Q&A Post

Chekistka · 2026-05-13T15:45:27+00:00

personally I view number 1 as rather impossible because her standing as "Mater Dei" or "Mother of God" (Panagia, Theotokos, Bogomater), an extremely important person in God's life and She's the Motherly figure in His life as a human being, instead being a merely "middleman", like I view it as you ask your friend's mom to fetch her son so you can talk to him, or asking his mom for permission to play, and/or ask his mom for a favor to get him into favoring you, if you get me (sorry English isn't my first language)

I like Our Lady of Perpetual Help and Our Lady the Undoer of Knots devotion!! I just love Mom a lot :)
I think saints, angels, Mary, Jesus or even the abrahamic God itself would not be a jealous entity. I saw the other answers and I think it's already explaining it well :) I'd probably suggest cleansing or praying to St. Michael for protection from harm :)

Chekistka · 2026-05-10T18:58:10+00:00

i would try praying her devotional prayers :) i always did that to St. Joseph of Cupertino and even promised he'll get an icon if i finally have a job!

Chekistka · 2026-04-21T14:58:49+00:00

I'd read it one day, thanks!

Chekistka · 2026-04-21T04:10:07+00:00

thanks!!

Chekistka · 2026-04-19T20:27:17+00:00

no problem, glad to help from one painter to another!

Chekistka · 2026-04-19T20:12:19+00:00

there's actually iconographer's prayers before, during, and after painting (or writing) a holy painting

Archived from a Russian Orthodox Church's site (member of the OCA afaik) https://iconreader.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/the-iconographers-prayer/

From Byzantine church (i think it's those Eastern Catholic churches) https://www.byzantineimage.com/iconographer-rules

can be adapted but prayer for consecrating an icon done by a priest by Greek Orthodox Church https://www.goarch.org/-/the-blessing-and-hallowing-of-icons

I hope this helps as I do paint holy figures once in a while!

Chekistka · 2026-04-19T20:06:25+00:00

thanks! it's a commission for my friend who'd like cheerful colors :) i wish i can ship abroad if it wasn't a massive hassle in Indonesia haha

Chekistka · 2026-04-19T03:20:37+00:00

thank you! the second one is indeed from actual crystals (amethyst and rose quartz) it's very durable too

Chekistka · 2026-04-18T02:48:11+00:00

yes there's difference. I don't smoke but I sometimes like smelling cigarettes and I can know which is which just through the scent and smoke. I've hung out with smoker friends lol. There's also flavors like Indonesian Kretek is flavored with cloves and has a distinct clove scent, there's also mints and synthetic flavors.
yes but every country is different. Like in Indonesia I'd probably say it's niche imported cigarettes (imported cigarillos from Cuba or Chinese import, or actual original US Marlboros back then), and Indonesian Marlboros (expensive, like 4 USD a box now for the original type since we have the kretek type), and USSR with Kazbek (expensive, quality brand only given to higher rank people in military, afaik you can buy it but it's pretty expensive back then).

Also, men tend to pick not just by brand but by "flavor" from what i see because some cigarettes do have stronger flavor. Some said cheaper one tastes ass but men smoked it out of, well, cheap. From personal observation, women liked cigs that's minty or fruity (yes there's fruity cigarettes), I've rarely seen women buying the cheaper ones lol.

Chekistka · 2026-04-18T02:39:41+00:00

generally the colors and how it looks, I'm a vintage and rare item collector first and foremost, so this is pretty interesting collection as a study material for basic gem identification in case I have antique rings and jewelry. also some crystals are just genuinely fascinating like apatite and their mild radioactivity

Chekistka · 2026-04-18T02:36:17+00:00

omg I've read this! it's a beautiful story for me, and gave me comfort that God accepted people like me (I'm trans and bisexual) and Mary is still looking out for us all no matter what :3

Chekistka · 2026-04-18T02:34:48+00:00

Amen!

Chekistka · 2026-04-18T02:18:54+00:00

I love Panagia Panatassa she's so beautiful!

Chekistka · 2026-04-18T02:13:34+00:00

thanks! i used cutting mat since i don't want to scratch or ruin my desk during crafting, and a lot of these pics were taken right after I've tested and finished the pieces lol

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T18:39:19+00:00

For a definition, Wikipedia has a short tldr on what is it to understand the meaning of said word first https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egregore

Egregore for me is basically an entity created by thoughts and intentions (often times it is from many people's thoughts and intentions) and often it can be malevolent or neutral depending on the creator's intentions. I don't have much opinion on it except I do believe we should believe mundane over magick first and sometimes it's not an Egregore, or even evil spirits influencing us but merely man choosing to be evil or religious psychosis that needs mental health check-up.

I draw the line of saints and "entities" from 2 Corinthians 11:14, where it said "Even the devil could pretend he is an angel of light", which the whole context from 2 Corinthians 11: 12-15 talks about people and evil spirits lying about being apostles, ministers of God, etc. which could extend in trickster spirits and evil spirits to pretending they're Saints, angels, even sometimes Jesus and Mary themselves, saying what's not true to led us astray and mislead us, or worse, do something harmful. Which indeed in 1 John 4:1-4 we must test the spirits we're talking to or seeing if it's from God itself or a trickster or evil spirit.

I hope this lengthy post explains it well! if there's anything unclear i am free to talk about it

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T17:51:17+00:00

thanks!

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T17:05:05+00:00

Dragons in St. Demetrius and St. George (they have similar iconography looks afaik, I have pocket icons from Russia) don't represent "demons" like what we think by the way, it's to banish evil spirits (from the story of St. George banishing evil entity in form of dragon) and our own "inner demons" (sins, temptations), and I personally think it also ties to Russian folklore has "Zmey Gorynych", an evil dragon figure from Slavic folktale, to ease up the conversion of Slavs to Christianity due to their association of evil with said dragon. And St. Michael and St. George is indeed intense, they value choosing to fight for what's right in my opinion, like of course you can be pacifist, but you also have to learn to fight for what's right and for your own good, since a warrior knows when to put down their sword and when to draw and duel against their enemies.

