Maple Moth Writes

The Magic behind Naming Something

2025-04-16T13:00:00Z

For the last five years I have been tossing the idea around whether or not I should take on the endevor of writing and illustrating a tarot deck.

There have been so many released, and many of which were made using ai which is heartbreaking to say the least.

As to why I haven't started? I suppose I don't believe I know enough (despite reading for 8 years) or even just where to start.

Even if I started with a oracle deck I am a much more structured over intuitive reader.

I see the tarot as a form of language only needing 78 words to make every sentence it needs. As for oracle, it is a free, wild, and unique experience in every deck which requires the reader to relearn every oracle deck they purchase. With a tarot deck it takes me only a week to connect, while an oracle deck can take months even if it has less cards.

That being said, drawing only 40 cards rather than 78 seems a lot more managable.

So perhaps I will make my own oracle deck first. I won't need to spend as much time bonding but I will need to adjust their definitions as they learn themselves.

What if I made the symbolisms with only one word of context and learned each card from there, letting the deck come before the book?

Allow the card to embody and form instead of forcing it into a box, and teaching myself to grow from the box I forced myself in.

Perhaps there are concepts not explored nor defined and cannot explain themselves without having the tool to bring them into our comprehension.

Exploring the Power of Naming

Western society does acknowledge that men (on average) "see less colors" than women (on average). Some attribute this to hunter versus gatherer gender assignment, which was an assumption many researchers had due to male and western bias. This article by Nurith Aizenman explains it futher.

"What's more, Haas says, his own experience illustrates how the "near universal" view of men as the sole big-game-hunters may be warping researchers' ability to recognize data to the contrary. In addition to creating blind spots in the understanding of modern hunter-gatherer societies, Hass says it also appears to have led scientists to overlook key clues from the other main source of evidence on early humans: ancient burial sites and the human remains and artifacts found there."(Aizenman).

So since it's probably not genetic, perhaps its because they are not culturally exposed to the vocabulary for the differences like women are. While men can only state "light green" "green" and "dark green", a woman can say "Pistachio" "Olive" and "Pine".

With these definitions a "man" might not notice or explain a cool green versus a warm green. When a woman can tell how "mint green" is cooler than "pistachio" but warmer than "seafoam".

Has this changed as gender roles have evolved and fashion is more inclusive therefore providing more tools and vocabulary to communicate color?

It's unconfirmed, but theorized.

For example there is this article. That explains the study by psychologist Jules Davidoff did with the Himba tribe from Namibia. This group has several additional words for the color green and were much more adept in telling subtle differences in green color comparison tests.

So while we may see green we don't see the depths in which one with more words to name the differences can.

The same article states there is scientific evidence we possibly weren't able to see blue due to lacking the word for it.

Blue had always been there, has always existed, but imagine if we couldn't perceive it. How strange would it be to try to explain something without the word. Sure we can say "sky" or "sea" but they change color often. It wasn't until one found a word to use were we able to explore it.

Vocabulary and bias can change how one perceives the world even if the physical is different.

Naming something makes it real.

According to "The Power of Names" by Adam Alter there is, what Alter dubs, a linguistic Heisenburg Principle. "...as soon as you label a concept, you change how people perceive it. It’s difficult to imagine a truly neutral label, because words evoke images..."(Alter).

So how do we explore concepts that have no name? How do we even see it?

As time goes on we can make and loose words and still have the concept remain.

Some cultures are able to identify something others are blind to, but the meaning is so deep an complex its nearly impossible for someone from outside of the culture to understand without guidence. That is why it is so easy to appropriate, we don't know what we don't know, and often steam roll nuance for sake of an easy definition.

Example? Look what the west did to the word Karma. The concept is a complex spiritual idea of consequences for your own actions that many take years to understand and practice.

In America we colloquially use is as universal punishment, usually to shame another persons' bad actions. This is heavily influenced by our Christain Nationalist culture that believes in a black and white sense of morality. Even I, someone who was raised atheistic, had a fear of god or divine justice. Its intrinsic. Rare is the use of Karma in a positive way.

We cannot understand the "true" concept of Karma without immersing ourselves into its respective culture. Even still there are several religions that believe in Karma and they vary in concept as well.

Why don't we use consequence instead? The word "Karma" is shorter, easier, and commonly used.

So once again, where do we go? How do we know what isn't named? Observation.

