A permanent beginning (Cypris Vosco training)

[Yuno Retje]

Cypris laughed. He was gradually feeling more comfortable, and really liked his new master. "All right, I'm ready to go again," he said confidently. Looking at the huge tree, he gathered a bit of the Force into his body. He closed his eyes, crouched, and dropped a light fist onto the ground. After hearing a quiet "crunch," he opened his eyes to see some jagged pebbles where there had been a boulder. "I did it!" he cried, "Oh, wait..." He saw that he had still damaged the grass and ground...but he had broken the boulders! And this time none of the power he exerted was returned at him. "How was that?" he asked Haven, a little proud and a little nervous.

 

[Garuga]

Haven clapped twice in quick succesion, congragulating Cypris's success. "Good job!" She beamed. "Continue to work on it, you'll master it eventually!" She stepped towards Cypris, continuing to speak. "Always remember the 'spreading' aspect, and you can't go wrong." Haven decided that Cypris should be in a fairly good mood now, it was time for some other training, both in the force, and in the matters of becoming a Jedi fully. After learning an offensive power, Haven wanted to teach Cypris in the field of Tutaminis. However, before that, there were some more important things at hand...

Haven gestured to Cypris that he may take a break, and sat down herself on the soft grass. She turned around to face Cypris, her mouth forming a cheerful smile. "Well then Cypris, I am sure that you know the Jedi Code off by heart, but I want to hear from yourself the code, and more importantly, how you personally interpret it." Despite her smile, this question was serious. Haven wanted a true and heartfelt answer, not a set of phrases someone had copied from the temple archives. It was more important to hold yourself true to your own interpretations rather than reciting one half-heartedly.

 

[Yuno Retje]

Cypris began with the first line of the Mantra: "Emotion, yet peace," he recited, "Well...most Jedi interpret that to mean that rather than emotion, there is peace; that we keep our minds in perfect harmony as opposed to giving into emotion.
"But I disagree. I think it means that through emotion, we achieve peace. It seems strange that feelings can cause you peace, but I believe that in order for us to achieve peace-not just in ourselves, but also in the galaxy-we must listen to our emotions. We have to understand how the People feel! If we don't, we're no more useful than Assassin Droids."
Cypris regretted saying this, as it was against what Jedi believed, but Haven had told him to interpret the Code. He wasn't going to lie about what he thought.

 

[Garuga]

Haven nodded. Everyone interpreted the Code differently, lest they be brainwashed to a certain interpretation. "Emotion, yet peace." Haven said softly again. "Well said, though I wouldn't immediately brush off the so called 'official' interpretation. In my mind, we must accept all of our emotions, our anger, our joy, our sorrow. The Jedi do not teach people to 'fight' against ones' emotions. When they say 'set it aside', it can also be seen as meaning 'let it flow through you'. To be a Jedi, accepting yourself is more important than anything you could learn."

Haven stopped, and smiled at Cypris warmly. "In that context, yes, we must understand what we feel, but after accepting those emotions, it is your judgement in the end that truly justify your actions. Believe me, do not ever blindly follow your instincts and emotions. We are all people, we can all be wrong. Keep an open mind, that is my suggestion."

She nodded to indicate that he should continue with the other verses.

 

[Yuno Retje]

Cypris felt that he understood that first part much more now. He continued on to the second line: "Ignorance, yet knowledge," he said rhythmically. "That's the one that always sort of confuses me...probably on account of the fact that I find ignorant people insufferably annoying. But I guess it means, even when being ignorant of something, you acknowledge its existence...and how, even someone who's 'stupid' can be vastly knowledgable, if the <i>want</i> to learn. Also, it embodies the intuition of the Jedi, and how we feel the Force to aid us." As he had done following his reflection on the first tenet, Cypris waited for Haven's response.

