Clearing up the Dark Side

I want to discuss the Dark. Lately there seem to be many misconceptions as to what the Dark is or what it stands for. Due to the fact the Star Wars mythos is the primary source of information, this is understandable to a degree. Also understandable is the fact that Lord Moor used the Star Wars terms and technique (for example, anger and hatred) in his lectures. What few people realize though, is that he wasn’t talking out his arse. Though they sound very Sithly, these techniques have a basis in reality. As stated countless times in the past, we deal in reality here, not in the myth that Uncle George created. Not only are anger and hatred good things to focus on, but a Darksider should focus on the whole range of strong emotions. All emotion can fuel you, if you know how to manipulate it. Never leave any stone unturned when exploring what works for you, because that stone you leave untouched may be the one to hold the key to what you want or at least lead you to the next step.

Reality check. A competent Darksider isn’t one who goes around in long, flowing robes Force-choking people when they piss him or her off. Also we are not the puppy-kickers that others think us as either. We are your business people, your cops, your teachers, your janitors, your politicians, and yes, we are even involved in your church. A Darksider is concerned with their Self basically. It’s a form of selfishness. Selfishness, mind you, is not a bad thing like society makes it out to be. Being selfish enables you to do the things you want, when you want, and not care about what anyone else thinks of you for it. Now these things will only be for you to make you happy or to help you on your way to achieving your own personal goals.

Another thing that a Darksider is concerned with is power. And not necessarily in the “I’m going to take over the world” fashion either. It’s about power over the Self. If you think about it…it’s one of the most ultimate powers one can achieve. In essence, I’m conquering the World of Me. Once that is done, I can either move on, or once conquered, begin to shape it into what I want it to be. My will, will essentially change my reality, and in some sense affect other people’s realities as well as the common reality that we all share. Am I talking about something mystical here? No, I’m talking something realistic; it is how we control and carry ourselves. Sounds simple in theory, but for some, it will be the one of the hardest things one will ever attempt.

Know thyself and To thine own self be true. These two phrases are very important to a Darksider’s training. Knowing yourself inside-out, upside-down, around-and-over is essential. You have to learn to see things in a VERY realistic light, not clouded by the programming of society that always says Do things this way or Do things that way for the good of everyone. You have to learn to do things you want, for yourself. No rationalizing, no excuses, no second guessing. At the end of this, you will in one respect be your own master. Now, you always have, been, but the realization and build up to it is what matters now. One way to this is brutal honesty. This technique will now be your best friend. No running from yourself, no hiding from the things within you that scare you. It’s time to knock down the walls within you that cover all of the secret little fears you harbor. It’s time to face them all—everything. Not all at once, but one at a time, or whatever is comfortable for you. Accept them within you, make them a part of who you are…only then, will you be able to overcome them and then to draw strength from them. And then you can move on.

These are the beginning steps, the foundations, of one who is training in the Dark Side.

—Marcar Tezroc

Library of the Infinite

The Force can be viewed as a Library of knowledge, to some degree.

Everyone has access to this library and the knowledge is there for the taking; however, how many people dare tread the long and dark stairwell that leads to the catacombs; the places where the ancient truths of past time, the place where the enigmatic questions of humanity, the place where the very outer reaches of human awareness ponder, all are stored.

These catacombs are, in their own respect, the Darkness. With the knowledge they store, one can become well versed and wise; however one also becomes burdened with what plagued humanity since the dawn of time.

With this knowledge comes a higher level of consciousness; and yet, one that pursues this knowledge exposes themselves to the “dangerous truths”.

As sith, one should accept this burden and power through it. But there comes a time in every Siths experience that one must drop everything… all strength, all power, all understanding, and bask in what is solely the Darkness. Letting go of all that connected one to this world, yet not travelling to another.

Existing in the void of pure Darkness.

The problem with this is that you cannot reach this place through hate and anger and rage. That will merely decend you into the catacombs of the Darkness from the rest of humanity.

Once you have found these catacombs; this place of knowledge; in fact the actual Darkness, one must cut the tethers that tie you to the rest of humanity.

Hate.
Anger.
Rage.

any and all emotion.

When you have severed this humanity; albeit possibly temporarily, then you are free to flow with the current of the Darkness, and many things will be revealed to you.

Make your mind clear and placid void of thought or feeling and allow the Darkness to flow…
and as long as you are in this Heart of Darkness, you will find the mysteries and the understanding.

- Vallen

Darkness and the Individual

According to some here, the following of the Dark Side would be “only” like a psychological journey, to know yourself, your boundaries, and overcome them by rising above. These are only the bases.