Everything that can be named is first an experience. Whether a problem or a solution, naming something allows us to rememeber, reflect, and redefine as needed.

So I will continue to journal and see if I can find experiences that are unnamed and perhaps explore what they are.

Until Next Time,

Maple

Mobile Post Navigation Fixed

2025-04-16T12:00:00Z

Took a bit to adjust, but after removing the paragraph tag in the link code and assigning the blocks their own div I managed to make it mobile friendly (finally).

A Magical Weekend

2025-04-14T12:00:00Z

Many times weekends are the best days of my week, this one definitely felt as such.

It started with Thursday night and shifting my bust of Apollo from downstairs on to my altar in my bedroom, in my own space in my own time. Despite beginning my practice with him we have often found ourselves on break during the winter months, only to start again in spring. This year was no exception.

The day after I moved him to my altar a sun shower, a very significant sign he sends me, falls once my partner (M) is home. While I noticed the rain my partner pointed out that it was still sunny. I was happy to see a sunshower but wasn't going to go outside until I felt a pull to.

I asked Apollo why I should when I am right next to the window, he responded with his own question.

"You do like rainbows, don't you?"

In that moment I remembered this was the perfect time, angle, and event to see a rainbow. I got up quick, slipped on my partners flip flops and ran out excitely with him.

There two HUGE rainbows covered the sky, vivid as ever. He and I were so impressed with how many colors we could see in both. After a moment of awe I ran out into the rain and just felt the drops hit my hoodie.

The sun was about an hour from setting, and clouds began to roar like herded lions, but the rain stopped just long enough to coax my partner from the safety of the porch. M watched with me as lighting started to flash. I have never been the biggest fan of storms, but he loves them. I pushed that fear to hopefully see a lightning strike while the rainbow remained, and I was not disapointed. A huge strike flashed to the left of the rainbow, blue and white in color.

It was beautiful and awesome... and close enough to run me back inside.

I was buzzing from the interaction, thrilled to once again have that connection, the acknowledgement, and the bond.

I often doubt my choices, my understandings, and my magic. In this moment though I felt I had come to the best result and decision that I could.

Saturday

This day I found an event about tarot I wanted to do with M.

So we got up and went to this store to get a reading done.

It was the same shop we got a matching bracelet set two years ago just a few days before or after we made things official. We were able to show the person who made our bracelets we are still happy after all this time. She was thrilled to see us and happy we visited again.

While I was there I got a wonderful tarot reading, At first I wasn't sure who to choose since the event had three tarot readers, but I turned and the reader I noticed, noticed me and said something to who she was conversing with but at me and we both laughed since she didn't necessarily mean to. It gave me a chance to look at her deck on her table, the backings having golden suns etched in was a loud sign from Apollo.

I sat and we began our 15 minute reading, but it felt like an hour. It is the only reading I have had dig and successfully find the troubles I have been running into.

There were many cards pulled, as she read with an oracle deck as well, but the one I noticed the most was the Pink Moon card (which was that night) and the "Self: card, a reflective card that looks like a mirror.

The overall message? I have many things I want to do, and while I can eventually get to them all I need to choice the first. I need to know and learn myself and my true desires to make those decisions.

So I have decided this blog that I spent 2 weeks coding will serve as a way to discover myself. Jot down everything I wish and pull myself from social media best I can.

That night I messaged a new friend (K) who had an especially difficult time last chance we had to hang out. She was excited she and her friend were going to do a girls trip! I asked where and it was the beach close to where I live.

I was so excited for her because it's a wonderful beach and the weather was still a spring cool and let her know that I love it and how frequently I go.

She didn't know how close I was to there and invited me to tag along.

I was so excited... then terrified.

Last time I went to the beach I had one of my worst POTS (unconfirmed) episodes to date. The sun and sand make a deadly duo for me to try to stay hydrated and keep my heart rate under 150.

I double checked if her friend (J) would be okay with it and also invited them to the house to change.

Once they were there I would explain my illness and give them another out so I could see them but they could have an unimpeeded beach day.

My partner wanted to go with so I had someone who knew how to handle my episodes, but he had to work on his taxes and the deadline was dangerously close.

So I was pretty sure I would only be able to say hellos and good byes.

Sunday

Result?

They had experience with another friend who had POTS, and I had no idea. They were accepting, accommadating, and active in making sure that we all were doing okay.

Not only that we were able to talk and trust that if there was an issue we would tell each other. I really admire and respect that vulnerability.

