Goodbye

http://www.starwars.com/watch/episode_4_use_the_force.html

"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus." -Mark Twain

Right discrimination must be applied to whatever we sense, but that does not mean that what we are sensing is not arising from something real. If the lens of our creative imagination is out of focus (that is, not being regulated by reason) then we are bound to be fooled by anything.

We have to learn to correlate as many of our five senses in every perception as we can, including the subtle Force versions of each of the five, and our derived perceptions such as depth perception. And then, when that has taken us as far as it can in reasoning the truth, we must also listen to the Voice of intuitive guidance within us, to see if there is any alarm or disparity presented there.

UraharaKiskue, I agree with what you're saying here, but I also like the gist of what Resticon is getting at, as well. Being mindful and habitually evaluative is not the same thing as living in a constant state of self-doubt, fear, or paranoia.

For the most part, I do trust myself, even though I recognize that I could allow myself to be fooled. It's all a learning process. Many times, things I thought were my imagination or paranoia have turned out to be true warnings that I should have heeded.

The older I get, the fewer times people or situations are able to fool or confuse me. I trust that as I grow in experience, the more I will come to interpret my experiences rightly (in relation to the One underlying Reality), and there is nothing I do in life that does not add to my experience.

And I trust in the Force to guide me, always. Every circumstance in my life is a dealing of the Force with my soul. I trust in that, and so far it has always brought me to a better place.

Resticon wrote: But if my senses are spot on 99% of the time and fooled 1% of the time should I constantly question every sensation to ensure I'm not being fooled?

Of course not...

Is that what UraharaKiskue or I have said?

Only the you should question yourself....

Even if only 1% of the time...

Jestor wrote: Of course not...

Is that what UraharaKiskue or I have said?

Hmm, perhaps this is being caused by me interpreting these statements together.

Jestor wrote: It means my senses can't be trusted 100%, that means their signals can't be trusted, that means my brain can't be trusted....

Therefore, I can't completely trust myself....

UraharaKiskue wrote: I don't believe in trusting any person or governing body blindly Akkarin, I don't even trust myself blindly. I'm constantly questioning my own motives and actions, much less anyone else.

Jestor wrote: Careful trusting anything completely....

When I combine those (in my mind, at least) I end up with something along the lines of, "Don't trust anything completely; constantly question everything, even your own senses."

To a degree surely, it's a positive mentality, but like all things it can become too much. Consider the constant axiom often touted of "Always be prepared" yet how much are you going to be able to carry on you at one time? How much CAN you fit in one car, nap sack, or flight gear? At what point does the weight of "prepared" fall to the function of ability and action?

All things to a degree certainly. To use the example before, I always question my motives. That doesn't mean I stop acting or thinking, doing or being, I just question them. I take a few moments of the day for it in meditation. Or a few moments out of a situation to look over things again. Even my senses I could not hound at all times to perfection of analysis and yet, the act of living and thinking to SOME degree does just that.

Now, that being said, there is such a thing as obsession with any action. Eventually if all your time is spent in evaluation your no longer in motion. When your no longer in motion your no longer apart of the events of your life and at THAT point your no longer making a difference in the world.

It's all a matter of degrees. Consider that if your injured and have swelling 1 aspirin even two may be of benefit (assuming no allergies and complications). That does not mean that 100 aspirins is of 100x more benefit.

My psychology professor told us "believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear" to that I added "question everything"....our senses can be fooled and therefore our brains can be fooled...but remember not to over evaluate and forget to live...otherwise you miss out on valuable lessons

This has been quite a busy little thread. I Was actually under the impression it was deleted. So do please forgive me for bumping this, but there are a couple things I felt the need to address.

In regards to the original post, I intentionally left the post vague. I was under the assumption that those who knew what was going on, would know what was going on. And those who did not, would stop for a moment, and take the time to ask questions. Both of their leadership, their peers, and themselves. It seems that this goal was accomplished, so perhaps it was not a complete waste of time. As for the actual drama itself, it's been resolved. I feel as if we can move on safely without missing out on anything.