If you truly wish to cultivate a connection to the Dark Side itself, through the complete understanding and use of your inner Darkness, wishing to achieve power, well, than it is not only advised, but essential to cultivate your hate and aggression.

Naturally, the best way is always the cultivating of evil. There are a lot of “Darksiders,” who are afraid of this, because of their own incompetence, weakness, or mundanity.

You decide, which way is yours.

-Gregorius Pannonius, Dark Knight

Turning to the Dark Side?

If you feel more attuned to the Dark Side, then you’re a Darksider. There’s no turning this way or that. You are what you are. It’s not like a professional wrestler making a “heel turn” or something.

You find that you’re thinking inwardly and that you’re self absorbed.  All of these things inspire fear within yourself that you’re somehow becoming something that you would rather not be.

Well, friend, you can resist your nature all you want, but that doesn’t change who and what you are. You’ll be far more productive, and achieve a much greater understanding of yourself and the Force, if you stay true to your nature. If your nature is of the Darker variety, so be it. Accept it. Become strong with it. Let it guide you. Why fight it?

There is nothing wrong with following the Dark path. Though it’s been demonized by some, there’s nothing evil about it. The “evils” of the Dark Side are a construct of movie makers. I figure they reason it this way: “the Dark Side sounds sinister, so let’s call our villains followers of the Dark Side,” or something along those lines. This by default leaves our heroes as being adherents of the “Light Side” along with all the inherent goodness that such a title entails. Thus, we’re left with our on-screen antagonists engaged in the age old battle of “good versus evil” with the fate of the world (or galaxy) at stake. Very compelling moviemaking, I suppose. But, it has no basis in reality. 

The Dark Side, to me, is just a more self centered approach to living. It represents living your life in the service of yourself instead of others. It’s about empowerment and independence and personal responsibility.  

I feel one has to place himself above all others to realize his full potential. I believe that one has to be passionate in his pursuit of personal excellence. He should give all of himself, never holding back anything. He has to let the full power of all of his emotions drive him and inspire him and motivate him to the point that he never becomes lazy or complacent. It’s the actualizing of the self, the elevation of the self to greater and greater heights, and the higher levels of consciousness arising from these efforts that enable one to experience the Force in a very powerful way.

When one decides to become independent, empowers himself, takes responsibility for himself, works hard to make the most of his potential, achieves great things, and does it all for himself, he cannot help but feel at one with the Force.  

To me, this isn’t evil. To me, this is living a life rich in rewards that transcend material wealth. This is fully “coming into being.” This is enlightenment!

—Dirk Sith 

Explaining the Dark Side

It’s hard to explain a philosophy such as the Dark Side in sufficient detail. Thus, oversimplifying the subject is inevitable. Further complicating the issue is the broad range views and opinions on the subject. My view of the Dark Side may differ greater from the next Darksider’s view.

If I were to summarize what the Dark Side means to me, I would say it is the glorification of self. I would also say it is the passionate pursuit of personal excellence. Of course, both of those things go hand in hand.

I don’t feel constrained or inhibited by traditional rules of fair play. Even if something is widely viewed as wrong, if it represents a reasonable and justified means to an end (and I appoint myself the sole judge), I’ll do it to achieve my goals. I do what’s in my best interests. I hold myself above all others.

I use my emotions to achieve a higher state of consciousness. I am driven by my emotions. They allow me to feel the power that I have stored within myself. I use my passion to always challenge myself. It is the passionate pursuit of a greater me that helps me distinguish myself for myself. It is an unrelenting pursuit of a greater glory that I envision for myself. It’s really about the self to me.

I always saw the Dark Side as a non-conformist approach to life. From childhood, we have our parents, our schools, our governments, our peers – you name it – dictating their standards to us. I refuse to be dictated to. I’ll come to my own conclusions using my own standards that I’ve set for myself. I refuse to surrender my will to anyone. I’ll decide what I like. I’ll decide what I want from life. I’ll come to my own opinions and conclusions based on my own viewpoints. Viewpoints formed through independent thought uninfluenced by the stage props that I view the rest of the world to be.

I want to create my own environment based on my view of what is ideal in every way. This I want for myself and nobody else. I’m content to let others find their own way. I’m neither a sheep nor a shepherd.

Is the Dark Side evil? Not at all. Evil is evil. Evil is a morally reprehensible act needing no act of legislation to tell you it’s evil.

