or her attention through the body in the sequence most fit to facilitate proper relativity of all the parts, and it names succinctly that natural, visible, dynamic yet enduring relativity of the head, neck and back observable in little children and animals as well as many great musicians and athletes. Thus Kingsley discards a practical concept in favor of a truism about "interdependence;" and so we come to his second, graver error.
Direction
Here it begins to seem that what Kingsley writes of in his introduction is not the Alexander Technique at all, but in fact the Kingsley Technique, since he has redefined not only the primary control, but two other conceptual pillars of the technique: inhibition and direction.
First, he takes aim at direction, neglecting to elucidate Alexander's own definition of the concept before setting out the axiom that "aiming for postural improvements using postural directions leads to a bodymind[sic] attitude of effort and trying, which simply reinforces the problem." Dismissing as superfluous all "ideas and images about heads, necks and backs," he declares that "the trying[sic] self is the obstacle, and the shift towards a non-trying[sic] self is the solution." Finally, he offers his own definition of the directions as "the natural flow of energy and vibrancy that exists within the organism," directions which are interfered with "when we are in a condition of stress and reactivity."
Here, again, Kingsley takes a practical concept which Alexander developed based on careful observation of his own muscular action, and replaces it with a kind of mystical or spiritual phenomenon which, implicitly, only the initiated can perceive.2 Thus the famous directions are not, as Alexander described repeatedly, a series of mental orders or intentions projected to oneself before and during muscular activity along lines one has reasoned out in advance, but a "natural flow of energy and vibrancy"—just as the primary control is not, as Alexander saw it, a concrete, observable relativity of the head, neck and back, but an "unknown and unseen self-righting and self-healing mechanism." These pseudo-spiritual definitions do a massive disservice to neophyte readers, and reveal Kingsley's muddled seeing in relation to the central problem addressed by the Alexander Technique: how to shed habit and coordinate the bodymind through reasoned conception and conscious awareness.
But for a moment let us leave aside direction, since a subtler and more misleading error still lurks in Kingsley's presentation: his dismissal of conception itself. He explicitly warns that "ideas, concepts and cognitive efforts reinforce the very mental instrument that is the problem in the first place," he advises us to simply trust that "the prevention or inhibition[sic] of reaction, maintains or liberates this stream of energy [or direction] in the body."
To understand Kingsley's error, we must return to Alexander. In Man's Supreme Inheritance, Alexander sets out four stages to the "performance of any muscular action by conscious guidance and control:"

1. The conception of the movement required;
2. The inhibition of erroneous preconceived ideas which subconsciously suggest the manner in which the movement or series of movements should be performed;
3. The new and conscious mental orders which will set in motion the muscular mechanism essential to the correct performance of the action;
4. The movements (contractions and expansions) of the muscles which carry out the mental orders.

Alexander considered "conception of the movement required" the very first stage in his technique, to precede even inhibition. Thus he made clear, if indirectly, that in the context of his technique, clear conception is essential to achieving a desired end. Incidentally, this is a fact any competent artist can attest to; if a composition is not unambiguously understood and organized within one's memory, it cannot be brought to fruition. Even the most simple act, such as extending one's arm to grasp a nearby object, requires a detailed conception of distance, weight, strength, and so forth; if the object turns out to be heavier than expected, the conception of these variables and their relation to one another, and hence the muscular action, must change. This is direction in action, albeit subconscious.
Yet Kingsley belittles conception, instead leaning on concepts like "ease," "letting go" "acceptance," and the like. He is not alone in this among teachers, but in my opinion, they overlook the influence of what Alexander termed "erroneous beliefs," a concept closely related to that of "unreliable sensory appreciation." Both could be read in the spiritual lexicon alongside "letting go," etc.; but that would place their referent outside the realm of what words and concepts can describe. On the contrary, Alexander was pointing to something concrete and empirically observable: to errors of spatio-motor perception able to be observed phenomenologically and in other people's behavior; not to transcendent truths about observation itself. Thus the classic example of an Alexandrian "erroneous belief" is a person who raises their arm and believes their shoulder has remained still when it has not. The key for the pupil in this instance is to gain an accurate conception5 of their own muscular action, in reference to bodily sensations; not to simply "let go" or "do nothing."3 And this conception must come about through active tutelage—e.g. Alexander Technique lessons—or, dare I say, the way Alexander himself did it: by reasoned experimentation, conceiving hypotheses based on careful register and analysis of his own sensations, and also by watching the behavior of others. John Dewey called the technique scientific for a reason.
All of this is not to understate the importance of concepts like "release" and "effortlessness," including in the context of the Alexander Technique. Seeing more or less what is meant by them is doubtless the key to mastery of all activities, all practices, all techniques. Yet those spiritual concepts should not blot out the very concrete technique Alexander developed for improving what he called "the use of the self:" that coordination of the muscular system, achieved through conscious reason, which influences for better or worse the functioning of the whole organism.4
Inhibition
So much for direction. What about inhibition? Under the heading "Inhibition and Non-Doing," Kingsley describes Alexander's understanding of inhibition as "an artificial pause between stimulus and reaction," after which he could "give directions to himself." Then he lays down the gauntlet, stating that in the "real world […] life does not offer us the choice to inhibit:" since according to neuroscience research, "neural reactions take milliseconds and are faster than conscious thought processes." In other words, "we either react to the stimulus, or not." So, with inhibition proven impossible, Kingsley is left with no choice but to "reformulate" another of Alexander's concepts, offering us a supposedly scientifically enlightened6 view that inhibition is really "a quality of non-doing[sic] that needs to be already available in the organism before the receipt of a stimulus." This is "a way of being[sic] rather than a way of doing[sic]."
This Kingsleyan inhibition turns out to be the essence of the technique, since it is this very "condition of non-doing[sic]" the teacher is supposed to transmit, through a touch Kingsley describes as "a dance of poetry and a symphony of silence." With it, the teacher imparts a "deep sense of acceptance" by which "change emerges in the pupil."7 He goes on to compare the Alexander Technique to "Zen Buddhism, mindfulness and the philosophy of non-duality," identifying the uniqueness of the Alexander Technique in "the transmission of immediate experience." In fact, there is no Alexander Technique as such, but only inhibition:
The Chinese Tao has a concept of Wu Wei[sic], which translates as surrendering to the effortless flow of life[sic], or non-doing[sic] action. Ultimately, the Alexander Technique needs to reinvent itself and relinquish the Technique. The Alexander Teacher really teaches nothing[sic!]. But this nothing or emptiness is in fact the deepest essence of being and the fullness of life. Like grace, it drops onto us and into us when the conditions are ripe.
The problem is that Alexander's own writings indicate that inhibition is not a "quality," a "condition," or a "surrendering to the effortless flow of life." On the contrary, according to Universal Constant in Living, it is "the act of refusing to respond to the primary desire to gain an end, [which] becomes the act of responding (volitionary act) to the conscious reasoned desire to employ the means whereby that end may be gained." As clear as day: inhibition is an action in response to the stimulus of conscious desire: a conscious, continuing refusal to do a thing the way one normally does it. Alexander saw that this inhibitory act had to precede in every instance any attempt to change his habits. Everyone is well familiar with the inhibitory act. The act of not indulging an immediate desire, however small, is it. So, inhibition is not an "artificial pause," but a phenomenologically observable process within the organism, a process that can be made habitual through practice. It is no more abstract and transcendent than blinking or moving one's finger.7
Here Kingsley again takes something ordinary and concrete and makes it mystical, going so far as to "relinquish the Technique." The trouble is that there is a good reason the Alexander Technique came to be known as such. A technique is a skillful way of doing something; a mental tool; a procedure. Ways of doing can be found everywhere: techniques for dance, for romance, for healing, even for attaining nirvana or enlightenment. Each has a goal in mind and is based on what worked in the past; each resorts to concepts to explain itself; each prescribes action, or doing something a certain way. Yet Kingsley dismisses the idea of doing anything at all. Equating the Alexander Technique with "nothing," he tosses out the concepts Alexander spent decades refining, when Alexander's genius was precisely to conceive a useful, coherent way of doing things through patient observation of the phenomena he termed inhibition, direction, primary control, and the rest.
So, the technique may encompass all the acts of living, but it is still a technique. Alexander often used the term "procedure" to describe it, and I think procedure is as apt a word as any to describe the application of his technique to the acts of living. He constantly stressed the technique's sequential, stepwise nature and recorded countless practical examples of it in action, both in hypotheticals and accounts of lessons. The technique is not a metaphysics or a philosophy like non-duality; it is a practical procedure with a clear purpose: restoring
advantageous, natural relativity of the head, neck and back.
Conclusion
The technique is blindingly simple but surprisingly subtle and difficult to master; and, as far as I am aware, it is unique. Unfortunately, Kingsley is not alone in overlooking the uniqueness and subtleties of the technique in favor of spiritual truisms and platitudes. I suspect there are two main reasons for this.
The first is the tendency of serious pupils of the technique to become more open to "spirituality," both philosophically (e.g. non-duality) and in terms of sadhana (e.g. meditation, yoga, self-inquiry). Many are enthusiastic about the similarities between the Alexander Technique and, for example, mindfulness practice. It is certainly true that the technique requires the pupil to have some degree of "mindfulness," or the ability to realize when the mind has wandered; and it is also true that a few people who devote themselves to the technique come upon some of the same insights one might find in spiritual practice. Yet spiritual insight is not the purpose of the technique. In my opinion, the Alexander Technique is a relative of energy practices such as Hatha yoga, qigong, and TRE (trauma release exercises). Such techniques are often used in tandem with spiritual practices meant for the cultivation of insight, but their purpose has traditionally been preparatory and salutary, not "spiritual." One need not stray too esoteric to encounter the idea that the real goal of spirituality has nothing to do with "ways of doing." On the other hand, Qigong explicitly aims to regulate qi in the body; kundalini yoga is concerned with the flow of prana; the Alexander Technique seeks to restore the good use of the primary control. More practically, the technique teaches mental discipline, and ultimately the ability of the nervous system to regulate itself. Such a practice may lay the groundwork for spiritual realization, but it is by no means indistinguishable from it.
While there is no point speculating about Alexander's private insights, one thing can be certain: he left us a definite procedure with a practical, concrete purpose—not a transcendental one. Yet Kingsley's introduction continually implies the Alexander Technique is an essentially spiritual practice with heavenly fruit. Disparaging the core concepts that constitute the Alexander Technique, he invites us instead to simply "surrender," "let go in faith," and blindly trust that its real essence—nothing less than Wu Wei—will be transmitted through the "rare, "unconditional" touch of the teacher.
The second, more obvious reason Alexander has been so misunderstood is that he rarely wrote concisely, and in any case, recognition and conception of the primary control can never be refined through words, but only through unfamiliar sensory experiences—either reasoned out, as Alexander did, or in the hands of a good teacher. Hence there is more than a kernel of truth to Kingsley's view of the "supreme value of guidance with the hands;" yet I differ from him in that I insist the Alexander Technique cannot be divorced from intellectual understanding and, indeed, conception.
The Use of the Self and Alexander's other works certainly were not without their flaws, but at their best they illuminate concepts which are nuanced, rich, and useful when applied. Primary control, direction and inhibition are three such concepts. Whatever their flaws, Alexander's books point the way to a wonderful technique, and they deserve thoughtful, probing introductions like Dewey's—not dismissals.
1 Like many other Alexandrian terms, the concrete meaning of "forward and up" seems incredibly controversial among Alexander Technique teachers. While I conceive it roughly as freedom of the atlanto-occipital joint, the term cannot be understood in isolation from the rest of the parts—namely, from one's conception of the primary control. It seems to experience it, one must discover it, as Alexander did, or be shown it by a teacher.
2 This is not to say there are not phenomena only some people perceive.
3An overemphasis on "letting go" and the like obscures the fact that Alexander always described the technique as consisting of stages or sequential steps, which in my opinion constitute the "means whereby" he wrote of.
4 "Use of the self" is another problematic term. Related to the concept of "good form" and "good technique" among athletes and musicians, it refers essentially to coordination of the musculature along reasoned lines, which is not separate from conception of the primary control. Equal and opposite is the term "misuse," since one's idea of misuse depends on one's idea of good use. Different teachers understand the term differently. Kingsley states that "bodily tensions and distortions become fixed and reinforced as we react to the general stimuli of living." True enough. Yet he goes on to imply it is associated only with fear, anxiety and distress. Again he couples this concept to the language of contemporary spirituality, trumpeting that it "alienates us from our own true nature." This is to completely ignore the point Alexander returned to again and again in his own writing: that the use of the self is inextricably linked with conception. No doubt, tension and imbalance are very often inextricable from fear. But there may be another class of misuse: one based on misconceptions about the body, unexamined movement patterns from childhood which have little or nothing to do with manifestations of stress or emotions in the body. I suspect one may experience profound psychophysical quietude yet still tend to throw their head back and down in relation to their neck and back, especially in movement.
5Kingsley writes that the teacher's touch indicates the "negation of trying and doing within the pupil." Even a token mention of guidance viz. the relativity of the body parts is nowhere to be found. Yet in my opinion this discussion of touch is misleading, since nothing like it can be found at all in Alexander's writings. On the contrary, Alexander stressed that the teacher's role was to demonstrate manually the proper relativity of the pupil's parts, with the means whereby of the technique; not to transmit "a way of being," nor indeed enlightenment or gnosis.
6 Neuroscientific findings relating to will and volition have proliferated in recent years. They may raise fundamental questions about the nature of self and will, but in my opinion they have little to do with the Alexander Technique, no more than they do with dancing or playing an instrument. If there are really recognizable activities Alexander termed "inhibition" and "direction," then his writings are timeless, since they speak from direct observation and experiment, not philosophy about "free will" and the like.
7 In spiritual literature one encounters, almost universally, the idea that there is no "doer" of action, or no "doer" but God. Hence Kingsley is implying that Alexandrian inhibition is somehow related to this concept, which Buddha famously summarized: "Events happen, deeds are done, but there is no doer thereof." In my opinion, the Alexander Technique has nothing more to do with this than does reading, writing, or playing a game. There may be "procedures followed, but no follower thereof."