I have no idea who the hell this "Menace" guy is. Alethea vouched for me previously, and I do appreciate that. I have been at the FA off and on for the last decade, so I do believe my identity is quite safe. As for starting trouble. Forgive me, but you really do underestimate my abilities in the subject. I made one half vague post and got a 6 page thread. Mind you this was with absolutely no real effort. If I actually wanted to take the time to make a Sockpuppet, (A fake account with a fake personality behind it, .etc) what kind of trouble do you think I could really cause? 70% of what I study these days is the psychology behind people think, both in Individual and Group settings. This alone makes me "Dangerous" to forums if I desire to be so. Fortunately for TOTJO, or any other community, My trolling days are behind me.

I did mention a while back as previously quoted that I think the Youth Forums being locked away are a bad idea. I still stand by this belief, but this is not my website, nor would I wish it to be so. It is up to the leadership here to make the decisions, but it is up to us, the people to question those decisions whenever possible, even if we agree with them. When questions fail to be asked, that is how a dictatorship is born. I realize this isn't a country, but in a lot of ways, a community online is similar. Care must be taken to balance Freedoms and Privileges, lest the people run all over the place and do as they like.


Over the last decade, I've undergone a lot of apprenticeships. I am currently under one with Darth Draconis at the FA, and I feel that this will be my last. I could never finish the Initiate's Program here. It's just not for me, which is okay. I am not here to convert people to the Dark aspect, or even steal you guys to the FA. I am not a Knight recognized within any order at the moment, but I do not need such a title to earn respect, or to help when and where I can. Thus I will continue to earn the respect of those who take the time to speak with me, and I will continue to teach whoever is willing to learn.

Regardless if you're a Jedi, Shadow, Sith, complacency is what most leads to an abandonment of a path. We must strive to challenge ourselves, and each other in as many ways as possible, so that we may refine our path, and continue down it, not to stop halfway through and build a hammock.

Thank you for reading this lengthy tirade, and If there are any more questions, Feel free to PM me here, find me on the chat, or add me on Facebook.

Thank you for coming back and clarifying a few questions people had

Anyone is welcome here to study as and how they wish

We just ask that people are civil

Akkarin wrote: Anyone is welcome here to study as and how they wish

And think...

Think what you will...

Manners... [strike]I[/strike], I mean we really stress the manners...

We, members of TOTJO, have contacted folks who left as you did after the fact, and most often, it is a misunderstandings...

Just as your PM box is open for our questions, ours is too...

Saying you are studying the "dark aspect" over at FA leads me to believe, at times, you can be impulsive... Listening to you emotions and reacting on them... While I can be as well, I strive more to allow objectivity and logic have their influences on me... Sometimes, it has caused a blow to my ego (which of course teaches me that I still have one, lol, gotta work on that!)

If we appear to blow off a question, many times it is not to stir a hornets nest back up, and those in the know, who are tired of the issue, get tired of reading about them...

Please feel free to question us... Many have, and we dont hide, but here is a problem with doing so in a thread, and that is you ask a question, and we answer, then 10 people ask questions, and we try to answer, and this turns into a case of feeling we are on the defense, which could have been a simple case of a misunderstood word, or words... In the meantime, everyone is thinking that from all of the questions, something sneaky, or underhanded is going on... And now, they want their questions answered... lol...

Quite the conundrum....

I get PMed questions all the time about various aspects of the way we do things here at TOTJO, and if the need arises, or something feel sneaky, PM me...

At roughly the same time you left, two others left, and after some communication, it appears misunderstandings are all they were as well...

And, if I am not being satisfactory, then PM another member, and, when you get tired of that, or feel we arent being upright, then call us out publicly, right here in our own forums, or, on facebook, but do us the courtesy of posting a link, so we may go defend our position...

Its only fair...

A has been said, welcome back, and we look forward to your input...