Hi there! I'm Starburst, or better known as the astral idol StarPup! What exactly is an astral idol? Well you can read all about it below (･ω<)☆ But all you need to know is that it's an irl magical hero concept! (Soooo nothing on this blog is roleplay!)
This blog will focus on my concept! I used to be part of the group Sky x High, but have since left to go solo. Don't worry, I'm still just as determined to spread hope and defeat despair!
Below are a bunch of links that will guide you around this blog. I hope you enjoy my little corner of the internet. Feel free to send an ask or dm, I'd love to hear from you >w0
Note: this post isn't meant to invalidate or attack anyone's personal concept or beliefs. This is simply me putting a name to an idea I've seen floating around and think more people should know about! This also isn't a roleplay concept, but rather a spiritual practice.
Irl magical girls are an incredibly varied practice. There's more concepts than most can count, and everyone will define the experience slightly differently. The theory of One Face, Many Masks is simply one way of thinking about the practice.
The way that most magical heroes will describe their practices falls under energy and entity work. Most will say something to the effect of fighting embodiments of negative energy, emotions or similar such things
There are a wide variety in how these embodiments present, and it will be entirely different concept to concept. The theory presented in this post is that all the things that heroes fight are the same, just being shaped into different forms
What may appear as a witch to one person may appear as a curse to the next. In this theory, whatever you're fighting, it's rooted in the same energy and is likely the same entity.
For example, some worry that by becoming a magical girl, they are creating the negative entities they will then fight. This of course isn't the case, you are simply giving a name and face to something that already existed.
Similarly, this quells concerns about there being a true Real And Valid™ concept. Just because an entity is wearing a certain mask doesn't mean it's less real than a different mask.
Finally, this allows us to see how connected we all are. If we're fighting the same monsters, we're not alone. We're together in this fight, even if what we're fighting looks different or has a different name. In the end, we all have the same goal.
Personally I've experienced evidence of this theory. I'm someone who has changed concepts a lot. I also use taglocking to find and fight my enemies. Frequently a taglock will still have a hostile entity attached to it even after I switch concepts. It will change with my perception of my magic
I'm definitely not the first to think of this, I'm just sticking a name to the idea! I may not even be the first to give it a name lol. I'm very open to further discussion, feel free to share your thoughts I'd love to hear them (✿^‿^)
So... I'm probably gonna pivot my primary concept to Madoka Magica lol!!! (⌒_⌒;)
For those of you who are in the Institute server or otherwise know me this is no surprise... I tend to fall back to PMMM a loooot. It just works so perfectly for me!! While I'm not totally abandoning my astral idol work, it's going to the back burner for now!
Hopefully this will let me get more active again, especially with college letting out for the summer!
I hope you all continue to enjoy my posts!! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
I think the best part of magical girl work is being able to take your negative emotions, make them something tangible and then beating the shit out of them!
In a similar vein to a previous vent post I made, I wanted to say something about the continued spam in the community tags, particularly by community members.
We all make mistakes when tagging our posts but if you see people you follow and/or respect discussing moving conversations to new tags, take a moment to make sure you’re not contributing to the problem before inserting yourself into those new spaces.
Folks are asking for something simple: if your post is not directly related to irl magical girl/magical hero/chuunibyou work or community, consider using different tags. You do not need to advertise your identity on every post you make and people before you have carved out spaces here to share information.
Not only do these tagging conventions do a disservice to you (by making it difficult for yourself when you want to go back and search through your content for something specific), it dissuades people from contributing to the community here on Tumblr.
And as an adult who posts resources, I always feel bad when I block otherwise well-meaning magicians who are looking for content and advice like everyone else!
If you want to be part of the conversation, please consider using the tagging system as intended! ☆
No matter what you have decided your duties are as a magical hero, your safety is paramount. Even when situations seem dire, you must take care of yourself before helping others. After all, you can’t guarantee their safety if you’re out of commission!
Under the cut you’ll find a non-exhaustive list of ways you can maintain your safety and wellbeing while working in the astral, patrolling the physical, or out working in your community.