English: belong

1. to be the concern or proper business or function of
   
2. to be a part of, or connected with
   
3. to be appendant or related
   

––––––––––––
Translations

• Catalan: pertany
  
• Chinese: 属于
  
• Esperanto: apartenas
  
• French: appartient
  
• Galician: pertence
  
• German: zu etw. / jmdm. gehören
  
• Hindi: हो
  
• Italian: appartenere
  
• Portuguese: pertencer
  
• Romanian: a aparține
  
• Spanish: pertenece
  
• Welsh: perthyn
  

––––––––––––
Word of The Hour's Annual Survey @ https://wordofthehour.org/form

Gratitude to Namo Sakyamuni Buddha!
Gratitude to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva!
Gratitude to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from ten directions and three periods of time!
Gratitude to the Dharma protectors!
Gratitude to the selfless, altruistic, and benevolent Master Lu!
Hello everyone, I am fellow practitioner Lijuan Cheng. Today, I'd like to share the topic: Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door is the savior of the common people, and the Little House is incredibly efficacious. My daughter's thrombocytopenic has significantly improved
In 2012, my daughter was 16 years old. One day she suddenly had a nosebleed that wouldn't stop, which frightened our entire family. We rushed her to see a doctor, and after blood tests, we found out that her platelet count was 36, while the normal range is 100-300. The doctor diagnosed her with a type of blood disease: thrombocytopenic. Watching my daughter constantly suffer from nosebleeds and experiencing increased menstrual bleeding, leaving her weak and exhausted, her father and I felt helpless and distressed. Taking her to see Western doctors didn't yield any results, so we tried Chinese medicine, but her platelet count remained around 40-50, refusing to rise. This situation worried our entire family, especially me as a mother, feeling anxious, fearful, and helpless, unable to express it in words. We tried various treatments from both Western and Chinese medicine for 2-3 years, but the results were unsatisfactory, and her platelet count remained between 30-60.
In 2019, a fellow Buddhist practitioner who helped my daughter's aunt in practicing the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door. My daughter's aunt shared her Buddhist experiences with me since she felt benefited from practicing Buddhism. She mentioned that many individuals, either experiencing afflictions themselves or witnessing family members suffering from illnesses, have found relief and recovery through reciting Buddhist scriptures, making vows, and performing life liberation to alleviate their karma. Encouraged by her words, I decided to also engage in reciting Buddhist scriptures for my child. Growing up with a Buddhist mother, I've always harbored an affinity for Buddhism. While I initially approached it with curiosity, I must admit I struggled with consistency, failing to adhere to daily practices.
After the Chinese New Year in 2020, my daughter's aunt introduced me to Buddhist practitioner Zhang. She also entered the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door because of her child's illness, and she confirmed the greatness of the Buddha Dharma. We shared similar experiences, and I trusted her deeply. She advised me to persist in doing my daily recitation of Buddhist scriptures for a month to increase my own energy before making vows and reciting the Little House. She said it would be more effective this way. She patiently explained the principles of the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door to me and taught me how to recite Buddhist scriptures, make vows, and perform life liberation correctly. Her guidance boosted my confidence. I made the following vows before the Bodhisattva:

1. Release fish whenever circumstances allow every month and commit to lifelong life liberation.
   
2. Abstain from meat on the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month and on Buddhist-related holidays, refraining from consuming live seafood.
   
3. After my daughter recovers, I will share my experiences to inspire others to practice Buddhism and propagate the Dharma.
   
4. Recite 108 Little Houses for my daughter by the end of 2020.
   

After I began reciting Little Houses, one night I had a dream. In the dream, someone asked me for 159 of something. I responded that I preferred the number 169. The following day, I asked practitioner Zhang about the meaning of this dream. She explained, "It signifies the number of Little Houses that the karmic creditors are requesting." Consequently, I made a vow to recite 169 Little Houses for my karmic creditors by the end of 2020.
During the same period when I was reciting Little Houses for myself, my daughter, who had been taking medication for a long time, was advised by the doctor to stop her medication for a while and resume it later. Therefore, during that time, my daughter stopped taking all her medications.
Later, practitioner Zhang mentioned the importance of reciting Little Houses to help ascend the spirits of my aborted fetuses. She explained that these spirits suffer greatly as they cannot leave their mother’s body and may cause physical ailments, career obstacles, family discord, and even influence the health and behavior of her children. Upon hearing this, I made a vow to recite 49 Little Houses for each of the two aborted fetuses. Although I didn't specify a completion date when making the vow, I made earnest efforts to fulfill it.
The Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door is truly miraculous and efficacious. Not long after I began reciting the Little House for the aborted fetuses, I dreamt of someone getting pregnant (Editor’s note: This signifies a successful ascension, as the spirit is reincarnated into another family as a human). Another time, I dreamt of playing happily with a child, but suddenly, the child disappeared (Editor’s note: This signifies a successful ascension, as the spirit bids farewell to its mother before departing).
After fulfilling all my vows, my daughter's condition started to improve in 2021. Since then, I have been consistently reciting 21 Little Houses for her karmic creditors, one batch after another. Whenever possible, I also engage in life liberation. In 2022, I made a vow to liberate 1200 fish for my daughter.
On October 21, 2022, my daughter underwent a blood routine examination, and the results showed improvements in all indicators. Her platelet count had risen to 92. Tears of joy streamed down our faces as we received the test report. With hands clasped together, we expressed our gratitude to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva for saving us. We are grateful to the Golden Buddhist Practices of the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door which serve as a beacon of hope for the underprivileged. Gratitude fills our hearts for Master Lu, who brought the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door to alleviate suffering and hardship in this world, allowing us to find joy amidst hardship. We are also deeply grateful to practitioner Zhang for tirelessly assisting me and my daughter; she truly embodies compassion in this world.
I feel ashamed that I cannot consider myself a diligent practitioner, yet Guan Yin Bodhisattva has never given up on me. Through this experience, I silently resolve to devoutly recite Buddhist scriptures, cultivate my mind, and never regress, aiming to transcend the cycle of rebirth and return to the side of Guan Yin Bodhisattva.
In 2022, I made a vow for my husband, committing to recite 7 Little Houses every month for his karmic creditors, praying for Guan Yin Bodhisattva's blessings to help him resolve his karmic obstacles and ensure smooth work. The compassionate Bodhisattva granted Her blessings, and my husband's business began to improve. A few days ago, while working at the construction site, the ground had some gaps, and one leg of the pump truck sank in. The truck tilted significantly, but miraculously, both my husband and the truck emerged unharmed. I believe this is undoubtedly the result of Guan Yin Bodhisattva's compassionate protection, just as Master Lu teaches that one person practicing Buddhism in a family can protect the entire household.
Previously, my job was demanding, leaving me with little time for reciting Buddhist scriptures, which troubled me deeply. After much contemplation and prayer to Guan Yin Bodhisattva for assistance in finding a less demanding job that would allow time for recitation, my prayers were answered. Soon after resigning, I found a job that not only paid better than my previous one but also afforded me the time to recite scriptures. Moreover, it was conveniently located close to my home. My heart brimmed with Dharma joy. Under the compassionate protection of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, there are countless blessings and miracles beyond description.
I hope that my sharing can awaken those who do not believe in Buddhism to accept the Dharma and pick up Buddhist scriptures to learn and recite them. I hope to awaken those fellow practitioners who do not persist in reciting scriptures. Diligence is the foundation of Buddhist practice, and it is through the Buddha's guidance that sentient beings can be liberated. We must not allow ourselves to become beings without affinity with Buddha due to laziness. If we gradually drift away and move further from the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, we may lose the chance to turn back. To truly give meaning to our lives, we must embark on the journey to transcend the cycle of life and death. The human existence is rare to obtain, and the opportunity to encounter Dharma teachings is extremely rare. Life is impermanent so we must always practice diligence.
The Five Golden Buddhist Practices of the Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door can indeed solve practical problems in life and change our destiny!
Gratitude to Namo Sakyamuni Buddha!
Gratitude to the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva!
Gratitude to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas from ten directions and three periods of time!
Gratitude to the Dharma protectors!
Gratitude to the benefactor and benevolent father Master Lu!
If there is anything that is not rational or in line with the truth in the presentation, I pray for forgiveness from Namo Sakyamuni Buddha, the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors, and Master Jun Hong Lu.
I would appreciate my fellow Buddhist practitioners' critique and correction! I, not my fellow Buddhist practitioners, will be responsible for my own karma!
Buddhist practitioner: Lijuan Cheng, Gratitude and Namaste!
Received: 2022-11-22
Posted: 2023-02-25
Translator: Frank
Published: 2024-04-03
Statement by translator
The story was translated from Chinese into English by meaning, not word by word. If there is anything that is not rational or in line with the true meaning of the Chinese version, I pray for forgiveness from the Greatly Merciful and Greatly Compassionate Guan Yin Bodhisattva, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, Dharma protectors and Master Jun Hong Lu.
Propagation
It would be greatly appreciated if you would forward this presentation to all sentient beings you know, sick or healthy. You will accumulate immeasurable merits and virtues. Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-floor pagoda!
Would you like to change your destiny?
We will show you how to do the Five Golden Buddhist Practices of Guan Yin Citta Dharma Door: (1) making vows, (2) reciting Buddhist scriptures (sutras and mantras), (3) performing life liberation, (4) reading Buddhism in Plain Terms, and (5) repenting. You will personally witness how you and your family can achieve physical and mental stability, relief from illness and grievances, wisdom growth, academic progress, career advancement, and family happiness through Dharma. It’s free of charge.
Contact
Buddhist practitioner: Lily
Email: [sunnypurplelily@gmail.com](mailto:sunnypurplelily@gmail.com)
WeChat: HanJing20210820
原文如下：
心灵法门是贫民百姓的救星，小房子灵验无比，我女儿多年血小板减少症明显提升
感恩南无释迦牟尼佛！
感恩南无大慈大悲救苦救难广大灵感观世音菩萨摩诃萨！
感恩十方三世一切诸佛菩萨及龙天护法金刚菩萨！
感恩弘法度众舍身忘我的恩师慈父卢军宏台长！
大家好，我是程丽娟同修，今天分享的主题是：心灵法门是贫民百姓的救星，小房子灵验无比，我女儿多年血小板减少症明显提升
2012年我女儿16岁。有一天她突然鼻子流血不止，吓坏了我们全家，赶紧带女儿去看医生。经医生验血检查后得知，女儿血小板是36，正常值为100-300。医生说，我女儿患上血液病的一种：血小板减少症。看着女儿动不动鼻子就血流不止，而且月经量增多，流血流得浑身无力，疲惫憔悴的样子，我和她爸爸心疼得不知如何是好？带女儿看西医不见效果，又去看中医，但是她的血小板就在40-50左右，不往上升，愁坏了我们全家人。特别是作为母亲的我，那种焦虑、害怕、无助，无法用语言来表达。北京各大医院中药西药吃了两三年，疗效也不佳。血小板个数一直在30-60之间徘徊。
2019年，有位师兄度孩子的姑姑学习心灵法门。她感觉受益了就跟我说：心灵法门念小房子特别灵验，很多人都是因为家里有人患病或自己患病，通过念经、许愿、放生，消业还债后都有所好转或康复，让我也帮孩子念一念。我母亲信佛，从小我就对佛教有好感。我想念念试试也行，但是我并没有天天坚持，三天打鱼两天晒网。
在2020年春节后，孩子的姑姑把我引荐给张师兄。这位张师兄也是因为她孩子患病走进心灵法门的，她验证了佛法的伟大。我俩同病相连，我十分信任她。她让我坚持做功课一个月，增加了自己的能量后再许愿念经文组合。她说这样效果好。她耐心给我讲解心灵法门的理念，教我应该怎样正确地念经、许愿、放生。她的引导增加了我的信心。我就在菩萨面前许愿：

