This is the thinking Room. I write, I think, and I live life. Those who think and like to keep an open and vigilant mind are welcomed. Below is posted a work I like to call The Radix. Please read it, please enjoy it. This template will expand to fit any screen resolution. It is compatible with all major browsers (IE, Netscape, Opera).

The Radix

I

by Brian Arbor © 2003

Preface

I sing the songs of avatars old and young: the requiem of Gods--

            Long from this world of material and flesh--to the realm of belief and dreams.  Long have we guardians lingered in the sounds of language… the collective knowledge and strength of men and women in all cultures and beliefs.  And in that median of endless forms which knows no gender, race, nor creed--in that gift of human creation we find our-selves and that which you could only be if you dared.  Thus is the power of such stories being both young and old; from all the people of the four corners in the world--for they all share the same origin: the legacy of humanity.

            We guardians are all the faceless ones.  We are you--from many, one.

            With-in here lies not mere amusement, but wisdom for life; of all people and ages.  The wisdom gained from the false paths as well as those of the virtuous.  All the stories are the same in the source of understanding, as all stories every-where are the same.  The like thoughts, the like ideas--the common wisdom if only we were to look and see.  Simplicity.

            Do not merely read, but seek to understand and to be.  Do not memorize, but learn.  See pass the mere words to look with-in your-self.  Much like a symphony, do not seek to hear each distinct tone alone--every word.  Instead, feel and know your way through the harmonious complexity and trust in your-self and what it has to tell you.  Any less would be to waste your precious time, for those who wish not to see--nothing will ever be shown to them.

            Nothing is certain, as nothing ever can be.  Forget all these things you think you know, for they hold you static: as experience tainted leads only back to one's lost story.  See what we guardians see--feel what we guardians feel; then you will come to understand these things we show you in our acts--like the principles of a solid foundation.  Piece by piece; in reason and by experience--a single whole: the self; the root.

***

The Gatekeepers

Peer through the gates: ever these first steps.  Thus are the paths that lie before you--do or do not… there is no try.

I:I Draknem

Draknem, Futilis, the Guardian of Night:

Darkness, mother of night, wrap your arms around me in such tender embraces of pleasure and pain.  One feeds the other until such boundaries are no more.  Thus I dream of angels fallen; of virtues failed and faith befouled.  Long I sit and wonder at dark thoughts both cruel to thine' and yours.  I am full of emptiness in a pit of shadow and flames where here I lie bare in the abyss of pettiness and sorrow.  Am I to hate so forever?  Is such passion possessed to consume me for all eternality?

            The greatest strength of self--warped and twisted by the bane of hate and anger.  To challenge the powers them-selves in an equal contest of vanity.  Day and night, I see the remains of our allies dead upon the fields of battle: once great beings, now broken and pitiful.  Was such a waste between two children merit?  Where is this merit: this moral fight between that of supposed good and that of supposed evil?  Far is the truth of which must come to end such faults of thought.  Like a cracked temple of the finest marble--oh, but soon it shall fall.

            Alas, what is day with-out night?  Love with-out that blessed sister of hate.  I see that which is in you--in your darkest corners where you think no-one can see.  Yes, I see you where you can not hide, for where for thou' hide from the possessions of the darkness…?  In the realm of deceit and lies?!  Such ignorance merely feeds me, and in those dark recesses of your mind, I grow still stronger--like a plague to consume your weakened thoughts.  He full of pettiness I shall judge worthy to be my slave and do my bidding for all eternality.

            The greatest strength indeed, for your hate and anger shall over-come all.  You are strong; they weak.  The weak are here upon your command and pleasure: take from them that which you want, for it is your right as my possession.  It is the sole right I give to you, for in your wake more hate and more anger shall be sowed.  The weeping of tears is but sweet rain for those of whom willing give their soul away.  The world bleeds for those of strength; to rend such from the weak earth.  Take, my slave, take all that you can to slate your paltry desires, for this world is all about you and what you want.  Such is my command to you.

            Feed me with your insignificant being and pettiness.  Worship thy' diminution and destruction.  I wish to watch you bleed.  And here I am amused at such sight of imprudence that I do not mind the abyss being so tainted with those of your weak kind.  Come to me, my child--my possession--with those of like minds: both stained and corrupted with the ignorance of our-selves.  Come to me, for when you are finished: I shall have what is mine!

