Underrated Magazine: Vol 1 Issue 2 - Nefelibata

UNDERRATED
NEFELIBATA
She wore the midnight moon and rained stardust
UNDERRATED MAGAZINE| VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Beauty 09
Ray Talks With His Friends 11
Astrology 12
Corridor of Dreams 10
Be Kind to the Dreamer
Thinking
Unconsciousness and the Science
Behind Lucid Dreams
25
28
Interview with Sunset Arcade 31
Inner View Jewllery 37
This is Your Brain on Anime 40
Gris: An Experience 49
UNDERRATED MAGAZINE
Volume 1, Issue 2
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U N D E R R A T E D
Sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase
Softer sheets have skin aging benefits. By sleeping on rough pillowcases,
the friction between your face and the pillowcase is increased and this leads
to folding and wrinkling of the skin. Silk and satin pillowcases are gentler for
your skin as they provide the most slip between you and your bedding.
Try sleeping the recommended amount
School is stressful, and many people do not reach the recommended
amount of sleep for their bodies. Unfortunately, this can affect your skin
as well. Cortisol levels decrease while we sleep. According to Dr.
Zeichner, a clinical and cosmetic dermatologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in
NYC, “if we do not sleep, the high cortisol levels will promote aging and
lead to acne flares.” It is recommended for young adults aged 18-25 to
sleep for 7-9 hours a night. Try to prioritize your sleep at night, not only
will this improve your skin but your mental health as well. Your body and
soul will thank you for it!
References
https://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-beauty/can-you-sleep-your-way-healthier-brighter-skin/
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U N D E R R A T E D
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April 2021 Tarotstrology
U N D E R R A T E D
Lesson of the Month: Freedom
Cards: The Sun reversed, Nine of Pentacles reversed, King of
Pentacles
Leo
Gray days are weighing down on you right now. You have
experienced some setbacks lately that have gotten you down. Just
remember, this is only temporary and the sunny days will soon
return. For others, you may be looking at a situation too
optimistically, and are feeding into these delusions because you want
whatever it is to be true so badly. You need to shift your mindset
from being in self-sabotage mode to being more positive, and
believing in yourself. You must define what is most important to you.
This will help you change your mindset to where it needs to be. You
may be experiencing a block to your intuition, which may be a part of
the problem. You can help yourself by working on it through
meditating. Once you do this, you can feel secure that you will
prosper. You will feel confident and once again ambitious. You will be
free from your worries and the limits you are placing on yourself.
Opportunities are plenty if you open your eyes and work hard. Enjoy
watching your wealth grow.
Lesson of the Month: Gratitude
Cards: The Star, Queen of Cups reversed, Eight of Cups
Virgo
You may be bottling up some emotions right now. You may be
experiencing feelings of rage and sadness. Be careful of letting the
emotions of others affect you right now because you are sensitive.
Instead, make sure to keep those healthy boundaries! You may even
be dealing with a strong attachment whether it be in a romantic
relationship, friendship, or even just an old bad habit. This is not
serving you and you need to let go. You need to work these feelings
out and take a stand for your happiness. You are ready to move past
this. Remember to be grateful for what you have during these times,
as it will help you stay positive, as well as lean on the ones you love.
The universe has your back right now. This is a great time for healing
and inspiration. Once you deal with your emotions, you will be ready
to step into the spotlight. Remember, people are drawn to your
authenticity, and what makes you different, makes you special.
Lesson of the Month: Doubt
Cards: The Sun reversed, King of Wands, Two of
Libra
Pentacles
You are very busy right now, and this is either causing you to
experience some grey days, or you are purposely keeping yourself
busy to escape these darker times. Libra, you are very social and
since you are so busy, you have no time to socialize, and that brings
you down. Be careful not to miss opportunities due to these dark
times. Don’t let worry and self-doubt take over your life. These times
are temporary. Focus on what you want, and don’t be afraid to get
super detailed. Remember, you have unlimited energy and time to
get yourself back on track. This will pull you out of this low energy
you have been stuck in. Use your imagination. Anything you want is
yours, if you just put your mind to it, you will get out of your rut.