1. 每个月都随缘放生鱼，坚持终身放生；
   
2. 初一、十五和有关佛家节日吃素，不吃活的海鲜；
   
3. 孩子病好了我现身说法，弘法度人；
   
4. 为女儿许愿在2020年年底念完108张经文组合。
   

我开始念经文组合后，有天晚上做了一个梦。梦中有人管我要159个什么东西。我说我喜欢169数字。第二天我问张师兄这个梦是什么意思。师兄说：这是要经者要小房子的数量。于是，我向菩萨许愿到2020年年底前给我自己的要经者念送169张经文组合。在我为自己念经文组合的同一时间里，因为女儿已经吃了很长时间的药，医生建议女儿的药停一停，过一段时间再吃。所以，那段时间，女儿所有的药全部停掉了。
后来听师兄说要念经文组合，超度自己堕胎的婴灵。因为堕胎的孩子走不掉很苦的，婴灵不只会使大人身体不好或事业不顺，家庭不和睦，也会找你的孩子让她身体不健康，不听话。我听后向菩萨许愿帮助两个堕胎的孩子各念49张经文组合，许愿时没有许完成时间，但我有努力地在行愿。
心灵法门太神奇了，太灵验了。我帮助堕胎的孩子念小房子没多久就梦到别人怀孕了；还有一次梦到和一个小孩儿玩得很高兴，突然他就不见了。
当我完成了我所有许的愿后，女儿的病情在2021年有所好转。之后，我就一直帮助女儿21张一拨接着一拨地念经文组合。有时间我就去放生。2022年，我许愿帮助女儿放生1200条鱼。
我女儿在2022年10月21日做血常规检查，结果各项指标都有所好转，血小板个数上升到92。拿到化验单后我们高兴得泪流满面。我们双手合十感恩大慈大悲的观世音菩萨慈悲救度！感恩心灵法门的法宝是贫民百姓的救星！感恩师父把心灵法门带到人间救苦救难，让我们离苦得乐！感恩师兄不厌其烦地帮助我和我女儿，真的是人间菩萨。
我很惭愧，算不上是精进的同修，但菩萨妈妈一直不放弃我。通过这件事情，我暗暗下决心，今后一定好好念经，修心修行，永不退转，超脱六道轮回，回到观世音菩萨的身边。
2022年，我帮先生许愿，每个月念7张经文组合，求菩萨保佑先生消业和工作顺利。菩萨慈悲，我先生的生意有所好转。前几天，先生在工地干活。地面有点空隙，泵车一条腿陷了下去，整个车身倾斜很大，但是人和车都没事儿。我想这一定是观世音菩萨慈悲护佑的结果，就像师父讲的一样，家里一人学佛能庇佑全家。
我原来的工作忙，没有多少时间念经。我很苦恼。我想来想去，祈求观世音菩萨帮助我找一份轻松点的工作，能有时间念经。观世音菩萨真的有求必应。我辞职后不久就找到了一份比以前工资还高，又有时间念经的工作，而且离家又很近。真是法喜充满。在佛菩萨慈悲护佑下有说不完的好事。
我希望我的分享能够唤醒在佛门外不信佛的人们早日得闻佛法，捧起经书学佛念经。希望唤醒不坚持念经的师兄们。精进是学佛的根，佛度有缘人。千万不要因为惰性而让自己成为无缘众生。倘若渐行渐远，渐渐离开了佛菩萨，也许就没有机会再回头了。要让自己的生命真正有价值，那就是修道了生脱死。人身难得，佛法难闻，人生无常，所以要常行精进。心灵法门的五大法宝真的能够解决生活中的实际问题，能够改变我们的命运！
再次感恩南无释迦牟尼佛！感恩南无大慈大悲救苦救难广大灵感观世音菩萨摩诃萨！感恩十方三世一切诸佛菩萨及龙天护法金刚菩萨！感恩弘法度众舍身忘我的恩师慈父卢军宏台长！
分享过程中如有不如理不如法之处，请南无释迦牟尼佛慈悲原谅！请南无大慈大悲观世音菩萨慈悲原谅！请十方三世诸佛菩萨和龙天护法菩萨慈悲原谅！请师兄们批评指正！我自己的业障自己背，不让师兄们背！
分享人：程丽娟 感恩合十
2022-11-22 收到
2023-02-25 发布
您想改变命运吗？
我们手把手传授您观世音菩萨的心灵法门五大法宝：“许愿”、“放生”、“念经”、“读《白话佛法》、大忏悔”。您将亲自见证如何通过佛法让自己及家人获得身心安定、病苦解除、冤结化解、智慧增长、学业进步、事业提升、家庭幸福。免费学习，免费结缘。
欢迎联络Lily佛友：sunnypurplelily@gmail.com
或者加Lily佛友微信：HanJing20210820
Disclaimer of Liability:
The contents of the presentation and answers, including text, images, and other information obtained from Dharma practitioners, are provided strictly for reference purposes. Due to the unique nature of individual karma, results similar to those experienced by the authors may not be replicated. The experiences and advice shared should not be construed as medical advice or a diagnosis.
In the event of an emergency, it is crucial to promptly contact your doctor or emergency services by dialing 911. Relying on any information found in the answers is done solely at your own risk. The translator and answerer bear no responsibility for the consequences. By using or misusing the contents, you accept liability for any personal injury, including death. It is imperative to exercise caution and seek professional medical guidance for health-related concerns.

