Path of Self-Mastery
(Jamie) - This path was an attempt to reconcile the differences between the various paths called "Self-Focus," published in different places by people with different understandings of what it focused on, and with my own understanding of the path. The history was copied verbatim. The ethics were drawn from two of the three versions, and the hierarchy of sins is a mash-up of the more puissant points. As such, it has many of the ambiguities and flaws of its two parents - what exactly is "improper use of combat" anyway? Still, I think it is a more balanced and followable path than the Path of Self-Focus or the Road of the Aesthetic, as I have re-designated them.
Ethics:
- Forget everything – Simply Be. Focus only upon what your are doing at that moment. Use chanting, t'ai chi and other methods to practice your focus. There is only Now. You cannot understand pain, temptation, and all other feelings except through feeling them.
- Action is focus. Thought of action is impure and inferior.
- Know yourself. Know when and when not to fight the Beast. The Beast is part of you, and sometimes it must be unleashed. Be the Beast, but do not Become the Beast. Only by understanding it can inner peace be attained.
- Master yourself. Learn your strengths and weaknesses. Always learn. Always seek to strengthen your mind, body, and spirit.
- Be not prideful or disrespectful. Overconfidence is weakness and illusion. It is best to be humble and confident. Respect all and treat others as you would be treated yourself.
- You must have honor. He who has no personal honor is worthless and lost to the world and to himself.
- There is equal value in the arts of peace and the arts of war. Study them both.
- Judge all by their actions, not by their words. Seek out wisdom and listen to those who have it.
- Be wary of other vampires. Vampires are creatures eclipsed by their own darkness. Their tragedy could be your own. Pity them, but also watch them :* carefully.
- Learn to love and understand that all things have their purpose, even evil things. Being of your own free will means you must choose between the two, and good must be your choice.
- Fight only when there is no other option, and fight with honor if you fight at all.
- Enjoy the company of others, but do not subsist on it. You must not let others define your value; you must do so yourself.
- Believe that there is a greater purpose to everything. There is an Over-soul which guides things. Your vampirism is a test unto you. It will not taint your soul or destroy you unless you let it do so.
- Forget everything – Simply Be. Focus only upon what your are doing at that moment. Use chanting, t'ai chi and other methods to practice your focus. There is only Now. You cannot understand pain, temptation, and all other feelings except through feeling them.
Heirarchy of Sins
10: Overconfidence
9: Laziness of Mind or Body.
8: Depending upon others; failure to treat anyone as you would be treated yourself.
7: Lying.
6: Manipulating or controlling others through supernatural means.
5: Being greedy or egotistical, Struggling to overcome a weakness rather than turning it into a strength.
4: Stealing, Improper use of combat
3: Failure to spend at least some time each night in Meditation. Being disrespectful,
2: Allowing the beast to do what you would not. fighting dishonorably
1: Failure to keep your word, Being a willful slave.