Lesson of the Month: Doubt
Cards: Ace of Cups, Ten of Pentacles reversed, Princess of
Swords
Scorpio
This month you are flowing with love and creativity. You have so
many new possibilities and new beginnings ahead of you. At the
same time, it is possible that you may be experiencing some
financial setbacks, or you may be feeling like you're experiencing
financial setbacks, when in reality you are using it as a scapegoat
for your problems. I am reminding you that you have all the
power in your hands to fix your problems, and you have so many
opportunities at your disposal. You have lots of ideas and you
should be putting them to action. You are in a place right now
where you are able to communicate effectively. Don’t let your
problems or financial worries make you feel insecure, or get to a
low place. Take some time for yourself, you need it, and you
deserve it. Don’t forget the good times are coming!
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U N D E R R A T E D
Just as schemas file helpful information, there is also negative schemata that can intrude and bias our
schemas (Flett et al., 2017). The negative schemata consist of a viscous triad of negative thoughts about
yourself, the world, and your future (Flett et al., 2017). Most often, negative schemata takes over
through partaking in dysfunctional attitudes leading to cognitive biases (Flett et al., 2017). Although
there are a few types of attitudes that we all too often take part in, there is one that I believe is worth
going into depth on, selective abstraction (Flett et al., 2017). This is the process of coming to conclusions
based on one component out of a whole situation (Flett et al., 2017); it is maximizing your faults and
minimizing the things that did go well in a given situation (Flett et al., 2017). This destructive attitude
towards our life experiences negatively influences the schemas we have about ourselves, our world,
and our futures. All in all, this is how negative notes get tagged onto specific schema files which have
lasting effects on how we go about achieving our future endeavors.
In order to end the biases, we must remold what we have convinced ourselves of. We must loosen
the reigns of our misperceived realities and learn to control and grow from focusing on the
negative schemata triad (Flett et al., 2017). We need to take our victories and enjoy the process we
encounter each day.
Be insightful about the present you!
Personally, I love thinking of my future, the things to
come, the people that I still have yet to meet. To me,
it’s something that both excites and frightens me. The
problem with the future is that it’s unpredictable,
which leaves room for the negative schemata triad to
have its way.
What I want to leave you with is what I
continue to tell myself every time I’m on the
platform about to board onto the future
focus train of thought.
During the midst of the quarantine in March 2020,
where my future focus was on a high, I found myself
losing sight of the person I was at that moment. I
began to convince myself that I was not good enough
to get out of the moment I felt stuck in and I would get
upset at myself for not having the answers to things
that hadn’t even occurred yet in real life. Looking back
at my past self, I can see how hurtful it was to myself to
put the weight of the world on my shoulders where I
found myself attempting to micromanage my
tomorrows in a situation that I, nor anyone in the
world, had or has control over.
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U N D E R R A T E D
Makeup
Artist
From vibrant looks to elegant ones,
Kennedy is a talented makeup artist in
the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). In the
looks below, Kennedy is absolutely
stunning. In the first look, she uses
Swarovski crystals to mimic the shining
stars in a clear night sky. In her second
look, Kennedy uses a burnt pink on her
eyelids to represent sundown. She also
uses sparkles as a highlighter to
showcase the glow of the moon. You can
find more of her work at
kennedyblaskomua on Instagram!
Insta: kennedyblaskomua
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"THIS IS YOUR
BRAIN ON
ANIME."
ANIME."
“INTERPRETING
By Maidah Afzal
“PAPRIKA, IS THE INSIDE OF
MY HEAD THIS MESSED UP?”
U N D E R R A T E D
“INTERPRETING DREAMS AND
INCORPORATING ADULTS:
JUST ADD PAPRIKA
Based on the 1993 novel by Yasataka Tsutsui, Satoshi Kon’s Paprika (2006) dives straight into the psyche
by showing all the fantastical elements that make up the human brain. Feeling as though I had my dreams
raided, Paprika captivates its audience with an accurate display of the aimless and sometimes
disconcerting nature of dreams. Bouncing off classic Freudian theories on dream interpretations, Paprika
presents a new take on the unconscious mind, all while being able to avoid succumbing to the childish
romanticization that is so often associated with dreams.
To aid in psychotherapy, a new revolutionary device called
the “DC Mini” is developed which allows a technician to enter
and observe a patients’ dreams. But what happens when this
advanced technology falls into the wrong hands? Led by Dr.
Atsuko Chiba, a team of scientists tries to recover the stolen
technology before the project gets cancelled altogether.
Assisted by a disgruntled detective who is getting under-thetable
dream therapy from a mysterious woman named
Paprika, they try to discern which member of the company is
using the device illicitly. Following a trail of unusual deaths,
the team is led down an absurdist path where dreams and
reality begin spilling into one another.