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
​
Chapter 414
​
Some faces are unwelcome no matter how often they appear. For me, Lee Jeong-Ryong and Wu Hei-Xing belonged squarely in that category.
​
Nevertheless, I initiated the conversation today because Wu Hei-Xing, against all odds, looked somewhat respectable.
​
"Look who's here. I thought I'd never see you again."
​
My lively greeting earned a venomous glare from the disheveled Wu Hei-Xing.
​
「Shut up.」
​
"Oh..."
​
「One more word, and I swear on my grandfather's honor, I'll tear you to pieces.」
​
Is he Kim Jong-Il or something? I'll never understand why these guys treat their deceased ancestors' honor like a credit card. [Note: Kim Jong-Il was the previous lead of North Korea from 1997 to 2011.]
​
Keeping a straight face, I questioned him.
​
"Did you have a bad relationship with your grandfather?"
​
「What?」
​
"I mean... Why stake his honor on something so impossible? It would make more sense if you were the one getting torn to pieces..."
​
「You bastard!」
​
As Wu Hei-Xing exploded with rage and rose to his feet, Lee Jeong-Ryong intervened with a raised hand.
​
"Enough."
​
「But Mr. Lee, this bastard...」
​
"Fighting amongst ourselves before a decisive battle is completely pointless. Calm down."
​
Crrrrick.
​
Wu Hei-Xing gritted his teeth, fixing me with a hostile stare.
​
「Understood. Since you say so, Mr. Lee, I'll stop here.」
​
"Good thinking."
​
Was he always this susceptible to persuasion? I glanced sideways at Lee Jeong-Ryong, noting the subtle smile playing on his lips.
​
Mr. Choi, who had accompanied me, seemed lost in thought.
​
"What about you, Jin Tae-Kyung?"
​
Turning away from Mr. Choi, I shrugged nonchalantly.
​
"I should listen to what my elders say."
​
"I didn't think you were one to care about such things."
​
"Shouldn't all young people respect their elders?"
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong laughed softly at my casual remark, while Wu Hei-Xing looked at me as though he wished me dead.
​
「Respecting your elders. Bullshit. What about me then, seven years your elder?」
​
"If you don’t want to write a will, try opening your mouth kindly first."
​
「This damn brat...」
​
"Don't be a dick."
​
Wu Hei-Xing, reignited with anger, fell silent.
​
I stared him down with icy eyes and continued.
​
"If you still have the energy to fuss over such pettiness, you should check on the friends you brought here."
​
「...!」
​
"These are people who risked their lives to come this far. They aren't disposable tools to be discarded after one use."
​
My disdain was palpable.
​
Around Wu Hei-Xing, the remaining Hunters were barely fifty in number.
​
According to what I’d learned from headquarters, they had started with five hundred. The majority had either perished or fallen behind.
​
"It's entirely possible that they were all casualties, especially in combat. But…"
​
Despite the bloodshed around him, his armor remained almost immaculate, suggesting he had engaged minimally, preserving himself while his comrades fell.
​
"Got anything to say, idiot?"
​
I remembered a line from a classic superhero movie I watched as a child.
​
With great power comes great responsibility. And that's not just for those bitten by radioactive spiders.
​
If you're someone who can conjure Aura Blades instead of spider webs, amassing wealth and honor while shielding your misdeeds, then at least acknowledge your basic duties.
​
"You might qualify as an S-rank, but you're no Hunter. So from now on, when introducing yourself, don't say 'Hunter.' Just go with 'the lucky S-rank, Wu Hei-Xing.' Got it?"
​
「……」
​
Wu Hei-Xing stood trembling, his fists clenched, as Lee Jeong-Ryong intervened.
​
"He did his best."
​
"Seeing his armor, I doubt that. It looks so clean, you could wipe it down and bring it to a thrift store."
​
"Wearing strong armor isn't grounds for criticism."
​
"I've noticed this before... You always seem to take his side. Does this bastard have something on you?"
​
"Everyone has something. I just happen to be good at hiding mine."
​
"You might want to run a check on your computer. Who knows, maybe the Chinese hackers are sharing images of the Vice Guild Leader watching porn in their group chats."
​
"I’ll be cautious."
​
A formidable opponent indeed.
​
Unfazed, Lee Jeong-Ryong offered a slight smile, but the man behind him told a different story.
​
I gestured dismissively at the man radiating a subtle, murderous intent.
​
"Look who it is, Team Leader Seok. Isn't that our Go-Jun?"
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong’s head of security and a devoted disciple.
​
I recalled thrashing him soundly before his departure to China, yet now, he appeared not only unmarked but even more formidable.
​
His gaze alone, deeper and more intense, was a testament to his vastly improved skills.
​
'He's also grown more patient.'
​
Seok Go-Jun ranks among Lee Jeong-Ryong's most loyal followers.
​
Previously, he would have lunged at me without a second thought. Now, even brimming with murderous intent, he opted for restraint over drawing his weapon.
​
Lee Jeong-Ryong seemed proud of his disciple and announced,
​
"We've now reached just 20 kilometers from the Arch Lich, according to the coordinates."
​
I ran my hands through my sticky, blood-smeared hair.
​
"It’s going to be the longest and most intense 20 kilometers on Earth."
​
"That's right. The Arch Lich has kept a substantial force in reserve."
​
"How many?"
​
"An estimated fifty thousand."
​
At that, a wave of despair swept through the suicide squad listening intently to our conversation.
​
Combined, the forces under myself, Lee Jeong-Ryong, and Wu Hei-Xing numbered barely five hundred.
​
Even a rough estimate made the prospect of breaching an army a hundred times our size to reach the Arch Lich seem daunting, filling them with a profound dread.
​
It was likely this overwhelming fear that prompted someone to cry out,
​
「We need to retreat, now!」
​
Soon, the dam of restraint broke and other Hunters joined in.
​
「Fuck!」
​
「There are too many monsters!」
​
「We’ll be annihilated if it continues like this.」
​
「I came here to defeat the Arch Lich, not to die a dog’s death!」
​
The two hundred or so members of the Western Front's suicide squad, who had suffered minimal losses thus far, were not immune to the spreading panic.
​
Yet amidst the rising fear, two figures remained composed.
​
Shao Shen, looking at me with unwavering trust, and then...
​
"There might be a possibility."
​
Going beyond mere trust in me, Mr. Choi, having analyzed the situation independently, spoke with measured calm.
​
"An estimated fifty thousand exceeds the General Headquarter's predictions by a significant margin."
​
「So naturally, we should retreat, shouldn’t we?」
​
At a member of the suicide squad's cry, Mr. Choi immediately shook his head.
​
"And the number of monsters we've faced so far is also fewer than expected."
​
「What?」
​
"While there were many, the forces we encountered on the front weren't as overwhelming as anticipated."
​
「Then...」
​
"Maybe the Arch Lich anticipated such a scenario. Instead of committing all its forces to the front, it might have held back fifty thousand troops as a final reserve to prepare for any situation."
​
The expressions of the Hunters hardened as they listened to Mr. Choi, not from understanding his point, but from the increasingly intense vibrations underfoot.
​
Creak, creak, creak.
​
The tremors, felt even tens of kilometers away, shook everyone to their core.
​
Destroyed roads stretched beside vast plains. Through the thick fog enveloping us, the combined roars and footsteps of tens of thousands of monsters echoed as a distant, unified clamor.
​
- Roarrrrrr!
​
「This is insane...」
​
「Run. We have to run. This is a fight we can't win.」
​
Feet shuffled and retreated in panic.
​
Yet standing resolute amid this chaos were the members of the Ares Guild, and Lee Jeong-Ryong, who, facing Mr. Choi, wore an intrigued expression.
​
"So?"
​
Their gazes met in the charged air. Mr. Choi's grip on the [Hero's Soul] tightened.
​
"Even though the General Headquarter's predictions were off, the fact that the Arch Lich hasn't launched a full offensive means that his reserve strength is still on the fronts."
​
"Yet, our forces are still outnumbered by the enemy."
​
"But aren’t there people assigned to this mission with this already in mind?"
​
Creak, creak, creak.
​
The roaring and ground-shaking grew more intense. Amid the anxious murmurs of the crowd, Mr. Choi's mana-imbued voice resonated with everyone.
​
"People capable of turning the tide in an instant. People known as S-rank Hunters, each one a one-man army."
​
At that moment.
​
Swoosh!
​
A dazzling burst of light erupted overhead.
​
With the brilliant illumination, the air itself seemed to cleave, as if cut by an immense blade. Three figures appeared, descending as though they were walking down invisible steps.
​
「My great-grandmother often sat me on her knee and told me. Royalty must fulfill the duties befitting their status. Commoners like you wouldn't understand.」
​
I chuckled and bowed slightly. Normally, he’s the last person I’d choose to align with, but this time, I couldn’t resist.
​
"Your Highness, Prince Felix."
​
「Hearing it from your lips is indeed pleasant, Jin. Hunter of the East.」
​
Prince Felix's haughty demeanor prompted the beauty next to him to click her tongue.
​
「Can't you do something about him? Maybe gag him?」
​
"It seems I might have to let it slide today, sister."
​
「Oh my.」
​
Fei Chen’s eyes widened at my reply and soon, she sported a bashful smile.
​
「That's good to hear. It feels right, doesn’t it?」
​
At Fei Chen’s remark, the last person in the group laughed heartily.
​
「Does this mean I can also expect something? What do you think, Jin?」
​
"Why, would you like me to kiss you?"
​
「Oh, not bad. But I must politely decline. I'm already married to my beloved Fred, and I have five adopted children.」
​
Swoosh. Thud.
​
Gliding through the air, Magic Johnson patted my shoulder with his enormous hand.
​
「Jin, you brave little guy. How on Earth did you do such a dangerous teleport? I nearly gave up several times this go around.」
​
"But you did it in the end, Johnson."
​
「The odds were different. This time, the chance of failure was only 10%. You're at least 80% braver than me.」
​
Courage isn’t measured by size. By simply daring to come here, risking death, they had proven themselves as some of the world’s finest Hunters.
​
And as they received unexpected reinforcements, the crowd’s eyes widened in disbelief.
​
「Fei Chen?」
​
「Prince Felix and Magic Johnson are here too!」
​
「S-rank Hunters! The S-rank Hunters have come to help us!」
​
「I love you, Johnson! Fucking nice gay!」 [Note: this is not a typo. This whole line is in English in the raw.]
​
But the excitement didn’t stop there.
​
Thump, thump, thump.
​
An unfamiliar type of vibration began, unlike anything previously felt.
​
It signaled the arrival of a vast army, now visible as a speck on the horizon.
​
「You thought we came here unprepared?」
​
Fei Chen continued with a sly grin, fueling the ongoing conversation.
​
「Combined, the Western and Eastern forces number ten thousand. That should buy you enough time to escape.」
​
A voice, filled with wonder, murmured aloud.
​
「Now we can live...」
​
In response, another voice cut through the air with firm resolve.
​
"No."
​
Mr. Choi raised the [Hero's Soul].
​
Even through the dense fog, the blade gleamed with a brilliant light.
​
"Now we can win."
​
I believe so too.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Before we begin, do note that I am restricting myself in only using native Tagalog words.
This is so that I can comfortably use the Tagalog circumfix "ka-____-an" which turns a root word into an abstract noun; showcasing the "concept" part of the Paths. It's also used for addressing someone like: Your Highness (Kataasan), Your Majesty (Kamahalan) etc.
In some translations, I will try and explain the reasoning behind my choices except for the ones that are straightforward at the end.
I'm just basically doing this because I thought it would be interesting to use the circumfix ka-___-an to have some unity to the naming conventions.
Here it is:
The Abundance –> Kasanàan
The Elation –> Katuwâan
The Harmony –> Kamayawán
The Order –> Kasunúran
The Remembrance –> Kagunitaán
The Equilibrium –> Kapantayan
The Nihility –> Kawalâan
The Beauty –> Kagandahan
The Hunt –> Katugisán
The Permanence –> Kalagián
The Enigmata –> Kabugtungan
The Destruction –> Kawasakán
The Finality –> Kawakasan
The Erudition –> Katalisikan
The Enigmata –> Kabugtungan
The Voracity –> Kasibaán
The Preservation –> Kasatilihán
The Propagation –> Kalaganapán or Kayabungán
The Trailblaze –> Kaagtasan or Kabagtasan
The Abundance –> Kasanàan
This word means Abundance with the association of hell. I used this word because of this Reddit comment that made it perfect as the translation.
It also has a similar pronunciation of the word for just abundance (kasaganahan) with both having similar syllables except for "ga" and having the stress at the penultimate syllable.
The Elation –> Katuwâan
This one might be self-explanatory as the root word just translate to "joy" but I picked this out of the other synonyms for "happy" in Tagalog because its proto-austronesian meaning is "luck". So, yes. I picked that one because of that one Aventurine conversation.
The Harmony –> Kamayawán
I struggled with this one because I kept trying to look for a word that has the "musical" and "oneness" connotation of the original word.
I kept trying to look for a word that's commonly used but then gave up and just ask my mom if she has an idea and that's where the word "mayaw" came from.
She said it means getting along with others. So I check an online Tagalog dictionary and it states:
má·yaw adjective (old tagalog)
1.voices are one or have harmony.
It also gained a new meaning in the Maugnayin Science Dictionary Filipino-English as the word for "cosmos".
The Order –> Kasunúran
This one I'm entirely not confident on; as it's hard to find a word that's narrow in meaning, but still similar, to the word I picked for Harmony.
I'm unsuccessful so I just picked the word for " to follow (sunód)" because if you used that with the "ka-___-an" circumfix it has the connotation of a list of "orders" to follow.
The Remembrance –> Kagunitaán
This one I picked instead of the more common word for "memory (ala-ala)" because it has a broader meaning and much shorter than ala-ala.
The Equilibrium –> Kapantayan
The root word just mean equal or fair (pantáy).
The Nihility –> Kawalâan
I didn't used the shortened "Kawalán", even though they have the same root word for "nothing (walâ)", because more people associate that with the void or space. Also it makes it sound more like an abstract word than Kawalán.
The Beauty –> Kagandahan
The root word just means beauty (gandá).
The Hunt –> Katugisán
The root word just means hunt (tugis).
The Permanence –> Kalagián
The root word means "always (lagì)". I'm iffy about this one as it doesn't have the same weight for me as Permanence. I could also use the word for before (dati) since according to dictionaries its synonym with permanent, I think? But honestly I prefer Kalagián more than the other one.
The Destruction –> Kawasakán
I picked this word because I want it to be similar to the word that I picked for Finality. Since it was, I think, mentioned in the game that The Destruction has the possibility to get absorbed to The Finality because the latter is more broader in concept.
The Finality –> Kawakasan
Same explanation as The Destruction. Are the two words even cognate/doublet with each other?
The Erudition –> Katalisikan
I used this word instead of the word for knowledge (dunong) or intellect (talino) because the word "talisik" means " a knowledge that's obtained from rigorous study and also the closest to the word "erudite (matalisik)". Which best describes the followers of Nous.
The Enigmata –> Kabugtungan
I have to actually look up the etymology of the word Enigmata to find a suitable translation for it. It means "to speak in riddles" which pairs up nicely to the Tagalog word for "riddle (bugtóng)".
The Voracity –> Kasibaán
For this one I just search about the Tagalog version of the seven deadly sins and picked the word for gluttony.
The Preservation –> Kasatilihán
I got the word (satili) from the word for preserve (panatili). I think the root word " tili " is not used in Tagalog anymore that's why it always has an affix when used in a sentence. Even if the word " tili " means a "state of permanency" the way it's derived terms used it to mean preserve is still possible since it is a verb:
Wiktionary States that: the prefix sa- is used to denote a method or means to a purpose, ‎sa- + ‎puso (“heart”) → ‎sapuso (“act of having put to heart”)
The Propagation –> Kalaganapán o Kayabungán
The word "laganap" means spreaded-out.
Since the word Propagation is linked to agriculture, another great translation is the word for "thriving; abundant growth; foliage; plentiful foliage (yabong)"
The Trailblaze –> Kaagtasan o Kabagtasan
This is the one I struggled the most as I keep thinking of a word that would fit the context of the game.
Since I can't just take the word "trail + blaze" and word-for-word translate it as that would be clunky. I opted for the other original name in Chinese in the Aeon wiki page.
When I search for the individual meaning of the Chinese characters "开拓" I got was "to open or break". Which tells me nothing.
I, then, thought of looking for other English words that are close to the meaning of Trailblaze. That's where I got the word "Pathfinding" and then google the Tagalog word for it which is "aktas" meaning "to open or to make a new path". Which is perfect and I just chose the other pronunciation of it "agtas" because it's close to the word "bagtas (to traverse)".
Man, I really wish games like this gets a Tagalog translation and I'm not even asking for a dub, just the text like in some other available languages in the game.

