Avyndriel's Reflection on Emerald

[Amayonnaise 1553]

Avyndriel of the Sun

A Personal Reflection and Understanding upon the Tomes of the Emerald Way

 

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Tome of Two Balances

 

“To will change upon the self, is to change the world.

Only through Will can all balance be attained.”

 

- The Axiom of Will, Teachings of Sister Hurricane -

 

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.I.
Morality as Inner Balance

 

When it comes to the topic of neutrality, such an idea has been toyed with near endlessly, both in the present, past, and undoubtedly in the future also. We see it woven throughout both the history of Druidic Cultures, and Descendant Cultures alike; in the form of the Bronze Elves who sought indifference and control of emotion, through to our own Path of the Sage. However, this neutrality is unnatural to Descendant.

 

Our hearts race with excitement and pound with fear, the blood rushing through our body in moments of extreme emotion. Such is natural for us, and thus we must let it be so. To attempt to be neutral; to examine and assess in an attempt to act as the Aspects might, is not our duty. We should not strive to be as the Aspects are, but rather to be as we are; the Druii. Their frontline defence and support upon the materialistic realm.

 

In the same fashion, our communities and Nations that form among the like-minded are also not to be avoided. Descendants are social creatures who require emotional attachments to not only thrive emotionally, mentally, and physically, but to also aid in the development of new perspectives, the progression of ideologies, and the preservation of traditions. How else are we expected to uphold our mission if we cannot even uphold our own health and histories?

 

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.II.
Will Within Balance

 

Often we, as Druii, focus so entirely on the balance that we strive to protect and preserve that we fail to remember the balance within ourselves that must be initially uphold in order to successfully conduct such duties.

 

So many are the Druii who rely entirely on their gifts - not always at a fault of their own. Many Guides fail to understand that the trials and tribulations their students endure in order to receive the Gift are meant not as preparation for the receival, but rather to sharpen and enforce their minds, bodies, and spirits. It is for this reason that many believe that the world is weak; forever requiring the hand of the Aspects’ servants to aid in its natural restoration when it is the very opposite entirely.

 

The balance of the world knows a will far greater than our own. 

Life will find a way, no matter how damaged it may be.

 

The true weakness lies in the Men who rely upon their gifts. To permit their bodies and minds to atrophy rather than embolden their own Will to match that of the world around them. It is not us whom the world relies upon to resume its natural state, but rather the World whom we rely upon to guide us in our mission.

 

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.III.
The Nature of Will

 

A man can change everything if he is willing to sacrifice for it.
The greatest changes require the strongest wills,
And we must give much for the salvation of this world.

In the beginning, we have nothing.
Our privilege is the dirt.
In such darkness, our will guides us to light
Perspective pierces the veil of dark.

Our birthright is our failings, and the pain we suffer.
When darkness comes, we can rely on no other to face it for us.

Only through our willpower can balance be attained.

 

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.IV.
Beings of the Present Self

 

There is no lasting stillness. It is impossible. Accept this. Know it in your bones.

 

The balance is everflowing; everchanging in its shapes and forms, temper and moods. We see it in the way a river corrodes the banks of rock and stone with time, and in the weather that wanes from shimmering to pour in mere hours.

 

Each second, we are brought into a new world. A new reality. Nothing ever will be, or has ever been the same. The past exists a mere second behind the present, and with this understanding must come the acceptance that it cannot be changed, and thus must only be learnt from and released from our hearts and minds. We mustn't linger upon what once was, for the world changes form along with us, and thus we will never be alone in our acceptance of what once was.

 

Rather than changing what once was, we can instead choose to learn from it and seek to change what currently is. We use these tools and lessons from our past to mold the world as it currently stands; through our will we are capable of living in a greater environment.

 

Once we learn to release our past and shape our present into a healthier form, we are capable of relinquishing whatever fear lies in the anticipation of the future. By focusing on our present, the dangers of the future are less likely to arise. Through understanding comes acceptance and health.

 

Live in the moment, and your will can shape the future.

 

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.V.
The Balance of the Self

 

The encouragement of thriving within a community not only pertains to the progression of ideologies and culture, nor the necessity of seeking other perspectives on a variety of affairs. Most importantly, it reflects upon the various experiences that aid towards each individuals’ understanding of the concept of ‘Good’ and ‘Evil’. However, this concept cannot be branded so simply.

 

It is better to view it as the concept of Selflessness versus Selfishness. As many Druii could, and should, attest to, the world cannot exist with only the ‘Good’, nor can it with ‘Evil’. In the same vein, the Descendants who actively shape and form our histories and religions cannot act in an entirely selfish manner, nor a selfless one, for being selfish for the sake of restoring ones’ health can also be deemed selfless, and the selfless sacrifice of a life can also be selfish for the agony their loved ones will endure.