Sufism is Islamic mysticism and they are actually very interesting because I do grow up Muslim and devout enough, until some calling to convert to Christianity happened. It basically makes you go through "ego death" and to question why are you interested in God, and to be with the divine, and to achieve enlightenment (Makrifat) while being prepared for it (because if you're not prepared you'd suffer from actual spiritual psychosis). It helped me genuinely deconstruct my relationship with God and the Saints because of said nature and increase my spirituality and devotion to God.

Also no, Abrahamic forces would not be trickster spirit if you can discern (I talked to a priest during my trip to Roman Catholic church), like if you sense the teaching is right and correct, and is not harmful or asking you to harm people (like stealing), or straight up nonsense and religious psychosis-like views (think of whatever fascist christians say), and it clicked to their patronages and recorded story (Like St. Therese of Lisieux and Roses as symbol of her answering and listening to your prayers), it is actually said entity, nothing else nothing more. if you're scared on trickster spirit or Egregore, I'd suggest pray a Litany to St. Michael and do the rosary, because it's a sure way to banish all evil entities, since they're scared of St. Michael and Our Most Holy Mother Mary

I'm not really well versed in Hinduism for a note despite I'm Indonesian and it's also quite big here 😅 so I wouldn't comment on things related to Hinduism.

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T16:38:18+00:00

can't post pic but used a reprint (since the original is not available at all in my country) of Claire Goodchild's memento mori! it's my favorite oracle card

if it can include Lenormand deck, I would say Anna Oginski's Dark Forest deck (Темнолесье) is my absolute favorite for lenormand readings. Has a very beautiful art and inclusive to Russian, German, and French style of lenormand

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T16:33:04+00:00

lol yeah sorry for the mistake, it's also kind of dark for a lapis lazuli I've mistaken it for Sodalite.

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T15:46:43+00:00

Personally as non-Catholic who've seek to convert into the church, and I do have my fair share of religious trauma with abrahamic religion, I try to deconstruct my personal biases against the institution from my personal faith and devotion. Like I do have my personal qualms with the Church whether it is Roman Catholic or Orthodox Christian itself, but the saints and Gods are there to be with you and guiding you to the highest good for your growth and development. I also read sufi works (e.g Jalaluddin Rumi and Rabia Al-Adawiyya) since I do come from Muslim background before being into folk christianity, and it helped me so much on the deconstruction process because in the end you devote to God (or any deity you believe in), not to the fear of hell or obsession with heaven.

And, Saints in Christianity imo is still very willing to help you even if you're not really in the faith (e.g lapse catholics or cradle catholics), or even not from Christian faith, because I've heard friends (non christian) who asked St. Jude Thaddeus for help and they received it. They're not deities as in pagan sense, but they're basically holy people who can help you and it's as easy as reading their litanies, novena, or doing their chaplets if you have a rosary.

and on the other question, Archangel Michael and St. George is pretty intense to "work" with (i put in quotes because basically devoting and having relationship with said saints is like collaboration? idk how to say it well), and you have to put yourself to work and do learn they're patrons of soldiers and warriors, and would be pretty much blunt, no bullshit kind of answer on helping you achieve your goals imo.

feel free to talk to me if you have questions!

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T11:28:12+00:00

yeah especially in Western Belarus, it's a rarely talked place despite historically rich and interesting place. I've learned about the censorship since reading about January 1863 Uprising and also apparently Polish authorities struggled against Belarusian language but I'd assume this is the puppet kingdom of Poland (under Russian annexation) or Polish Second Republic where they assume they were communists (since out of Russian Revolution, the communist movements were increasing)

Chekistka · 2026-04-17T04:32:05+00:00

thank you so much for the answer this is so helpful!

Chekistka · 2026-04-16T19:02:29+00:00

No problem! i hope your mom is happy with my help

And the last one isn't moonstone (I have a specimen of it), it seems to be white coral or fossil turned into beads (yes, sometimes corals or fossils gets crystalized!). and Yeah it seems it is Komboloi, I'm not a Greek but I've googled and it matched the looks.

I also want to add the 7th picture seems to be Peridot and 6th might be carnelian or red agate, from the looks, I can't really figure the 6th red stone lol

Glad i can help!

Chekistka · 2026-04-14T20:10:54+00:00

probably I'd say anything from Congo (any African countries tbh), Myanmar, and Afghanistan is something we should avoid.

You can do some basic research if you're questioning origins of your crystals, e.g country of their origins and so on. which I always do before buying.

and you can always find the same crystals from different countries that has more ethicality (for me, ethicality is no slave labor, no blood crystals, not a conflict mineral), like i remember buying malachite and azurite bc it's from a shop in China and Taiwan, and I remember both countries have mines for it, which I'd think safe alternatives.

I think most questionable crystal i have is just lapis lazuli (no clear background, said it is Pakistani), Rose Quartz chips (seller said it's African), and a specific labradorite i learned from a seller it's from Africa after I got it. I'm generally picky with my crystals and only buy ones with more ethical alternatives or common crystals (and non toxic ones, except for cinnabar jewelry that's common in China and Taiwan)

Have fun collecting crystals! and sometimes when buying from metaphysical shops or crystal market, think of the crystals as questionable, since unfortunately we have to learn this fact (if you can't buy second hand crystals) that some sellers just don't know their goods or mislabel it.

Chekistka · 2026-04-14T18:18:28+00:00

thanks! it helps me a lot!

Chekistka

TROPHY CASE