Please don’t come for me!! I’m a big fan and collect all her books and will always read them. Please don’t tell me “just don’t read them” the books were very comforting to me at a time I needed them but that doesn’t mean I can’t be open to discussion about her recent work and how her new direction or perhaps rush to put out books might be affecting quality.
I’m part of her Facebook group as well; which is strictly a fan page.
Spoilers ahead !
Here goes:
First becomes its top of mind- there are more cameo mentions in this book than any other- including from the Twisted Series. I get happy when I see them but I think sometimes they’re sprinkled in randomly by name only and it’s very fan-service-like. It’s a great way to show how well the characters are doing years after the fact but more detailed scenes would make sense because yes, the AH fans love cameos.
Jule’s name was tossed around as a lawyer handling some of Xavier’s things but in the future I hope AH writes more compelling small cameo mentions, otherwise we’ll get conversations like “I have to go, I have a doctor’s appointment…Dr.Josh Chen, haven’t you heard, he’s the most up and coming doctor in town ! I had to practically beg Christian Harper to get me an appointment.”
But for the main characters: I guess I expected Sloane to be a character who looked like Bridget but with the personality of Jules. Instead she behaved exactly like Allesandra, Isabel and Vivian. Speaking of Bridget, the bubbly Queen of Eldora was more icy than Sloane (the series' designated Ice Queen) and she was supposed to be Rhy's sunny counterpart. We were constantly TOLD how icy and emotionless she was and never really shown it. Instead, we find out she's actually insecure and has a lot of issues, which yes is realistic to how Ice Queens typically form their avoidant personalities, but it would have been great to see a few chapters of her being icy before we peel the layers and find out why she puts up these icy walls.
If the book was supposed to be about how she’s NOT the ice queen people think she is…that wasn’t exactly shown either. She does admit it herself that she is icy, just hates that she is and hates being called that.
Xavier is the Jojo Siwa of bad boys. He was a bad boy, he did some bad things. The things that made him Colombia’s biggest bad boy with a bad boy reputation known all over the word: Parties with other rich kids, spends his wealthy father’s money, refuses to behave at publicity events like galas, refuses to inherit his family’s company, gets into shenanigans that land him in a night in jail with other rich kids, got a tattoo of his family rival’ crest….this one’s more stupid than “sticking it to his family”, slept around with whether model/It Girl was around. In the words of Phoebe Buffay “Okay, who hasn’t?!” Even Jules, Ava and Stella have landed themselves in jail after some shenanigan gone wrong. It’s clear that despite being a “spicy” book, AH created a Disney character version of a bad boy.
I feel like Ana forgot how to write from the male's POV after the Twisted series ended. The point of the dual POV is that you feel like you're reading two different people's POV, and honestly it all just blends together. I think Josh's book (Twisted Hate) was the best example of a male's perspective and thoughts/dialogue that a guy in that situation would be saying.
I noticed since King of Greed at least, these Alpha males have been carrying dialogue that mention the most ridiculous things that "Alpha billionaire" males wouldn't even notice. Example: In King of Greed, when Dominic makes a comment about the expression a Chinese food delivery person makes when he realizes he just dropped off a ton of food for two people.....I think that was an Ana Huang thought, not a Domenic thought. While we’re at it, Domenic was just as bad a Xavier…. Dante was the last good “Alpha” she wrote and Kai was such a different character (modeled clearly after the lead in Crazy Rich Asians) that he was hard to mess up ..
The Spanish in King of Sloth was important given the character's background, but felt like it was written with Google Translate. It felt very formal and boring, and doesn't feel like a Spanish-language consultant was brought in to make sure the random sentences and random Spanish words made sense. It was giving the same energy as the Netflix original shows that are set in Los Angeles neighborhoods and the writer's idea of Spanglish is sprinkling random Spanish words into English sentences. There was a little Spanish dialogue in Twisted Games that was way less cringier- maybe because the Spanish was in full sentences and then translated right after….. Latino English speaking people don’t add random “Tios” or “hermano” to their sentences. Look up @Leogonzall “how Latinos talk in movies” videos to see a visual representation of how the Spanish dialogue in these books feel.
Some random things that appear in every single book: - "A thought niggling......" - A table groaning under the weight of food - The first kiss consists of the male's mouth "crashing" into the female's - Every single female character has parental and sibling issues of some sort. - Every male character has parental/abusive parents of some sort. I'm beginning to feel like AH cannot write complex characters that don't rely solely on parental drama, as relatable as it can be...not counting her "If Love..." series, we've seen this 7 times in a row, for EACH main character. So twice per book, for 7 books ! Formulas are one thing, but copy and pasting is another.

• Ana Huang writes parents and siblings the way Amy Sherman-Palladino writes children in Gilmore Girls, just very one-dimensional and for the plot.
  
• Except for Isabel's good relationship with one of her brothers, Alessandra (and Ava and Josh) every female character has severe sibling drama, usually a case where their sibling is an over-achiever and conforms to their parent's expectations (and that's horrifying because it affects the main character and not because that sibling is also a victim that may have used conformity to survive their abusive parents actions)
  

Things I wanted to learn more about Sloane other than the same repetitive things over and over

• How she started her PR agency and the staff she hires- what a girl boss! We only get a vague background about how she started her agency but nothing about how she built experience prior, and how she managed to build a reputation to become one of the best PR agencies in the world. We just have to take the author's word for it, and there's been so much build-up of Sloane in the three previous books. She’s extremely well connected and good at her job- but we get zero background about how she got there except that she worked hard, and came from a rich family.

We don’t even really know how Isabel, Sloane and Vivian became such close friends. At least the Twisted girls were suitemates in college. Alessandra gets added to the group later but if anyone knows how they original three became such besties, please let me know because I must have missed it despite re-reading them.

• I always imagined Sloane having a luxury apartment in NYC, something completely immaculate and stone-cold and awesome like her personality. We hear nothing about her apartment despite so many scenes taking place there.
  
• We didn't get that many scenes of Sloane doing anything by herself…anything she cool she eats or wears or anything. I feel we got more of these smaller details about the heroines in the earlier books. At least we had a few scenes of Stella eating croissants and green smoothies- it was cute ! ☺️
  
• I think Sloane got the Stella treatment- Both heroines's have been teased since the first book in the series but were a bit lackluster once the book came out.
  

The things I enjoyed about KOS and Ana Huang books in general

• I really like that AH gives her characters a signature scent/flavor- I think Vivian was described smelling like apples, Alessandra smelled like lilies and rain or something. I can’t recall the others. She also gives certain “elements” to characters- like Sloane being pale like the moon, icy, etc. Christian Harper was like whiskey and fire, etc.
  
• The world building in NYC and DC and other countries.
  
• the friendships and the conversations between the girls.
  
• I love the scenes that take place in both DC and NYC - they feel so cosmopolitan but I feel we no longer get smaller details about the weather, street details, etc - we got plenty more of this in Twisted Hate and Twisted Games...even details about it being a misty or cold day, make a huge difference in creating imagery in the reader's mind.
  
• The Valhalla scenes are typically entertaining and beautifully written, it's clear how lovely and gorgeous this country club is.
  
• Any cameos where Alex shows up, are well-written. I think Twisted Love was one of her strongest books, so it makes sense he's one of her strongest characters who is stable and can carry any appearance.
  