Where can I watch?
Paprika (2006) is available through Youtube, Google Play, and Amazon for rent/purchase. Due to its
popularity, price ranges can go from $12.99 to $17.99 to own (as of March 2021). I would highly recommend
purchasing the film, due to its stimulating visuals and profound message. The film is rich in quantity and
quality, holding a screentime of 1 hour and 30 minutes, and its labyrinthine plot merits a rewatch.
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U N D E R R A T E D
Satoshi Kon’s Paprika sets the bar for just how
abstract yet plot-focused a film can be. Its
effervescent animation and shimmering palette
captivate the eye, yet don’t distract from its nonlinear
storyline. For these reasons, Satoshi Kon’s
work has continued to be praised over a decade
after its screening, and I have yet to see a movie
that tackles Freudian concepts in such a direct
and enjoyable way.
What I find most interesting in Japanese animated
movies is the prevalence of mature content. In the
Western world, you are unlikely to find popular
animated films that aren’t produced by a big
corporation, especially ones targeted towards an
adult audience. Sure, you’d watch a movie where
an A-list cast voices the usual mass-produced plot
you’d see every year. It’s likely the movie would
include jokes that would fly over children’s heads,
or even sell a more topical or culturally significant
ending that would have been considered heinous
less than a few decades ago. These aren’t
necessarily bad, in fact, they’re definitely a step in
the right direction when it comes to exposing
younger audiences to the very real, cruel world.
But the world is more than just realizing sisterly
love is a powerful thing, or the reuse of character
design between two films but with different hair
colours for the main characters.
Movies don’t need to have an underlying
message, and that’s okay. Paprika doesn’t
directly expound its meaning, but is rather there
to entertain an adult mind. From my personal
splurging of animated films, I’ve found that Japan
has avoided this overall stigma that comes with
animation, where they must be for children and
hold teachable content that can be shown to an
eighth-grade class. Why is it that American
animation has become mixed up with this ideal?
The short answer: the Hays Code.
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to dominating the unexplored territory of animated
movies. Using their insurmountable amount of
wealth and therefore higher quality resources,
their company was uniquely positioned to draw in
audiences of all ages; although the story is for a
child, the revolutionary moving drawings would
have tempted anyone to buy a ticket. As Disney
(later expanding their animation division into Walt
Disney Animation Studios) continued making
absurd profit off these movies, filmmakers
struggling with the new guidelines began to falter
or get bought out, drowning out the brilliant minds
who may have been able to pave a new, mature
take on animation that Japan conserved during
America’s “break”.
Though abstruse on the first watch, Paprika
provides a well-researched interpretation of one of
the most complex (and unjustifiable) theories of
psychoanalysis. Despite these inspirations, the
story establishes itself as its own independent
interpretation of dreams where connection to realworld
theories would be harmful and shackling to
its creative merit. Yasataka Tsutsui’s plot goes
past Freud’s work to not dread the “how” or “what”
of the idea, but rather the fun, idealistic
conversations that make dreams so entertaining
to talk about.
Works Cited
Zhang, Wei, and Benyu Guo. “Freud's Dream Interpretation:
A Different Perspective Based on the Self-Organization
Theory of Dreaming.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 6 Aug. 2018,
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01553/fu
ll.
Mondello, Bob. “Remembering Hollywood's Hays Code, 40
Years On.” NPR, NPR, 8 Aug. 2008,
www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?
storyId=93301189#:~:text=Remembering%20Hollywood's%
20Hays%20Code%2C%2040%20Years%20On%20%3A%20N
PR&text=Remembering%20Hollywood's%20Hays%20C
ode%2C%2040%20Years%20On%20For%20more%20than,it
%20was%20always%20taking%20hits.
U N D E R R A T E D
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SUPERWORDS:
U N D E R R A T E D
By Rami Naamna
I am a Rwandan & Palestinian poet who uses his words to convey tales to help with trauma and conceive truth
to others.
