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I've noticed almost all the fire horse images this year are limiting or eliminating excess fire overtones, which makes sense given the times (that said I love the fiery vitality of Kakapo's horse). But I've seen some interesting brush art that could be a alternative (note: someone should check the characters if we go this route as I just pulled this off the net): Has that vitality / free spirited horse energy without the war undertones. There are a lot of good looking similar ones out there if a more horizontal one would fit better.

Friends, After 7 long years, I have finally completed the 2nd book of my trilogy. Please read and support. Best, Dwai https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GLT43ZF8

Wow, congratulations! I love the look of the front cover.

This is a very nice image! I like this style of calligraphy-meets-painting. Even though such calligraphy images have been popularized and commercialized in the recent years, the style is surprisingly traditional -- some artists did it like that a very long time ago too. But there's nothing here about the year 2026 specifically, the Fire Horse year. The English text on the bottom says 2014, the Year of Horse. But it was a different Horse in 2014, a Wood one. So if we want to go with "just any horse," this will work, minus the English text. A reminder: The "animals" rotate over a 12-year period, so "some" horse appears every 12 years. But the specific combo of the animal with one of the five wuxing phases -- that's 12 X 5 = 60. So a horse of a particular phase (aka "element") shows up only once in 60 years. And Fire Horse is widely regarded as "special." So it may be a good idea to include the wuxing phase in the image.

https://discord.gg/eT6jtW54um

Why would anyone need superpowers? Just be yourself.

Personally I prefer Shakespeare's approach: There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

It is currently only available through Amazon (or rather will be, on the 28th of Feb)

That's fantastic! Congratulations @dwai Is it available anywhere other than Amazon?

Congratulations! Well done.

I’m fine with whatever admods decide to put on the banner.

Whatever happens , do me a favor and get the horse to face towards the center of the image , especially with a main feature in a composition being close to an edge ... basic picture composition Becasue I am too lazy to type ; an image or subject located near the edge of a frame should generally face or move towards the center. This technique, often called "leaving room" or "leading room," prevents the subject from appearing trapped, creates better dynamic balance, and guides the viewer's eye into the composition rather than off the frame. Create Breathing Room: Placing a subject on the edge facing inward provides "space to move," which feels more natural and less claustrophobic. Dynamic Balance: While the Rule of Thirds encourages off-center placement for dynamism, having the subject look inward creates a balanced, engaging narrative rather than a static one. Avoid Distraction: A subject facing outward directs the viewer's attention to the edge, increasing visual weight there and causing distraction. Exceptions: In certain cases, such as creating a sense of tension, isolation, or if the subject is looking at something intentionally excluded from the frame, they may face outward, though this is a stylistic choice rather than a standard rule. In summary, having the subject face toward the center is a common, effective compositional guideline that improves the narrative flow of a photo.

That is just plain stupid ! Think about it, people ! Horse should have floaties on front legs and flippers on back legs !

Internal Alchemy for Everyone by Chungtao Ho is a good one. Title is kinda funny leading some to think it's going to be a quick-and-easy version when in reality it's the opposite. The practice is described in terms anyone can understand, but it pulls no punches in laying out a path that takes extraordinary level of devotion to reach the later stages. Theory is cited directly from Cantong Qi, Wuzhen Pian, Xingming Guizhi, etc.

Sounds like Norse mythology to me tbh. Fenrir howls terribly before the doors to Hel; the wolf will break its bonds and run. I know much wisdom, I see deep in the future, all the way to Ragnarok, a dark day for the gods. Brothers will fight one another and kill one another, cousins will break peace with one another, the world will be a hard place to live in. It will be an age of adultery, an age of the axe, an age of the sword, an age of storms, an age of wolves, shields will be cloven. Before the world sinks into the sea, there will be no man left who is true to another. The giants are at play, and the gods’ fate is kindled at the blast of Gjallarhorn: Heimdall blows that horn hard, holds it high aloft, Odin speaks with Mimir’s head. The old tree sighs when the giant shakes it— Yggdrasil still stands, but it trembles. Fenrir howls terribly before the doors to Hel; the wolf will break its bonds and run. I know much wisdom, I see deep in the future, all the way to Ragnarok, a dark day for the gods. Hrym advances from the east with a shield before him, and the Midgard-serpent is in a monstrous rage. The serpent beats the waves, and the eagle screams eagerly, splitting corpses with its pale beak. Naglfar, the giants’ ship, is released. That ship sails from the east, bearing giants over the sea, and Loki is its captain. The giants are coming together with Fenrir, and Loki too is with them on that voyage. What news from the gods? What news from the elves? All Jotunheim is roaring, the Aesir are in counsel, and the dwarves, creatures of the mountains, tremble by their doors of stone. Have you learned enough yet, Allfather? Surt comes from the south with a bright light in his hand, yes, the sun shines upon the sword in his grasp. The mountains collapse, the trolls fall, men walk the road to Hel, and the skies divide above. Then comes the second sorrow of Frigg, when Odin goes to fight the wolf, and Frey goes to fight the giant Surt. Then Odin, Frigg’s husband, will fall to Fenrir. Then comes the great son of Odin, Vithar, to fight, to avenge his father on the wolf. He shoves his sword into the mouth of Fenrir, all the way to the heart, and thus Odin is avenged. Then Thor comes, Earth’s son, Odin’s son, to fight the Midgard-serpent— the protector of Midgard will kill that serpent in his rage. But all humankind will die out of the world when Thor falls after only nine steps, struck down by the venom of the honorless serpent. The sun turns black, the earth sinks into the sea, the bright stars fall out of the sky. Flames scorch the leaves of Yggdrasil, a great bonfire reaches to the highest clouds. Fenrir howls terribly before the doors to Hel; the wolf will break its bonds and run. I know much wisdom, I see deep in the future, all the way to Ragnarok, a dark day for the gods.Å

😮💙🤍