 

Not every situation is the same, for every situation holds different individuals, experiences, and intents. Perspective must always be upheld, to properly assess when it is best to sacrifice ones’ strength to aid in the greater cause, or to withhold it to aid another in gaining the skills and experience from fighting their own battles.

 

This sentiment is evident across all walks of life, no matter how large or small. One cannot be inherently Good, for even pure intentions can produce dark repercussions. Context and perspective is necessary. True balance in all forms, not just within the natural world, is key.

 

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Tome of Strife

 

“To will change upon the self, is to change the world.

Only through Will can all balance be attained.”

 

- The Axiom of Will, Teachings of Sister Hurricane -

 

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.I.
The Absence of Understanding

 

We are missing something within our teachings, a piece that allows others to break their chains and to be free from the slavery of secular thought.

 

Regardless of how much one seeks true sight and understanding of the world around them, there will never be a threshold upon which they can claim they have achieved.

 

True understanding, in this manner, is not to fully understand the world around us in all of its beauty and darkness, but rather to understand what it is we lack, where our weaknesses lie, and to act in search of mending these ailments. For this, we can never truly understand, for as the ages flow, our culture and gifts gradually shift along with them.

 

The inability to look inwards and not only acknowledge our shortcomings, but to also admit to them and have the courage to grow from them is one of the largest causes of failure within our Order. From the teachings that are delivered as early as Dedicancy, to the true definition of what makes a Druid, and even the content dependency on current beliefs, our Order holds many flaws that have only begun to be burrowed into due to the enlightenment and encouragement from the Emerald Path.

 

To blindly follow doctrine as its taught, with no intent to further ones’ beliefs or understanding, or reflect upon the blatant flaws and issues that arise due to its methods, is to be blind to the truth.

 

Become what strengthens an ideology, not a slave to it by following it dogmatically. Without this contrast, we are but marionettes, tangled in the strings of weaknesses in our ideologies.

 

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.II.
The Value of Struggle and Self Reliance

 

The Devout, Druii without gifts, are simply those with greater will. With the proper will, everything can be changed, such is the nature of will itself.

 

Learn not to require the Aspects’ Gifts in order to serve Nature, but to be blessed with them as a result of unending devotion to the healing and guidance of nature over its wounds and pain. The Gifts are given to aid a Druii in their work as they help Nature to reclaim the land and restore it to its natural state - a state not defined as how it existed before an interruption, but as Nature breaking down wall and stone to reunite with the earth in a new physical formation. The Tayna is restored, in a new state.

 

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.III.
The Nature of Life and Death

 

Death does not exist. This life created by the Mother never leaves this world, it merely passes from vessel to vessel.

 

The Role of the Father is oft misunderstood, as he is not death. His name is Strength, for his power to move the energies of life from one vessel to the next.

 

The Mother is a creator of life, growing, nurturing, healing, and guiding it across the realm. Aiding in the restoration of wounds within the Tayna - the soul and living energy of the natural world. The Father does not take this life, nor destroy it. He shifts it, taking the energy of a dying elk laying itself to rest within the forest, and transferring it to the grass and earth below to embolden their life and growth. 

 

As the Mother creates and guides new life and growth, the Father transfers it into new forms once it reaches its end.

 

If you define yourself by your ability to usher Death, your strength is as fleeting as grains of sand in the wind.

 

To recognise and understand that death is not the taking of a life and removal of its energy from our realm, but the transference of life between vessels, is to understand the Father’s true strength, and by extension our own.

 

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.IV.
Facing Conflict

 

Live your life, and act with great respect and wisdom, for you must be a beacon of change for the world, a fount of knowledge and veneration.

 

To live a life is to live one with layers. At the foremost, one must appear stable with morals guided upon principles - of which our will spills forth and enforces our actions that are based upon such morality. However, the inability to fully see the world around us - to explore, learn, and continuously fill our plates with new knowledge and understanding will only ever hinder the development of our principles.

 

Such are meant to be updated and adjusted regularly, lest we fall into a stagnant cycle built upon religious doctrines of old; irrelevant to the modern age and poorly extracted from.

 

As the saying goes, learn from past mistakes. But these mistakes are not only of our own, of our culture and people, or of our Nations. They are also the mistakes of others, regardless of race, gender, or origin. We must learn from other sentient forms we may interact with, learning of the world through various eyes and beliefs. Only then may we form knowledgeable and understanding principles and truly learn from all, both mistakes, failures, and successes.