I haven't always been the confrontational type and so I explained my history with weaponized honesty and rejection sensitivity. I had also shared this with my partner M in the past too. He said something that helped me forgive all the "honest" things i was told. "That is not constructive criticism, it is destructive criticism." My new friends agreed, stating not everyone can be told things in the same way and it's important to amend by also meeting on middle ground.

I believe the beach was that middle ground for me. A place where we could bond and do as we liked, doing what we liked as we liked. Enjoying it and each others company.

We returned home to be greeted by my roomies L & A. It was honestly magical to see my old and new friends bond so quickly and easily.

I felt happy, safe, and secure.

There was no fear of anyone or anything in this moment. As someone with nervous dog energy, I was truly in the moment (which takes a bit to do around newer people).

This weekend was sincerely the best way to start my blog.

Happy, grateful, and present.

What the Beach taught me about Relationships

2025-04-14T12:00:00Z

Update: October 14th 2025

I decided to separate this text from "A Magical Weekend"

Magic

The Beach

"The beach is a vulnerable place.
Abrasive sand that sticks when not compacted by the water.
Salty sea that stings and burns any wounds you may have exposed.
Flat land that makes the sun unavoidable.
It's a place many love and many don't.
For this, it is a magical place, for those who do and don't like it."

Love, in any form, is just the same.

Whether the relationship is romantic, platonic, or familial, love asks us to be in a very vulnerable position but also asks us to establish boundaries. (This applies to all forms of love, not just the ones listed.)

Lets associate these with western elemental ideas.

The sea is water (our emotions), the sand and dunes are earth (groundedness, boundaries), wind is air (thoughts and communication), and the sun is fire (passion and spirit).

The formation of dunes is quite symbolic. An obstacle acts as a wind break and sand begins to pile under or behind the object.

I see the obstacle as an event that is significant to cause an interuption of casual thought, most often an issue or problem. This physically can either build up to make a big dune (a boundary) or be pulled back into the ocean.

The frequency of an object or the same object returning is a chance of a dune (boundary) being formed.

Thoughts (wind) will want to blow it away, emotions (the sea) will want to take it in, but eventually coastal plants will hold dunes in place with their roots. Roots that need time to develop, which make new dunes especially fragile.

Often when fresh, our new boundaries will be small and weak. Only the obstacle is what is holding it together. Our mind and heart will want to move and get rid of the disruption, but if there are no dunes, storms and flooding become much more destructive.

I have learned that grudges serve a purpose.

Remaining angry and remembering issues allow us to take actions to prevent it from occuring again.

Why subject yourself to emotional flooding when you can keep the boundary that prevents it?

I have learned what I want in all my relationships through my old obstacles.

I understand the blessing it is to have those I do around me, including these new friends.

It's scary to trust, but the first person you must trust to trust others is yourself.

You must have your own back, because the sea might bring that obstacle back up even if you decided to wash it away.

This grudge is you not wanting to abandon yourself.

Once you accept you can have grudges you are better able to trust yourself with the things you can let slide.

Forgiveness isn't mandatory, it's not holy, it does not always make you a better person.

Forgiveness is the acknowledgement of the reality of who a person is and their true capabilities.

I often relive those who have wronged me and I accept they are who they are. Acceptance is not excusing, but instead holding honest understanding about them.

As long as they are in my life some obstacles are unavoidable, and it is up to me whether or not I want to deal with that issue.

I cannot expect a person to change, even if they claim they will. The only one I can expect to change is me.

I need to accept the person who stands before me and decide if I want that person in my life; not the person I think they can be or who I want them to be. Accept the reality of who they actually are.

I need to decide whether I can keep this going. Do I have the self power to follow my boundaries as they potentially change, or is it better for my health and safety to leave?

The pros, the cons.

Will being around them erode all my boundaries? (Do they expect me to change when they won't?)

Do I have the energy to consistently act on my boundaries?

How am I damaging myself when I don't act on my boundaries?

Am I staying because I want to or because I "have" to?

Am I making this decision while actively upset or angry? (Write how you feel so you don't forget.)

Our power in this life are the choices we make and I am done being dragged by the world.

Sure there will be consequences to my actions but there are just as many consquences to in action.

Not acting is still a decision.

New Blog!

2025-04-09T21:00:00Z

While there are absolutely NO posts yet I want to post this to show all the hard work I've put into it!