@raminaamna
At the grand age of 13, children often face troubles when it comes to the life that they go through and the difficulty to
comprehend these sorts of problems requires an airway for ventilation. Many children, like Norman, use poetry as a
ventilation system for the troubles in their life. Norman often finds himself sitting at his table finding inspiration from
the cotton candy clouds, the sea-doused sky, the view of the little 2nd-floor apartment balcony he goes to when he
needs some space, sometimes he finds himself lonely within that. He’s been stuck in his room for a few hours thinking
about words and what they mean to him. Trust, dedication, and Orphanage. Norman was raised in an orphanage
without knowing his background or his biological parents, leaving him questioning his identity at such a short age. He
used poetry and words to make up for that, even though he was adopted at the early age of 8. Norman finally had an
idea, since he loved words so much, he decided to write about those words under a scenario similar to that of a
superhero show. He bolted back to his desk and began to write about those words that he found to be so dear to
him. Trust, dedication, and orphanage. He grabs his pen from the table and shakes it steadily yet somewhat
aggressively. He then opens up his notebook and titles his new little tale “SUPERWORDS”. He wrote about the idea of
words being adopted into other words to create new ones and his story with those words. He wrote and he wrote and
the time never stopped and neither did Norman. He wrote until dinner and even as the loud chants of his
Othermother, he set out on this writing mission and was confident in completion. He went down the stairs, tired and
lonely as the words no longer occupied him with the feeling of comfort. He showed his brand new poem to his nonbiological
family, they read and they read and they wept and they wept. They held Norman tightly and kissed him,
comforting him in ways he had never experienced, physically. Norman’s parents made many calls that night, calling
poetry foundations, scheduling meetings, creating opportunities within that household, and for once in his life,
Norman actually felt acknowledged and loved, even though he might not have an understanding of what that even is
just yet. Norman's parents brought him down to the crimson sofa, and for the first time in his life, was told that they
were proud of him. Norman's eyes glittered with tears and he wept into his other mother's arms. Later that night,
Norman’s parents could hear him crying in his room, he has never felt so much glee in his life. His parents carefully
approached his room, stepping slowly to make sure he wasn't alerted. They slowly open his door to reveal him
sleeping in his chair with his pen scribbled on the page, tears all over the ink, but yet he sleeps with a smile. Norman's
parents hurry up to make sure he's in bed, they count up and pick him up from his back and his legs. They lay him in
his bed and cover him in his Buzz Lightyear blanket. They gave him a kiss on the cheek as a tear rolled down, they
wiped it for him and turned off the light. Later that morning, Norman woke up, feeling well-rested with the light from
the glistening sun shining into his seemingly dull room, filled with nothing but a table, a pad, a pen, and his bed.
Norman put on his bright red socks and went downstairs, in a hurry to say good morning to his adopted parents. He
jumped downstairs, saying good morning with the brightest smile on his face and waving his arms in the air because
all of his problems were seemingly gone. Yet, there is no one in the house except him and the note his adopted
parents left on the dining table. He puffed his cheeks, distressed because he was alone for the first time in his life. The
note read that they went to see the city's poetry community residency, otherwise known as PCR, to sign him because
of his talent. The note also read that they would be back in many hours, and so Norman sat and waited. He played
games with the paper, peek-a-boo, hide and seek, hopscotch, and more. Norman came to even serve himself a bowl
of cereal and play with his words, super-powered by the thought of his mind. He played with words like infants play
with building blocks, stacking them, tumbling them, creating more, a ruler in his own world. Writing about the meaning
of words to him, trust, dedication, orphanage. His superwords kept him up at night after being tucked into bed, just
thinking about what to write the next morning to make his adopted parents happy. All of a sudden Norman heard a
knock on his door, he was always told to never open the door for strangers, and so he waited at the door until
someone came in by themselves. The knocking became harder knocking, harder knocking into kicking, kicking into
multiple kicking, with Norman tucked behind his crimson sofa he could hear the door break down, traumatized,
Norman stayed quiet out of shock. He didn’t move, blink, flutter, breathe for as long as he could. Until the police
officers pulled him out of the couch and aggressively brought him into the police car. He fell asleep out of fear and
woke up in a chair in handcuffs. Norman was asked what happened to his parents and he responded with the fact
that he does not know, he screams for his adopted mother and father, until the police tell them that they died in a car
crash that night. Trust, dedication, and orphanage, those words were mumbled out of Norman's mouth every day for
the rest of his life through the adoption Center he went back to. 20 years later Norman was submitted into a mental
hospital, screaming those 3 words until he could no longer breathe, the lack of comprehension had him tucked into a
blanket of white, reenacting the night where those officers told him they were dead. He lost himself in that car, and he
was never found inside of it.
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U N D E R R A T E D
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