The Dark Side is self serving. The Dark Side isn’t always ethical in the eyes of some. Using whatever means required to get an edge is sometimes looked down upon. But, I know of very few that haven’t gone down that road a time or two. However, I’m comfortable in saying that most followers of the Left Hand Path stop short of committing bona-fiably evil acts. Most of that stuff is the work of fiction. Using the Force to choke somebody out or zapping people with lightning is very much a figment of a movie maker’s imagination.

In closing, most here (if honest with themselves) will see that they have behaved more like Darksiders than the mythical, monkish Jedi with whom they feel some strange kinship with. If your only claim to the Light is you don’t perpetrate acts of evil, you may want to reevaluate which path you’re truly following. You’ve likely been fooling yourself.

—Dirk Sith

The Path of Darkness

Your hand now holds the wisdom of the ages, the map to the gateway of the Universe. It is small in size but large in wisdom and knowledge. It is intended to be simple, but do not hold it in contempt as all great wisdom is simple. Yes, it is intended to be simple, for the Rock of Stupidity is large! Those who listen and try to understand will grow in strength and stature and eventually find their way to their own “Safe Harbor” and ultimate spiritual fulfillment. Those who scoff will continue on as a frog trying to climb up the wall of a slick-sided well, laboring all day trying to gain a few feet only to slide back down each night only to find themselves in the same dreary situation in the morning. However, there is help if the seeker will but listen for the Gnosis and remember their revelations. This then is the book of the Dark. When seekers learn the Gnosis, they will belong, be successful and know fulfillment. Their limitations vanish, and they are free to grow in stature.

They will also prosper and live in harmony with one another in a land of plenty. You see, there is more to all this than meets the eye, and the ignorant man is much less than his ancestors who once had the Gnosis because he has forgotten many of the great truths and principles apportioned to the race of men when its days were short. Yes, man has been deceived and cheated by the purveyors of mysticism and deceit. Today, ignorant man lives in the Realm of Choices and confusion, but instead of choosing to seek the Power of the Force for himself, he has instead traveled the hot, dusty road that ends in failure, deceit and submission to mysticism. He has let the profane mystics talk him out of his inheritance. Because of this, ignorant man has been mistakenly battling against something within himself which he doesn’t understand, and the harder he fights, the more his situation deteriorates. The reason and answer to this dilemma is that ignorant man, at least in this physical world is incomplete, as the guidance and benefits of the Force is purposely withheld from him until the realization of his adverse condition becomes eminent and the Gnosis is asked for and seriously desired by the person who then separates from the herd in the eyes of the mighty. Yes, when a person realizes that they have been lied to and deceived and has the fortitude to stand up, shake their fist at the sky and demand their inheritance returned, they get it and become one of stature among their peers.

Yes, not until a person realizes their untenable situation and reaches out to the Force will the process of redemption and reawakening begin. This world is an arena of testing and trial where masters are separated from slaves. The subjective are culled from the objective and the weak removed from among the strong. This world is no prize. That is why it is said that, “The meek shall inherit the Earth.” This planet is the consolation prize for losers who can never raise their sights.

Yes, part of man lives in the physical world of earth and sky, but the rest of him lives in the Realm of the Astral, beyond the veil which separates him from his self of power and those who have gone on before to reign in majesty with the force, as a warrior or forever grovel in submission to one of power who has the knowing. Whenever a person forgets their spiritual ties with that other realm, they lose contact with the Force which sustains them and they become weak and lost, seeking a master who will guide them. Whenever the Gnosis of the Force is lost or unknown, man is doomed to servility, no matter how hard he tries to convince himself otherwise. The incomplete and ignorant can never rise to full stature and must sit at the feet of one who has become, hoping for the enlightenment that will never come because they have never asked. Your chance to grow in stature is here and now if you so desire it. This is not about loss, fear and shame. This is about rising from the depths to the heights. This is the path to The Knowing!

This is a gift to mankind by the many brothers and sisters who have left their legacy behind for the benefit of all who would come after them. Knowing that man must eventually seek the Force, they have left us the answers to the basis of the combined forces, known but as yet unexplained by the great academic minds. This is about that Force, the All, man, and those who have been sent to help him find his way by achieving The Knowing. Their directive is to bridge the veil of mists and carry the Keys of spiritual freedom to mankind. Their purpose is to aid and assist all men and women who freely ask to travel the Dark Path to fulfillment. However, one who wishes to learn must ask. As the pages turn, the voices of many past adepts will speak their parts, revealing the right way to look at personal interaction with the forces that be and to form a suitable defense against the opposition who would limit and ensnare the unwary. They will also present the keys of wisdom and knowledge that will unlock the mysteries of the ages and open the doors to the future aeons. But, this is only half the story, You see, the true scope of this is only to show the way to the bridge; the seeker must then cross it. Your personal gnosis will bring all into focus when the time is right for you to know or have the knowing.