The bits:
-Not only does the flesh of Chaos marines fuse with their armor, but their minds also fuse with the machine spirits of their wargear. A Chaos Marine's armor will mutate and be reshaped by the Warp taint to reflect his obsessions and their affinity/allegiance to the gods of Chaos.
-Following the Scouring and the exile to the Eye of Terror, none of the Traitor Primarchs were interested in unifying the Traitor Legions. Mortarion and Lorgar mostly shunned Real Space. Mortarion busied himself in reshaping his Daemon world into an image of his destroyed homeworld Barbarus. Lorgar self-exiled himself to the Daemon world of Sicarus. Magnus focused his attention on curing his legion from their curse of mutation. Fulgrim lost himself in a spiral of excess and pleasure. Perturabo fixated on pursuing his vendetta with the Imperial Fists rather than the pursuit of grand conquest. And so with no unifying leader, the traitor legions were fragmented by infighting and the cruel whims of the Chaos Gods.
-When Abaddon rose as Warmaster, he resolved to learn from the mistakes of his genesire. He swore to never bend the knee to the gods of Chaos, and to never sell his soul to them no matter how tempting their offers of powers. Abaddon refused to surrender his morality for immortal power and guarded it well.
-The 13th Black Crusade hasn't ended. It's reaching its peak in the Indomintus Era. Though Cadia had fallen, the war for the Cadian Gate continues. Furthermore, Abaddon is expanding his warfront elsewhere such as the Nachmund Gauntlet. These are but a few of the schemes Abaddon seeks to enact to topple the Imperium. Should Abaddon succeed in them then the power of Chaos will be unleashed from the Warp toward Terra itself.
-With each conquest, Abaddon paved a path toward Terra. However, what was unknown for the rest of the galaxy was his plan to unpick the veil between the Materium and the Warp. For thousands of years under the cover of false objectives and even entire Black Crusades Abaddon sought out and destroyed the Pylons wherever he found them. Sometimes he did so personally, other times via his agents, or by using the Planet Killer and the Blackstone Fortresses.
-The Fall of Cadia was the culmination of Abaddon's millennia-spanning grand plan, a plan that tied together the events of Pandorax, the Siege of Fenris, and others. The Great Rift was born, flooding the galaxy with the stuff of the Warp. Acting as his vanguard the traitor legions and renegade warbands smashed their way through the Cadian Gate and emerged on the other side. The traitor forces brought destruction and bloodshed to world after world empowering the Warp and causing the daemonic legions to follow in their wake. Invasion after invasion, the Crimson Path expands toward Terra.
-The Chaos Gods and their legions believe that the fall of Terra and the destruction of the Emperor would be the ultimate prize, the conclusion of the war between the Materium and the Immaterium. Yet, Terra's fall is one part of Abaddon's plan for vengeance, not the end. Abaddon is aware that the ultimate victory of the Chaos Gods would be bad for his mortal self so he has no intention of depending on the Chaos Gods in achieving the victory he seeks. For now, Abaddon is all too content to have the forces of Chaos carve a path toward Terra.
-In the Age of the Great Rift, the forces of Chaos are prowling the stars in numbers not seen since the HH. Not even the Imperium Sanctus is safe from their wrath. However, it's in the Imperium Nihilus where they are at their strongest. Isolated from each other and shorn from the guiding light of Terra, the isolated bastions of the Imperium are being beset by the forces of Chaos from within and without. The overstretched defenders of the Imperium still valiantly attempt to stem the overwhelming tides of Chaos, chief among them are Dante and the returned Primarch the Lion who rage against the encircling darkness. Yet their efforts are nothing but futile gestures. Candles of hope set before a raging inferno of hate.
-Roboute launched the Indomintus Crusade to save the Imperium from collapse yet even this colossal assemblage of Imperial might cannot hope to repel every Chaos incursion. Conflicts are flaring up in every Segmentum of the Imperium and in each the influence of the Despoiler can be felt.
-Though Chaos is ascendant gutted on conquest and slaughter, Abaddon knows that he must maintain the momentum of his Black Crusade by feeding it constant conquests and victories or else risk his forces fragmenting before he could topple the Imperium.
-Abaddon and the Black Legion value value renegades from the Space Marine chapters who join their ranks. These turncoats bring them an abundance of information about the Imperium and its defenders allowing Abaddon's formidable intellect to fashion accurate and complex plans that inflict the maximum damage to the Imperium. In the past it allowed the Black Legion to deceive sector fleets, steal geneseed from loyalist chapter strongholds, and strike at key industrial zones.
-Lord Iordax Quan is one of the most singularly dedicated Black Legion commanders to the cause of destroying the Imperium. His focus on the Long War resulted in him rejecting the blessings of the Dark Gods and surrounding himself with fellow true veterans of the Long War whose thirst for vengeance remains undimmed. His focus, his dedication, has led to Abaddon deploying him to crucial warzones. He is currently serving in the Cadian system purging the last Imperial holdouts.
-Solomon Akurra the character from Mike Brooks' novel "Harrowmaster" is mentioned in the codex. Akurra had seized control of the Serpent Teeth's warband and now commands the mobile Star Fort the Unseen. He gathered around him a loose alliance of Alpha Legion warbands that he dubbed the Ghost Legion. In his burning desire to take the fight to the Imperium, he is exploiting the sorry state of the Imperium to add to its misery. Using his strategic mind and the sinister skills of the Alpha Legion, Akurra had deceived entire systems to swear allegiance to the Ghost Legion further destabilizing the Imperium. The majority of the Psyphos subsector is now under his rule. Yet this is merely the start of the seeds of anarchy he will plant in Segmentum Pacificus.
-When the Great Rift opened, the three stars of a system close to the galactic core and bordering the territories of the Greater Thurian League were swallowed up by the expanding Warpstorm known to the Kin as Orgvayr. The surging Warp energy resulted in the trio of stars going supernova at the same time creating a nebula of tainted clouds of astral debris riddled with Warp rifts which acted as refuge for many Chaos warbands including the Iron Warrior warband known as Abrial's Claw. The determined Iron Warriors took to besieging the mighty strongholds of the Kin and several fell before them.
-The short story "The Traitor's Tarot" from the 9th ED CSM codex is again here in the 10th Ed codex. They added four images to accompany the paragraphs that described the heretical artwork. I appreciate rereading the short, it's a good story but I would have very much liked a new story to come with the new codex. You get me?
-Traitor fleets have no fear of the raging tides of the Warp. They sail through and from even the hearts of Warpstorms. The remarkable ease with which the heretics are navigating the turbulent Warp makes it seem that the hands of the Chaos Gods protect them as they emerge over their prey worlds. Within the darkness of the Imperium Nihilus, the traitors have enacted butchery and atrocity of epic proportions on the isolated worlds of the Imperium. The luckiest of their victims are those who meet quick ends. Those who survive face a fate worse than death at the hands of the heretics.
-Worse still for humanity, within Nihilus many of the traitors' unnatural abilities and blessings are being empowered. Their wargear swell and blaze with the power of the Chaos Gods and their sorcery are reaching new levels of dark majesty and potency.
-The isolation of Imperial territories in the Imperium Nihilus made many Imperial worlds and systems believe that they are the last of humanity. Some broke off from Imperial rule and transformed into their own kingdoms and nations. The decline of Imperial faith soon saw these independent realms and worlds rot from the inside out as the insidious whispers of daemons spread to the populace and Chaos cults flourished.
-Traitor empires are rising in the Imperium Nihilus. Worlds that had once served the Imperium now fuel the warbands and legions of Chaos with their resources and industry. Abaddon has a hand in the creation and location of some of these heretical empires. It's unknown whether these empires are part of some scheme of his or are merely a vision of a galaxy under his rule.
-Vashhtorr's origins are unknown, forgotten by history. It's possible he was created by the technological and scientific advancements of the DAoT, spawned by the galaxy-shaping technology of the Old Ones, or came to being when primitives first mastered fire and created sharp tools.
-Vashtorr and Perturabo enjoy a beneficial but less than friendly relationship with each other. They cooperated in many nightmarish projects. The Daemon Primarch has regularly allied his Iron Warrior warbands with the Arkifane.
-Wyrmwood is a perversion of the tunneling devices used by the Old Ones to create the Webway. It's the Key for the Lock of a vault that contains a godly weapon capable of altering the fate of the galaxy. In search for the lock, Wyrmwood carves its way through the Webway and Real Space in an insane pattern known only to Vashtorr. Wyrmwood is unrestrained by the laws of time and space. The Imperial agents are struggling to catch up to Wyrmwood as it emerges into sectors across the breadth of the galaxy. The daemon world is crossing vast tracks of space in mere hours, that would have taken Imperial fleets months to sail through. By the time Imperial fleet heeded distress calls and arrived at Wyrmwood's reported location, the daemonic world engine would have long departed having left behind nothing but ruined worlds and tears in reality.
-Even the Asuryani, who are enraged at the corruption of the Webway technology and fearful of the damage Wyrmwood will inflict on the Webway tunnels, are struggling to track down Wyrmwood. Their seers are unable to crack the code of Vashtorr's insane search pattern. Only Craftworld Altansar, due to their bitter experience with the Warp and its mutilation of reality, are making progress in tracking Wyrmwood. However, thus far, the Asuryani's efforts to draw Vashtorr into battle were met with dismal failure.
-Reports hint that Wyrmwood is about to appear in the Pariah Nexus. Other reports hint that it will appear in the Ghoul Stars. What is certain is that nowhere is safe from Vashtorr's wrath.
-Vashtorr is a timeless being. Linear time is of no consequence to him. While the efforts of his foes might delay his search, he will have his prize sooner or later.
-Vashtorr has near limitless control over technology. The nature and origin of the technology do not matter to Vashtorr, his understanding is without limit. Vashtorr can unmake or take control of any device created by mortal hands with a mere gesture.
-Within the superstructures of the Soul Forges nests the daemon engines known as the Venomcrawlers. They hunt and down devour daemonic entities that get discarded by Warpsmith and Masters of Possessions. The raging essences of these consumed entities power the daemon engines' weapons. When daemonic prey becomes lacking Venomcrawlers start hunting the Soul Forges' heretic marine masters to keep themselves fed.
-The Dark Mech provides the hosts of Chaos with armor, weapons, daemon engines, and even battle fleets. Without the Dark Mech the armies of Chaos might grind to a halt.
-While the physical shells of captured Imperial war machines are desecrated and reshaped into horrific forms, their machine spirits are sent to the Soul Forges within the Warp to be driven to madness.
-Some Soul Forges are rumored to predate mankind, that they are eternal and ruled over by unknowable entities.
-The captive daemons are dragged screaming by ropes fashioned from the hair of murderers and chains of bones into the Soul Forges where Warpsmiths bind them into daemon engines and then bludgeon them to submission with runic wards and rituals.
-Abaddon is not only feared by the High Lords of Terra. Within the halls of the greatest Xenos Empires, the Warmaster's name invokes fear.
-So mighty has Abaddon become after 10K years that only the Daemon Primarchs could challenge his position. Yet these figures are too focused on their pursuits to risk war with the Despoiler and his vast legion.
-Only Abaddon can unite the forces of Chaos. To do so is a continuous fight for the Warmaster especially when marshaling allied forces whose allegiance belongs to their gods alone. Getting these opposing servants of the Chaos Gods to set aside their rivalries not only for a short period of time but for years is proof of his supreme willpower and the high regard and fear felt toward him by the traitors even by those who hate him and wish him to fail.
-Haarken was once a Night Lord. His ruthlessness saw him rise to the command of the Night Lord warband known as the Gloomtalons. Haarken would lead his warband into raids on the worlds of the Imperium. He would always proclaim his coming victory and a world's doom on the vox broadcasts before leading his formation of raptors through the night sky to butcher any who foolishly resists and make examples of them. Haarken would kidnap the leaders of Imperial worlds and give them the choice of swearing fealty to him or suffering a prolonged agonizing death. Through a network of spies, Haarken ensured the Imperial leaders who bowed before him were kept in line. Thus Haarken grew rich in wealth and plunder. However, despite his successes as a pirate and raider, he found no satisfaction. He felt empty. His black heart yearned to strike a lasting blow against the Imperium.
-Haarken prayers were answered when Abaddon's attention fell on him. During the muster for the fifth Black Crusade, Abaddon offered the Haarken the honor of fighting alongside his Black Legion. Abaddon was straightforward with Haarken. He did not promise Haarken riches and plunder but the chance to strike a telling blow against the hated Imperium. And if he served well Abaddon would grant him further chances to bleed the Imperium. It was as if Abaddon peered through Haarken's soul and fulfilled his deepest desires. Haarken then and there knew he was standing before greatness, a warlord with the strength, charisma, and vision to bring the Imperium crashing down.
-During the battle for the city of Kasyr Lutein, Haarken and his Gloomtalons flew ahead of Abaddon and his Black Legion. Haarken unleashed unspeakable acts of violence and terror on the defenders of the city. The demoralized Imperials were annihilated by the combined might of the Black Legion and the Night Lords.
-Ultimately, the Fifth Black Crusade came to an end and the traitors were forced back to the Eye of Terror. However, the Imperials paid a terrible price to do so and the Elysian sector was ravaged. Having witnessed firsthand the supreme might and leadership of Abaddon, Haarken bent the knee to the Despoiler and donned the black and gold of the Black Legion. Since then Haarken carved a place for himself among the vanguard of the Black Legion eventually earning himself the title of the Worldclaimer for the countless worlds he conquered in the name of Abaddon.
-Abaddon acknowledged the loyalty and good service of Haarken by bestowing upon him the title of the "Herald of the Apocalypse" and the Helspear, a weapon that befits his new position as Abaddon's mouthpiece.
-Haarken is wholly devoted to Abaddon and his cause. From the Nachmund Gauntlet, he is committed to tearing a path toward the Sol system. He yearns for the day when he would drive his spear into Terra's surface and proclaim the end of the rule of the False Emperor.
-The Iron Warriors honor the Chaos Gods as a pantheon, though few among their number are truly devoted. Their true loyalty belongs to their Daemon Primarch whom they believe saved them from being sacrificed by the Emperor.
-Many Chaos warlords look down on the methods of Alpha Legion, but Abaddon does not. Abaddon appreciates their skills and makes good use of them. More than once the Warmaster employed the Alpha Legion to sow discord and anarchy before his invading fleets. However, Abaddon knows that the Alpha Legion are dangerous allies for their goals and true motivations are closely guarded secrets.
-Despite the revulsion and mistrust Abaddon feels toward the Word Bearers for reminding him of the shameful depths Horus fell into in his worship of the Chaos Gods. he had made common cause with them on many occasions. The effectiveness of the Word Bearers as warriors, both possessed or not, is something the Warmaster cannot deny. It's a source of strength he cannot afford to discard. Lorgar for his part sees Abaddon as a tool to spread the Word of the Ruinous Powers to the very heart of the Imperium.
-Most Night Lords do not seem to worship the Chaos Gods in the same degree as the other traitor Legions. They fight only for material gain and personal pleasure. They look down on fanatical marines, be they worshipers of Dark Gods or the False Emperor. They place their respect not in faith but in strength, strength and terror.
-The Night Lords will fight for any cause as long as the plunder is good and they have ample opportunity to inflict as much bloodshed and anguish as they can. This made some Night Lords warbands pledge their service to alien warlords.
-After the birth of the Great Rift, the Red Corsairs have become experts in navigating the border regions between Warpstorms and Real Space. They established secret bases in the liminal zones. One of them is a significantly large base called the Tyrant's Gate in the Imperium Nihilus. Every sin and vice is indulged on that world. The world is orbited by weapon shops, docks, and defense platforms. Within the Warp, a sorcerous anchorage allows the battleships of Chaos to translate directly from and to the planet's orbit swiftly.
-Imperial reports that Huron Blackheart was spotted in two Segmentums at once seem to all but confirm that he struck some sort of bargain with the Chaos Gods.
-In exchange for his skill, Fabius had struck bargains with Chaos warlords, including the Daemon Primarch. He favours no client over the other, not even his gene-father.
-In recent years, Fabius has acquired samples from the Primaris marines and the Custodes. What he intends to do with them is unknown.
-The daemon Q'o'ak the Boundless is said to have drawn the ire of his master Tzeentch by meddling in his plans. To rid himself of Q'o'ak's ceaseless meddling, Tzeentch bound him to a weapon. Each time the weapon clashes with an enemy blade, the enemy falls victim to Q'o'ak temporal tampering. How Q'o'ak traverses time while imprisoned within the weapon remains unknown but with each soul he pulls from the web of fate a fresh plume manifests from the weapon's hilt.
Emeys Varran, the Apostle of Discordance, is unusually zealous in his devotion to Dark Gods for a trusted lieutenant of Abaddon. Despite his zealous faith in the Chaos Gods, Varran's true loyalty lies with Abaddon and the Black Legion. He is one of the Warhamer's few trusted confidants. Varran holds an intense and violent hatred toward the Sisters of Battle after losing his left eye to a neural wipe during the siege of the Chaos Knight World of Dharrovar. Abaddon dispatched Varran to aid Haarkin in seizing control of the Nachmund Gauntlet.
The Vashtorr and Black Legion vs T'au short story:
The world that Vashtorr manifested upon had a half-destroyed ancient city. Within the city was a temple whose structure was etched with daemonic scripture. This was Vashtorr's target. The T'au presence on the world was an unexpected complication. The T'au were giving the traitor and heretic forces stiff resistance and barring their way to the temple. The T'au in their determination to cling to the world had littered the battlefield with the Black Legion dead. Yet Vashtorr knew that the mortals' resistance was futile. Wyrmwood was entering into alignment over the world and it would seal their doom.
As Wyrmwood completed its alignment, the planet's surface quaked and monolithic structures erupted from the earth. This disordered the T'au lines and forced them into a fighting retreat. The Black Legion and Vashtorr's tech cultists pressed the attack.
Vashtorr could sense the call of the Warp-tainted relic, how it begged for release. He made his way to the temple but found T'au stubbornly standing between him and it. The Black Legionaries, daemonic engines empowered by Vashtorrr and his servants, and a horde of cultists fell on the T'au. Vashtorr himself joined the fray. With a gesture, he turned the energy of a force field that protected a squad of fire warriors against them. The fire warriors screamed as their armor melted and their skin was seared. The Black Legion marines finished off the reeling survivors with their chainaxes and bolter stocks.
T'au reinforcements sent from their orbiting fleet joined the battle. Battlesuits, tanks, hovering barricades, and aircraft plunged from the skies. The firepower of the T'au scythed through cultists and marines alike.
Vashtorr waded into the T'au lines with his hammer, pulping and smashing the Xenos aside. With a gesture, he unmade a T'au skimmer from within causing it to crash into a trio of battlesuits and explode. Through the flames, he strode toward the temple's entrance only to find his way barred again.
A T'au suit descended down in front of Vashtorr. Its pilot uttered a warcry before shooting Vashtorr. The shots impacted Vashtorr causing him to stagger back slightly. Vashtorr examined his form where the shots were hitting him. His daemon flesh was being burned away revealing the cogs beneath and his form was flickering.
Vashtorr extended his wings and was carried toward his Xenos foe by unholy energies. As he fell upon the battlesuit he projected his voice into its communication system telling the pilot that he was being so proud of the ingenuity of his technology, he was so reliant on the mechanical.
Vashttorr smashed down the battlesuit with his hammer and hit it again and again until he cracked its armor. Then pinned it down with his hoof. From his form tentacles emerged and wormed their way into the suit. Vashtorr poured a fragment of his power into the battlesuit and willed it to be unmade. Even though the pilot's soul was weak and small, he could still feel their fear.
Vashtorr stepped away from the battlesuit's wreckage and strode again toward the temple. As ever mortal resistance was nothing more than obstacles to be overcome by a being of infinite patience such as he. He will find the Lock and then reality itself will tremble before him.