 

[Garuga]

"This line, I believe, is probably the easier of them to comprehend. After all, holding onto one's idea and rejecting all others is an easy way to fool yourself certainly, but it hardly means being able to solve an encounter. However, pure knowledge without the common-sense to guide one self is uttery useless. In fact, ignorance in large part also means at times having to ignore the information or knowledge that you believe you hold, instead, keeping your mind open freely to new ideas or alternative methods of solving a problem." Haven said. Cypris was doing well so far, coming up with various interpretations of his own.

Haven smiled, encouraging Cypris to continue.

 

[Yuno Retje]

((I'm really sorry that I've been away so long!))

Cypris breathed in, then out. "Yes, that makes sense," he said before reciting the third line: "'Passion, yet serenity.' Well, I think this line means that a Jedi shouldn't react to things too strongly. For instance, if someone close to them dies, they don't get too upset about it and stay peaceful, despite how they may have felt about that person. It can be dangerous for a Jedi to let his passion interfere with his use of the Force-it can even lead to the Dark Side." Cypris waited for his masters thoughts on his reflection.

 

[Garuga]

((Woohoo you are back! :D))

"Yes, though it must be said that no matter how well one learns this line, it's all moot until one actually experiences such matters or events" Haven said regrettably. "Comes down to your personal integrity and character in the end, and only through resisting your personal motives and vendettas can one truly be at peace."

The next two lines of the code were perhaps truly the hardest to digest. Only those that have faced personal struggles and lost could truly say they understand it. Though learning about the Code and it's deeper meaning certainly is not the most exciting matter, it was an essential part of Jedi life. Once Cypris had confirmed the Code's meaning, Haven would once again start his practical training.

"The next two lines are somewhat more... difficult, but you can take your time."

 

[Yuno Retje]

"'Chaos, yet harmony,'" the words had escaped Cypris's lips almost before Haven had finished talking. "Like you said, the last two are difficult. I think it makes more sense when you consider coexistence. Would we know true harmony if we didn't acknowledge chaos? How can there be peace between those who don't understand war? I mean, of course harmony is the absence of chaos, but it still..." Cypris cut off, not sure what he was trying to say. He often felt the different things in his brain confused each other. "Do you understand what I'm saying?" He asked unsurely.

 

[Garuga]

"Well..." Haven said slyly. "This line could be seen as common sense. Conflicts do not simply arise for no reason. There are motives behind them, as is with times of peace. Events during peace can too lead to conflict, thus chaos. All events are linked in some way. Things don't happen for no reason."

"Don't worry if you remain confused. After all, many things are paradoxical, and only when you truly clear your mind, will you be able to analyse an event in all its forms." She said, smiling.

And now, the last line. The last line that so many find problems with. One with has suffered no loss couldn't even begin to interpret this line seriously. And those who have... well, their interpretations and ability of accept it is what is the most important.

 

[Yuno Retje]

"'Death, yet the Force,'" Cypris forced himself to say. "I've always found this line to be the most confusing, but also the one that makes the most sense. The way it seems to make sense is that in death, we become one with the Force, with peace. But I know there's more to it than that. I've thought about this line a lot, actually-when Rakar died, I thought about how he became the Force. Despite all my thinking, I have difficulty making sense of it."

 

[Garuga]

Haven nodded and smiled sympathetically, her eyes looking downwards. "If I said that I could answer your questions about death fully, I would be lying. Death, one of life's biggest mysteries. Seeing as I am standing in front of you, healthy and well, though admiteddly a bit bired. What becomes of those we love, those we dislike, or ourselves when we die is not something I can answer. Different people have different opinions. As Jedi, it is something that we should speculate upon, but not let it become our obsession. Once they have left our world, they will not come back."

She walked forward and hugged Cypris gently, speaking into his ear softly. "Though I understand that it's impossible to be happy in the loss of a friend, we must take strength in it. Though I don't know what becomes of them, I do know that they are with the life streams of the force, watching over us."

Cyrpis had shown that his understanding of the code was proficient, and time will be the only way his understanding is further reinforced. For now, they will continue with their training. He was progressing well, but there were still things Haven hoped to instruct him in before they embarked on an assignment or mission.