-Paimon/Darth Wraith/Darth Taranis

Dark Self-Discovery

There has often been talk in chat and on the boards about ’searching for yourself’ or ’spiritual self-discovery’. Concepts to which I invariably respond with the question: “Who is doing the searching/discovery and what is being discovered?” and the only answer to both is “Myself”. How can the same person be both subject and object without realising it? It is impossible.

The truth is each individual is self-aware and given freedom of expression is able to manifest their true nature. The problem comes when individuals are not allowed to express this, are told they are ‘wrong’ to be as they are or are kept in ignorance of the possibility of such self-expression. There is a Hindu story which puts this well.

A lion cub, whose mother had died soon after it was born, found herself amongst a flock of sheep. These sheep were the first animals she had ever seen and so when they told her how she should live, she accepted it. The sheep said that hanging around in fields was the thing to do, so she hung around in the fields and felt bored and dissatisfied. The lambs all leapt and skipped in the spring, she leapt and skipped, but it did nothing for her. And eating grass which nourished the sheep, left her more and more hungry and her body more and more thin and wasted.

But the lion cub just assumed that this was how life had to be. When she told the sheep that she thought she did not feel right with the way things were, they told her not to be so stupid – that there was something wrong with her if she didn’t fit in right. So although she knew her own nature, she never expressed it as she was not aware of the possibility of doing so.

One day an adult lion saw the cub in the field eating grass. He picked it up and took it into the jungle where he had just killed a deer. The lion put the cub down by the deer and pushed her nose into the fresh kill. The cub tasted the warm blood and flesh and started to eat, suddenly aware that there was another way of being, another path in life, She knew now she did not have to be sheep and gradually she learned how lions behaved and how to express her lion nature. So she grew strong and healthy.

This is what we are doing here in the Realm, showing those of the Dark the way they can express their spiritual nature and what they need to ‘feed’ themselves to be spiritually strong and healthy.

There is no sense of people ‘not knowing’ themselves. Everyone knows themselves as they are the ones who are both knowing and known. It is more a matter of showing those of the Dark what they need to be aware of and do to be able to flourish. To appreciate their nature for what it is, to express their Dark nature and to act in the manner that is necessary to sustain and develop themselves.

-SoronWolf

The Dark Side: Pros and Cons

I will approach this in two ways, Positive Dark Side and Negative Dark Side—positive meaning beneficial and negative meaning detrimental. Each positive number is counter-pointed by a negative number that happens occasionally. For example, positive number 1 may result in negative number 1.

Positive Dark Side
1. I am more in tune with myself and my wants and needs.
2. I am in control of my emotions.
3. By trusting only myself, I have become more confident in my abilities.
4. By counting only on myself, I have become more competent in all that I do.
5. I have become a skilled manipulator at engineering events to a desirable outcome, using both lies and truth to sway subjects.

Negative Dark Side
1. I can become so in tune with myself that I exclude understanding of others, and therefore, am at a loss when dealing with others. I can also exclude any action that does not benefit me more than anyone other party involved.
2. I can be so in control of my emotions that I am emotionally devoid and do not feel as if I am alive. I can be so in control that I cannot feel love or passion.
3. I can be so trusting of myself that I do not believe anyone else reliable enough to do a job competently.
4. I can count on myself so much that I can be arrogant and disappointed when I do not measure up to my own satisfaction.
5. I can manipulate others to avoid doing things myself or to allow myself to become lazy.

The first step to conquering it is to consciously detail all of the positive and negative attributes that you possess all the time, sometimes, or rarely at all. Then you use mindfulness to be aware of when you are doing such a negative action and then choose to eliminate that action from your life. Keep the positives and remold the way they are used to a better stance; for example, focus only on manipulating through truth, such as convincing others to quit smoking through the use of medically proven facts.

-Curtis V.

Step in…

I always wonder why someone who is Light should have anything to fear from the Dark. Why do you see Darkness as something that is bad, and Light as something that is good, why hide – not from what you are – but what you could be? You seem to say the Dark would destroy you, and to that I must say, yes, indeed it would. To cross over, to become more then what you already are and to transcend, you must change what you have been made to be and, by the strength of your own will, you must in a sense destroy what you are in order to again create yourself in your own image, and to sharpen that which you are.