Hi everyone,
Here's the summary/outline for the second half of Day 2 of Safe House. Sorry again for the length; they did a lot of talking-based activities today, and I wanted to try to translate and explain a good portion of it for you all. Hope this helps!
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/GkCLXss5hHI?feature=shared

• They're relaxing and playing Uno when we join them
• 15:30 PD asks Earth to go collect some snacks from the front door (sponsored by Snack Jack)
• 18:30 Earth starts reading the directions for the next medal game (also sponsored by Snack Jack. King of the Day divides everyone into two teams of 4. Each team in charge of "protecting" one flavour of Snack Jack. One person from Team A will sit blindfolded and try to protect the Snack Jack while all members of Team B will have two minutes to try to retrieve the Snack Jack while wearing bells on their bodies to make their movements louder. The blindfolded person can order everyone in Team B to move and stop, and each time they call stop, they have the opportunity to make one shot with a water gun. If they successfully hit a member of Team B, that person is eliminated from the competition. If someone from Team B successfully retrieves one bag of Snack Jack, opens it, and eats one piece, then Team B wins. If this has not been completed within the two minutes, Team A wins. The person with the water gun can only shoot up to 10 times in total during the 2 minutes. The team positions will change and they will play again. If both teams successfully steal, the team that steals the soonest within the 2 minutes wins. Winners get one medal each
  • 20:15 Luke decides to pick his team based on the three lowest-scoring people on the ranking board, hoping that he can help carry them to a victory and help them get one medal
  • 23:00 They go to the play zone/pool area and start strategising. Team B will attempt to steal first, and Luke will be the blindfolded person from Team A. There's some brief confusion about which flavoucolour each team is supposed to protect and steal.
  • 28:30 PD helps to go over the rules one more time and serves as the referee. Everyone on the stealing team needs to start by touching one of the walls of the room. Blindfolded person has to spin five times before the game begins.
  • 31:30 Luke didn't know that the eliminated people have to go stand behind him, so he mistakenly shoots Mix, but it doesn't count
  • 38:00 The next stealing team is strategising, and PD says that they have 15 more seconds to talk before they have to take their positions.
  • 40:00 The protecting team's "cheering" is a bit suspicious. PD asks them to be quiet, but they don't listen
• 46:00 Dinner. Menu includes soy sauce chicken with rice, pad gaprao beef with dried chili, pork gyoza, and banoffee pie for desert (in the fridge). They decide to eat directly out of the containers so there will be fewer dishes to wash. As usual, there's some awkwardness at the beginning because everyone wants to eat, but they want to think of something to talk about so the audience don't get bored
  • Dinner highlights: 55:00 They decide to exchange ghost stories tonight. Neo asks Luke if ghost stories is as much of a thing abroad as it is in Thailand. He says that he has one friend who has a personal ghost story that he can share: When Luke's friend was around 7, he was running around another friend's basement when he ran into an elderly woman doing some laundry. He later asked the parents of the house who that lady was, and they said that there's no one there, but they had an elderly maid years ago who died. So after that, the friend didn't like to go into basements anymore.
  • 58:45 Earth asks why Western ghost stories always seem to take place in attics or basements
  • 1:02:00 The guys ask if Luke has heard of the type of Thai ghost that wears old-style ceremonial clothing and does Thai traditional dance (considered very creepy).
  • 1:06:00 They bring dessert to eat outside. They get inspired to start playing on the large floating rafts in the pool while still clothed, and PD warns them to at least take off their mic packs first if they're going to do that
  • 1:14:30 They snack on some items from the seafood fridge, and then relax for a while in the area in front of the medal board. Pond gives some dance pointers.
  • 1:26:00 Some English/Thai lessons. They discuss how the direct translation of the Thai term for "living room" means "room where you sit leisurely" (or if you translate it even more literally like how Luke does, it translates to "room where you sit down and play"). Neo struggles a bit and blames it on Luke "unclear pronunciation." Luke gives some sentences for Neo (then Earth and Gun) to translate to Thai
  • 1:29:45 They think about what else to do, and they suggest several traditional Thai games, one of which is the "live fish/dead fish" that I explained previously. The topic of being blindfolded comes up, and they mention that when Luke was playing the Snack Jack game, he handled the water gun as if he were a cowboy. They start playing the live fish/dead fish game, but PD intervenes and invites them to come play the next medal game
• 1:38:30 Medal game (sponsored by the black inhalers). King of the Day will pair everyone up. Each pair will be tied together at the waist and hands, and all the pairs need to walk around the house together in order to try to find the two random mystery items somewhere around the house that have been scented with the peppermint scent of the black inhalers. The two pairs that find these two mystery items will get one medal each. Some of the pairs struggle a bit because they were smelling the inhalers too much at the beginning, so everything was smelling like peppermint to them.
• 1:51:30 Relaxing time
  • 1:55:45 Since everyone is planning to take a shower, Pond is a bit lazy to shower, and he s that his says uncle once told him that if your heart/soul are clean, your body is automatically clean, so he might use that excuse. He wants to go downstairs to make a Thai omelette (a little extra salty), but since he didn't shower in the morning, he'll shower first and then go make food.
  • 2:03:00 Small jam session in the larger bedroom
  • 2:22:00 Pond and Phuwin wish a happy birthday to P'Golf if he's watching
• 2:26:00 They do a game/activity where you answer questions and then the book will interpret aspects of your personality based on your answers. Gun reads the questions and interpretations, and the rest of the guys choose which option they want from each question
  • General statement: the answer choices are numbered 1-3 or 1-4. The numbers in Thai are 1=neung, 2=song, 3=saam, 4=see, so maybe you can hear which options each person is talking about when they're deciding which fits best with each person. Sometimes Gun also reads them as A, B, C, D.
  • 2:27:00 Question 1: When you sing karaoke with your friends, what type of song do you choose?
    • Rock: don't feel the need to overcompensate to express your uniqueness or individuality
    • Current chart hits: (Gun didn't read it because no one chose it)
    • Old songs: wants to be different/unique. You're a bit dramatic sometimes and sometimes it's like you're in a drama/lakhorn
    • Don't like to karaoke: Really wants to be unique/different. You might not be good at singing, but for the things you're good at, you're so good that people around you will compliment you and grow your ego even further
  • 2:33:45 Question 2: When you go to a roadside noodle stall, how long will you wait until you start to get a little impatient about the wait time? (as a qualifier, they make their decisions based on the assumption that the restaurant is not that crowded)
    • 3 minutes: No one chose it, but Gun read that it means that you are a bit selfish and you prioritise your needs and feelings over others'
    • 8 minutes: you have some patience (~50%). You can do a pretty decent job with enduring hardships and uncomfortable situations
    • 12 minutes: patience level ~90%. You might have a hard time believing in yourself or standing up for yourself
  • 2:37:30 Question 3: Close your eyes and imagine a bunch of flowers. What colour are these flowers? (at first, some of them didn't think of any of the listed options, or they thought of multiple colours). The guys made comments throughout this question that the interpretations were either not accurate, or that they seemed unnecessarily harsh. Hahaha. [also, this was quite a difficult question for me to translate because a lot of the words and concepts mentioned are quite specific in Thai and don't have direct/clean translations to English, but I tried to keep the translation as concise as possible, so I apologise]
    • Red: You have a high level of confidence/pride (90%). You put your full effort into everything and want to demonstrate your abilities and power. However, your level of confidence might turn out to be a bit of a curse because others won't want to be close to you
    • Purple: Confidence/pride 50%. You can think a little highly of yourself sometimes. You can hold grudges for a long time. You are probably talented in the arts.
    • Yellow: Confidence/pride 40%. You can change your mind easily and quickly. You're a little idealistic. Stay humble, and your self-confidence will grow naturally with your achievements
    • Blue: no one chose it
  • 2:42:20 Question 4: Imagine a person in your head who you might want to go and get to know (they also comment throughout that some of these interpretations are harsh or inaccurate. Like the further along in the game they get, the worse they feel about themselves. But then they realise that the name of the book they're reading means "Why is your heart cruel?" and the moral of the book is that everyone has some non-ideal qualities, etc.)
    • Colourful: no one chose it
    • Clean/classic/neat: The person in your imagination doesn't get lonely easily. They can be stubborn and demanding.
    • Trendy fashion: The person in your imagination likes to change to fit in with people around them. They get lonely easily
    • Own individual style: The person in your imagination gets lonely only sometimes. They can be serious/intense and can pull some energy from those around them
  • 2:47:40 Question 5: You're at a restaurant with a romantic partner, and you're both full. Someone brings a dessert for your romantic partner that happens to be a favourite dessert of yours. What does your partner do? (They found the question confusing, so they changed it to ask what they themselves would do. But then there was confusion about who was the person bringing the dessert, like if it's a potential romantic competitor or just the restaurant employee, etc. They never fully understood the question or agreed on the conditions of the hypothetical situation. It wasn't until Gun started reading the interpretations that they started to understand that the point of this question is basically to anticipate how likely you are to cheat in a relationship. It's not clear to anyone because the question isn't worded well, but they're interpreting it as if a potential romantic competitor handed a dessert to your romantic partner. If your partner eats it, then I suppose it means that they're not being faithful to you because eating the dessert means that they're showing the competitor that they have a chance? It's honestly a poorly worded question, and everyone was still confused at the end)
    • Don't touch it at all
    • Try it a little bit ("nit neung" in Thai so you guys can understand what they're discussing)
    • Eat half of it
    • Eat all of it
  • 2:55:30 Neo reads Question 6: if you and a romantic partner are feeding animals, which animal would you both choose to feed?
    • Snake: no one chose it
    • Tiger: You do everything fully; if you want to do something, you do it. You might prefer romantic partners who are older than you
    • Elephant: You are chill and easy-going. You hope that you can find someone supportive
    • Monkey: You prefer to be friends first before becoming romantic partners
  • 2:59:00 Question 7: If you're travelling out of town with someone you're romantically interested in, which method of travel do you choose? (it doesn't specify how far you're going)
    • High-speed train: Your prospective partner wants you
    • Train: no one chose it
    • Car: You and your partner want to get to know each other better
    • Plane: Your partner wants you to be more bold and wants to spend more time with you
  • 3:02:00 Question 8: If you and a romantic partner are walking up a mountain to admire a view together, what view would you most want to see? (this question is more explicit than they're openly talking. They're basically talking about sexual preferences and making innuendoes, but censoring as they go)
