The Initiates Programme (IP) is the first step towards becoming a Jedi Knight at TotJO, and thus it is one of the most important things you will do here at the Temple. The IP serves several different purposes.
Firstly, it gives other members of the temple a snapshot of who you are. By spending time reading about your interpretation of the material presented within the IP it gives an understanding of the real you. So be mindful when completing each lesson, as we want to see the real you and not what you think we want to hear.
Secondly, Knights will use your IP Journal as a resume to help determine if you may be a good match for an apprenticeship with them and vice versa if they would be an adequate training master for you.
Finally, it also serves as a small taster of what is to come and can give you a general understanding of what you can come to expect from future studies here at TotJO.
When completing your IP studies, you should look to be mindful of how you complete them. There are no bonus points for how fast you can complete them, and there is time minimums put in place when it comes to advancement in ranks. Rushing will only show potential training master’s that you may lack patience and did not truly take the time to reflect upon what the lesson contained.
The majority of those who join TotJO do so out of a desire to become a Jedi Knight, and who can blame them? However, becoming a knight here at TotJO will take a moderate amount of time, an average of two years at least. Much like the tortoise and the hare, there is more to gain from taking your time and enjoying the journey along the way.
Your pace should be balanced; you should try and complete a lesson a week, as apprentices are often expected to complete a lesson a week also. It is about finding that balance, there are no penalties for taking your time, so long as you are demonstrating your understanding of the material, but the IP is not meant to be a lengthy task.
While the lessons are yours alone to complete, you are not alone on your path here. Periodically, a member of the IP Team (comprised of apprentices) will perform an Initiates Programme Team Check (IPTC). They will be checking to confirm that the work has been completed to the standards given within each lesson, as well as to ensure that you have stayed on topic. While they will not be grading your work, it is just a formality and a way to ensure that you are on the right track. You will know if this has taken place as you will see something akin to JUN24 IPTC Tetrahedron appear at the footer of your posts. You may be asked to expand upon some ideas if an IP Team member feels like you have not quite hit the mark with what you have written for that lesson.
However, they are not there solely to ensure your work is complete, they can offer further support. You can request an IP Sponsor either from any member of the IP Team or within the Study Hall channel on Discord. They will then look at the current list of sponsors available and you will be contacted by your sponsor. Though a sponsor is not mandatory, it is highly recommended as it gives you a familiar face to bounce ideas off and directly assist with any queries you may have. There are also regular study halls which can be found in the Events section of the Discord.
Lastly, once you have finished the IP, your journal will be checked by two Knights. You may be challenged on some of your ideas, or asked to dig deeper on a particular lesson, however, do not take offense to this as they may be looking at you to become an apprentice to them. The Knights are the primary trainers/teachers here at TotJO, and they have lots to offer for training, remember that you can also message a knight at any time for guidance, they will always be more than willing to help.