 

Will, 

Principle, 

Perspective,

 

These are the three great values that the Emerald Way promotes

 

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.V.
The Place of Gifts and Tools

 

The dependency of Druii upon their blessings and gifts is an everlasting struggle, as some rely upon them for even the simplest of daily tasks. Even when faced with the greatest of struggles and challenges within their mission, Druii rely entirely on their gifts to pave the way to success. 

 

True devotion to the Druidic Path and the Lord and Lady who bless it may be achieved regardless of a Druid’s connection. To require the gifts to conduct a Druid's duties is untrue, and only those who truly understand this are those who are truly devoted to their mission and the understanding of it.

 

The truth of such affairs are that the blessings received through attunement are merely one of many tools available at our disposal. Ones’ mind, physical strength, charisma, and words are merely but a few of the alternative tools forever within our arsenal, yet rarely used instead of our gifts. 

 

A Druid is not an entity blessed with the gift of communion, but rather a devout entity who protects the balance to the best of their ability.

 

The Order should enforce teachings of these inherent tools that we already possess, rather than preparing them to rely on their gifts.

 

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Tome of Emerald

 

“To will change upon the self, is to change the world.

Only through Will can all balance be attained.”

 

- The Axiom of Will, Teachings of Sister Hurricane -

 

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.I.
Amongst the Shadows, the Hunter Preys

 

When the darkness comes, we can rely on no other to face it.

 

Within our world, even in the communities, friendships, and partnerships we build, we must understand that we are alone. We will never be capable of relying on another entirely - for even the closest companion will never fully agree on everything, or be able to match another’s strengths. We must learn to rely on ourselves entirely. To be capable of enduring and overcoming on our own, even in our darkest and weakest moments. 

 

At first glance, one might assume the Hunter within the Shadows to be an ever present foe. An enemy. Or perhaps a fear. Something that consistently preys on the self and urges for betterment. However, this is only further proof of how much relyance one needs on themself. To become strong within, and capable of overcoming all obstacles without external aid, warps the self into that very same Hunter.

 

Amongst the Shadows, the Hunter Preys. Remain in these shadows. Hold your tools to your chest. Mask your understanding and knowledge. Withhold from lashing out with physical force. Allow others to question your presence, and wonder if you truly are capable of anything more. In their moments of doubt and comfort, when the shadows stretch their furthest and the clock nears twilight, strike. Seek out the most opportune of timing, and unleash all you have kept within.

 

Live in service to the two balances. Give your all to both of them, and sacrifice little to anything else. Become a devoted servant to the path before you, and utilise violence only when necessary for survival.

 

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.II.
The Power of Identity

 

In all things, know who you are.

 

An understanding of one’s self is imperative to the two balances. Your strengths and weaknesses. Your hopes and fears. Lingering guilt and shame from experiences past, or newfound friendship and love. Meditate to seek understanding of the self, and all that has occurred to shape you into who you are. Come to revelation in realisation, and grasp upon the reigns of your growth.

 

When understanding is found, the ability to control your identity and who you are becomes entirely yours. Take control of your name, shape and change it as you see fit. Adjust your appearance and style. Break free from the restraints of society and seek your own comforts and risks.

 

No one is born with a profound understanding of who they are. It is found only through deep reflection of the self.

 

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.III.
The Importance of Endurance as Mali

 

We as Mali were cursed with longevity. For eons we have lived knowing this to the point that our very civilizations have been adjusted to account for our lifespan. Coming of Age ceremonies. Distinct, historical bloodlines and seeds. Our reverence of history. Throughout all that we have faced, we have remained. Throughout all of our experiences, scars, and trauma. We have remained.

 

It is for this reason that we must build upon and develop our endurance. We have lived among mountains, forests, and seas, and watched our brethren fall to foe of various forms. We have had to wash the grass of blood of our kin, and live on with their stories embedded in our memory.

 

We were cursed with longevity, but left with the same mental fortitude of a human. We must strengthen ourselves and our resolve, and be capable of watching the world change around us whilst we remain unmoved. We must endure.

 

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.IV.
On Mani

 

With the reveal of the Mani, and the uncovering of many such patrons, our faith has delved even further into new sects and worship. A wondrous feat, soon twisted by darker hearts and minds. Awaiti observed the followers of Morea and Moccus lead an exodus from the lands of the Dominion, beginning with the revolt of Kairn Ithelanen. My own brother.

 

In her observation, Awaiti remained faithful to her understanding that the Aspects are above all. It is for this reason that the Emerald Way favors no Mani. They may be worshiped and revered, but the Aspects must be heralded above them always. We may be vulnerable to segregation due to our Patron Mani, but we will always be united as brethren of the Aspects’ Path. We must remember this, and hold it to our core.

 

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