    • Sunrise
    • Another mountain
    • City scape
    • A cloudy/foggy cover scene
• 3:06:00 Relaxing time. Pond still wants Thai omelette like he did before, so he and Phuwin go to the kitchen to make one.
• 3:15:30 Fan Talk
  • Group 1 Highlights: Most of them stayed up late talking last night because they haven't seen each other in a while. Mix slept earliest and also woke up one of the earliest. Their throats are still sore from the chicken sounds competition from the morning. They playfully tease Luke about being King of the Day, like how it's easier for people in larger bodies to make louder sounds, and also that apparently American chickens sound weird. They mention how he was thoughtful to pick the three lowest-scoring people to be his team later so he could try to help them get a medal. They recapped the black inhaler game and said that the ones who smelled them too much before starting the game couldn't smell anything because the smell was lingering too strongly in their noses. Neo also talks about how the others pranked him to push him into the pool earlier. They're feeling increasingly more comfortable with each other, so they're looking forward to seeing how their relationships develop throughout the rest of the week. At around 3:22:00, Neo mentions that before, he thought Mix was quieter and "cooler" than how he's shown himself to actually be these two days. They are a bit surprised at Luke as well because he can switch between super playful moods and super serious moods when it's time for competition because he really wants to win. They all agree that Khaotung is the "dark horse" because he's more quiet and low-profile but he's one of the highest scorers. They enjoyed the Snack Jack game a lot, and around 3:26:00 they make fun of way Luke handled the water gun; it made them feel like they were in a thriller film. The second defending team tried to defend their "cheering" to help Earth when he was blindfolded
    • Fan Comments: They wanted to hear Khaotung more. They ask about things they might have forgotten to bring, and Neo said that he brought only four pairs of underwear for the week. Khaotung admits that he was a fan of Gun's before joining GMMTV. Fans complimented Neo's humour and requested more jokes. Someone said that they looked like four cats, so they tried to synchronise their head movements to look like a group of cats. Fans said that Gun was cute with his childhood blanket.
  • Group 2 Highlights (3:38:15): They made fun of Neo for not exercising with Luke, but he said that at least Neo woke up and went down, but he only exercised a little before giving up and going back to sleep. They agree that Neo is the life of the house, and the experience would probably be a lot less exciting or entertaining without him. Luke enjoyed being King of the Day, but he was a little frustrated that he and Earth didn't find the scented toilet paper in the black inhaler game because they walked past it but couldn't smell it. They all really enjoyed the Snack Jack game, and again, they said that Luke looked so cool and intense when he had the water gun. Luke learned that he always pointed the water gun correctly initially, but he kept second-guessing himself and moving his aim before shooting. They're all finding the house and the environment easy to adjust to, and they're all feeling happy. They're all playfully perplexed by how much energy Neo has, and they also agree that Khaotung is the dark horse. At 3:47:00, Pond and Earth bond over the fact that in all GMMTV competitions they've every participated in, they've always scored very lowly. Earth says partially jokingly that he has sometimes gone home and asks, "Am I just truly not good?" They have faith that Pond can perform well in any activity with a physical component (especially dancing), and Mix and Gun are probably best at activities that require cunningness/craftiness.
    • 3:50:00 Fan comments: Luke tries to answer an English comment, and he successfully translates them to Thai. Luke and Phuwin give statements in English. People ask when they're going to finally play a full game of "live fish/dead fish." People make fun of Pond for being lazy to shower, and he reiterates the saying his uncle told him about having a clean heart/soul. They also address the comments asking for English subtitles. They say that Mix eats the most in the house, but he gains a lot of happiness from food. They hope that they'll have the ghost story session tonight.
• 3:58:00 Relaxing/leisure time. Gun and Khaotung are making crispy fried shredded imitation crab with truffle salt.
  • 4:06:30 Pond, Neo, and Luke play darts. Phuwin joins later. Luke explains the rules to Khaotung.
  • 4:19:00 Phuwin plays around a bit with a guitar. Others later join to sing a bit. Khaotung and Luke continue playing darts.
  • 4:34:30 Gun and Earth play with one of the cameras. Neo joins.
  • 4:42:00 Neo, Luke, Khaotung, Gun, and Earth play Uno [sorry, I don't know the rules]
  • Gun and Phuwin make some noodles and share them with the guys around 5:09:00
  • 5:13:00 Khaotung and Phuwin make a different type of instant noodle and discuss their preferred ways to prepare instant noodles
• 5:29:00 Ghost stories
  • 5:30:00 Pond's story: A story of a friend of his. It takes place in a dormitory that is next to a temple. They keep interrupting him, so Pond keeps repeating the phrase "dormitory next to a temple" many times, which makes everyone laugh and continue interrupting him. Pond's friend was living with a roommate, and the roommate had to pray in the evenings. Pond's friend was on the top level of a bunk bed, but every night, he heard the roommate sit almost like they're praying, but they're always facing an empty chair like they're talking to someone. One day, the roommate asked Pond's friend if he could sleep on the upper bunk with him, and Pond's friend was confused but agreed. At night, Pond's friend heard a voice asking if the bedroom was full yet and whether another person could come sleep. (There's a belief in Thailand that if you hear voices talking to you in the night, you shouldn't reply to them or engage with them). They sat up and looked around, and there was no one else in the room who could have asked that. After that, Pond's friend wanted to move to a different room/dormitory.
  • 5:34:30 Add-on to Pond's story; takes place in the same dormitory building. The guys jokingly ask if it was next to a temple before letting him continue. There was a small room/passageway inside that they believed was a passageway for ghosts. Every day at 02:00, people will hear knocking sounds and sometimes door slamming from that area. These sounds even continued when the students were mostly away at their homes. A few times, things were falling off of shelves. The remaining students investigated but couldn't find anything. In that room/area, there was a closet/wardrobe with a mirror next to the bathroom. In the mirror, they could see a woman sitting hunched over in the bathroom, but they couldn't see anything when they turned to look directly in the bathroom.
  • 5:39:00 Earth's story. Earth tells Mix to tell it instead because he's better at storytelling. Once Mix was at the house of a friend of his (implied to be Earth's house). He was showering upstairs, when he heard someone opening and closing a door. He later asked the owner of the house, and they said that they never went upstairs because they were sleeping downstairs. Mix demonstrates the walkway to enter the bathroom/powder room, and how when you can see the mirror immediately upon opening the door. One time, Mix opened the door and saw a man standing. At 5:41:50, PD pranks them by playing a loud slamming noise to scare them. Mix continues the story: The man he saw walked straight into the area outside of the bathroom and disappeared into some of the furniture.
  • 5:43:20: Add-on to Earth/Mix's story. A different day, someone came to collect Mix at the house. The person who came to collect Mix at the house saw someone standing by the front of the house when they arrived, but at that time, Mix and the owner of the house were still sleeping inside. Quick additional story: Mix was in the bathroom once, when he heard someone trying to forcibly enter the bathroom. He opened the door and saw nothing.
  • 5:45:30 Earth's story: He went with a friend on a vacation where they stayed in a two-bedroom bungalow that was made of wood, including the furniture. Earth was having trouble sleeping, and at one point, he heard some noises. He tried to sit up to investigate, but he couldn't move anything in his body. In his peripheral vision, he heard a woman (he's basically describing sleep paralysis). He starts praying a bit and slowly, his condition improves until the vision of the woman disappears and he's able to move.
  • 5:49:00 Neo's story: He sets the story in his old school without saying the name, but he mentions so many descriptors like the location, history, etc., that everyone makes fun of him that it's clear which school it is already. He was staying in an athlete's dormitory. The badminton players used to have ghost storytelling sessions where they would talk about the ghost of that building. People would see a person in a white outfit on the stairs, specifically on the flight of stairs on the fifth level. (there are two sets of stairs, one on each short side of the building, and there's a small passageway where if you wanted to, you can pass to the opposite stairwell. This passageway was the haunted one on the fifth level, so people were afraid to look or walk though that area. Neo didn't believe the stories, but one time, during the regular evening dormitory inspections (around 22:00 every night), the inspector was passing by. Neo's bedroom was in a location where the walkway outside that section had a dead end, so you could only walk in one direction and then walk back the other direction in order to leave. Therefore, the boys always waited for the inspector to pass by the window twice before they knew that the coast was clear for them to continue talking, playing on their phones, etc. However, this time, the inspector only passed by the window once. The boys waited in silence for the second passing, but it never came, so eventually four of the boys decided to open the door and look for the inspector. They looked toward the end of the hallway where the person must be if they haven't walked back past the window again, but there was no one there, so everyone wondered who that must have been who walked past the window once and disappeared.
  • 5:56:45 Mix's story: In his house outside of Bangkok, the structure used to be a small apartment building but got turned into a house. Mix's father bought it, split it in half, and rented out the other half. When Mix was younger, he was watching television with the room door ajar (his room was next to the head of the stairs). The light from the TV could illuminate the area outside of the door. One day, outside his door, he saw an elderly lady dressed in a traditional dress of Northern Thailand. Mix followed her out onto the stairway until she disappeared. The next day, Mix told his father about it, and his father stoically told Mix that the previous owner of the house was an elderly lady who died by falling off the stairs and breaking her neck. Apparently in the other half of the house they were renting out, the tenants tended to not stay long before moving out. At one point, a friend of Mix's father rented the half of the house for a short lease, and the friend said that he kept hearing and/or seeing a male walking around the house, even though he lived alone.
  • 6:02:00 Phuwin's story: he lives in a Chinese-style house, and this was during a Chinese festival. Phuwin's father lit some incense to pray around 16:00 (late afternoon). (usually incense sticks take a couple of hours to burn out). That night, a little after midnight, Phuwin's father felt like something wasn't right, so he went down to investigate. In Phuwin's house, people usually go upstairs around 22:00 and don't really come down for anything. Phuwin's father saw that the incense he lit >8 hours prior were still smoking, and as he looked at the incense, they caught in flame (incense are supposed to just smoke until they run out, not be actively on fire). So Phuwin's father thinks a ghost was warning him to come and put out the incense so the house wouldn't catch fire, but it was still very strange that the incense was burning/smoking for >8 hours.
  • 6:05:00 Everyone says goodnight to the viewers