The Light Side, in my own opinion from what I have seen and heard in this place and out of it, is too light a thing. And what happens when you stare into the light for too long? You lose sight, you lose vision, you love too much and you critique too little. Humanity, as a species, has not grown to be what it is today through joy and happiness, but rather it is struggle that has molded us, it is struggle that has made us into what we are, and it is struggle and the quest of individuals away from the herd, into directions that the herd is unwilling to travel that enable the species as a whole to move forward.

You say the Dark is easier. I say no, it’s harder. Far easier not to look into the Dark places within, far easier to keep away from the Dark and stay within the warmth Light makes us feel.

What you say of fear however comes not from following the Dark path; rather it comes from standing in the Light and looking at the Dark. It comes from fear of Darkness. I say have done with fear, I say learn to cherish that which you are, the feelings you feel. I say look within with a mind that welcomes what it sees rather then one that cares for the thoughts of the herd. I say follow through with your mind and explore the Darkness within.

Above all, be aware and be mindful.
Noel Vock, Dark Master

Perspective

If you were to stand in the light before a cave, you could hear the darkness, see the face of it, and perhaps explore a while should there be a need for it. If you were to stand at the back of a cave, you could see all that was in the light with perfect clarity and yet see the darkness as well for what it was.
If you wish to see it all, then embrace darkness for it is the one truth in the lies of the light. Within the light, you may only see what the light shines upon. Whereas in the dark, you can see the light and dark.

Human beings have the unique and dangerous ability to travel both realms with more ease than most realize. It is a simple thing for some to…as simple aaqs stepping into the darkness in curiosity, for fun, or to help a lost other…For a light walker, it is easy to become lost in the darkness. On the other hand, a Sith is able to walk outside with relative ease. It is not comfortable to him or natural but more feasable than the flip side for Jedi comming inside.

There are secrets to be found in the hidden, things to learn that you can’t see, and lessons yet taught…but the world of the light is a large world too…though in the grand scheme of things is eventually much smaller than the world of caves. Stars only illuminate so far until they become nothing more than dots of cold light. It is darkness that waits. Darkness is everywhere that light is not. When a star dies, the darkness is there, when a star is born, it retreats temporarily…but it is still there. In every shadow, in every crevice, and in every space between light.

This post came over more as a recruiting ad than I like, I may have to modify it when I have the time.
-Anubium

Think for Yourself

The Darksider is the seeker of truth. This means seeing past the masks in the world around us, but also means seeing past the illusions we give ourselves. The Darksider focuses not on the power trip, but on tearing into the ugly details of our own psyche’s that the masses paint over with a sugar-coated brush. Know every aspect of yourself, know the world and people around you, and know where you fit into it.

When we know ourselves, we’re better able to explore our goals and the reasoning behind them. These goals are different for all of us, as are our ethics in how to get there. This is a broader area of the path, and one which everyone has to walk on their own. Your peers can offer only suggestions, the answers are yours alone.

The lectures are writings of various subjects by members of the DC, and occasional guest writers. They are not a Bible. In fact, they may contradict each other frequently. This is because we have a number of opinions. In using contradicting ideas, we’re also hoping to teach students to think for themselves. Consider both opinions suggested- does either make sense to you? Maybe you have an opinion all your own. If that works for you, go for it. Above all else, the Darksider must know how to reason. The lectures are merely food for thought and discussion.

Enjoy the meal.

Crystal

An Introduction to the Dark Side

Picture a big room, one side of the room is lit up with lamps and you can see everything there. The only way you can find something new is to look into the smallest cracks in the wall. The other side of the room is full of dense fog. You cannot see anything in there. But absolutely anything can be in that fog and you are struck by the curiousity to find out what is there.

This curiousity is the first step down the Dark Side. It is this curiousity that created the Sith and it is on this curiousity that more fill the Sith ranks.

The fog is the Dark Side, and it contains many wonders. The only ones who will reap its full benefits are the ones who walk into it. Some stay in the light, reaching into the fog and seeing what they can grab. But the fog is clever, it will only grant its rewards to those who devote themselves to it. The Sith choose to walk into in, knowing that the fog will lead them to power. Holding out your hands grabbing what you can reach will only make you another one of those who have lost themselves. While in the fog, you must give yourself direction, choose which way to walk, and walk it. The fog is everywhere, and it is generous, but it will only open up to those strong enough to understand it.
-Darth Atlas

Strategy

The Dark Paths do not make moralistic calls on whether or not an action is right or wrong, but will state that an action can cause more liabilities than benefits if not properly considered. The key is thinking through one’s actions and taking complete responsibility for them regardless of what happens.

You are in control of what happens, therefore you must act accordingly.

- Bandraoi