This post is part of my Magi Praxis series. If you have any suggestions for future topics, or you have attempted anything I have shared and want you share your experiences, please send me a message! I am always happy to go back and provide further explanation as well. ☆
Even though I already mentioned this, I think it bears repeating: you won’t be able to help others if you’re not looking out for yourself! First responders like firefighters and emergency medical personnel are also taught this before working in the field to help reduce tunnel vision in stressful situations.
While I am completely understanding of the magical heroes that feel the need to be self-sacrificing (because I was that magician when I started my magical journey and still struggle with that urge well into adulthood), no amount of wearing yourself down will help better your work or others in the long run. Only by maintaining your physical, emotional, and spiritual safety can you be sure you’ll be able to act when the time calls for it.
The Basics of Spiritual Safety
I know I say this in almost all of my Magi Praxis entries but it is so important that you become comfortable with grounding and banishing before engaging with any serious magical work. You should have techniques that you can utilize in any situation, almost without thinking.
Grounding is a means to maintain a healthy energetic boundary. As a practice, it comes down to connecting with the energy around you as well as understanding and accepting your place in the world. You can ground at any time during your magical work in order to ‘root’ yourself to reality but grounding after a ritual or working is incredibly important in order to release any residual energy that is no longer needed, thereby restoring your connection with the physical world and promoting a general sense of stability.
Banishing, on the other hand, is like an energetic board wipe. It is a practice magicians use to expel all energies that are not welcome. I always recommend banishing before and after a working: your first banishing ritual serves as a stage setting action while your final banishing strikes down your magical stage and leaves the space clean for other uses.
Outside of magical work, grounding and banishing are helpful tools to have even when navigating the mundane world. How many times have you been in a situation where you felt so anxious or overwhelmed that you could hardly move or breathe? By using grounding techniques, you can take steps to make peace with the situation, even if it’s just temporary or until you can get yourself to a better place.
You may have noticed that I have not highlighted the use of wards or energetic barriers here. While they are great techniques to practice, particularly when engaging in magical combat, I don’t generally recommend this kind of work to newer/younger practitioners because it can end up exasperating a problem. Many times, more inexperienced magicians will create wards to create a safe space only to inadvertently make things more scary or dangerous outside its borders. By regularly grounding and banishing, however, you can avoid this issue regardless of your location.
Considering Mental Health
Regardless of what your magical work looks like, your mental health plays an important role in how you approach and carry out your duties. Your mental landscape can drastically affect how operate: if you are calm and focused you can think clearly and critically; but if you are agitated or down you may be more inclined to act carelessly or even dangerously. Left unchecked, illnesses like depression and anxiety can present itself with very physical and sometimes debilitating symptoms.
If you are struggling, there is absolutely no shame in seeking help. Consider reaching out to a professional whether through a hotline or on a more regular basis.
Physical Safety Tips
If a significant aspect of your work relies on going outside or interacting with people in your community, maintaining physical safety and accountability is crucial.
⟡ Check the weather before you venture out. It may sound silly but this is extremely important if you’re out on hiking trails or in the wilderness! Even if you’re in an urban environment, knowing if you need to pack an umbrella or an extra layer can help ensure you don’t get sick!
⟡ Always have a buddy or move in a group. Whether you’re on patrol or attending a protest, buddying up is an easy way you can stay safe! Make sure you exchange phone numbers and consider enabling location sharing on your devices.
⟡ Know the cellphone coverage in your area. Especially if you live somewhere remote, you do not want to be caught somewhere you can’t call for help. (That being said, even if you don’t have a signal you may be able to contact emergency services!)
⟡ Consider keeping simple first aid and grounding items handy. I tend to carry around painkillers because there’s a chance something could trigger a migraine for me but you can also carry bandages, earplugs, or some candies to help maintain blood sugar. (Dark chocolate is great for grounding!) Quiet fidget toys may also be something you’d want to help diffuse stress.
⟡ Walk with conviction and purpose. Speaking as a femme-presenting individual with anxiety who lived in Chicago for 14 years, people don’t tend to bother you if you look like you have somewhere to be. A big jacket and heavy boots can be unassuming but powerful armor!
⟡ Know your rights! While I certainly do not recommend any illegal activity including but not limited to trespassing, with everything going on in the United States I would hate to see anyone caught unawares!