II:I Daliphia

Daliphia, Aequa, the Guardian of The Dawn:

Long have I seen the suffering of those who are of merit.  Such as I weep for the loss of but one good spirit.  Alone in the darkness of the void--so vast… so cold.  I see you struggle for your very purpose.

            As fragments, we are weak--thus virtue true fades from our noble minds.  The crass desires of self and material worth become our idols to praise and to worship, and in such we are lead into the bondage of those who are petty--to be controlled as mindless sheep.  That remains merely suitable to our lowest potential.  I weep for you my unknowing kindred, for we are meant to be of much more.  With-in each and every one of you there is the gift of excellence: that strength of our centered thoughts.  The strength of our noble minds which leads us to obtain our highest potentials.  Although to obtain such is a long and hard road--alas' no-thing in this life maybe made easy, for I fear if such it would be not worth having.

            Thy' wish for noble truths, immortal?  Look with-in your-self for the source of excellence, for if you can not first find it there, you will not find it with-out.  Be of no man's system who claims to fill the void of one's own principles and virtues.  Seek not those who care no-thing of cultivating virtue, for that personal excellence is the sole path to the centered thoughts. 

            Thus the measure is given onto the'.  Three virtues sole and prime create this measure: self-discipline, the balance, and absence of all ignorance--mastering thy' self; mastery in thy' surroundings; mastery in thy' past and future.  Eudaemonia is maintained by the measure.  But to truly follow the measure, the thoughts and actions must be opened: both with-in and with-out.  Thus' three virtues there shall always be; three guardians their sign: Draconigena, Fenix, and Noctua.  Such a path leads to the wisdom of the centered thoughts from the noble mind.

            Always remember--there is no confusion, there is only control; there is no despair, there is only calm; there is no ignorance, there is only understanding.  There is no deception; there is the measure.

            Following the measure always is having eudaemonia.  Eudaemonia is a solid structure in it-self: the path to the centered thoughts from the noble mind--the life-spring that remains at the core of what is wisdom.  The heart and mind of each one of us is a fertile field: they grow that which is sowed into them; they blossom and wither at that which is nourishing them.  We of such kindred sow the seeds of these three virtues.  Flourish in this light of true happiness.  Thus is the one's judge of self: such is the measure.  Thus is my gift to you, my fellow kindred, to protect you from the domination of those who seek to be petty.

III:I Nexus

Nostri, Guardian of The Light:

The virtues are not a destination, but a journey--while in your studies, always remember that.  If one may not see pass the words, then you are not ready in mind.  You are the destination: to go from your-self to merely come back once again--such is the great advice from those who have gone before.  Such is to reach the destination.

            You wish to know who I am?  An empty name in which to praise.  A hollow symbol in which to aspire too.

            In life: I have a name, a face, a history--as do we all… these things are my own.  Such is of no consequence.  “I” am no one important, but merely a part of You, as is this work.  So praise Your-self and find inspiration in You.

            If this description is unacceptable, then I am the candle's flame: centering all your thoughts--burning all the impurities from the mind.  No one important, but merely a part of you; as is this work.  So praise Your-self and find the inspiration that is with-in You.  To live as I have lived.  And that is by the measure.

            And in the end, it is in our actions in which we have merit, for truth is useless if not applied.  As life is wasted if not lived.

Book of Night

I dwell in darkness, lo' the children of loss.

I:II Bathnyma

Bath Qol, the Collector of Tears:

I walk these streets every-night--to see the lost and to know their sorrow.  Why is not of any meaning; merely to see that such exist is enough.  There are too many reasons--too many things gone wrong.  No one solution to so many faults of consequence and chance.  Merely to see that such exist is enough.

I walk the streets through the abyss of night.  My dreams of futures lost in the refuge of the other's realities.  Seeking merely to survive from one day to the end of time--when the despair of life will finally be over.

            Collecting of tears is a simple matter in a world with-out virtue.  With-in every drop is the words of some lost story:  back into the alleys of the deepest cities; a whore of a girl gives birth to a miracle of life.  It is not asked for, and it is unwanted; thus I gather the tears of a new child left in a dumpster--never to see the light of day.

            Alas, such pain is not merely the domain of paucity.  To mend hand-in-hand of ignorance bliss.  Despair can not be warded so easily.  Here, I have the tears of an adolescent child; isolated to a world of his own in a cage of hopelessness.  He is not understood--he is a freak among the others.  He does not understand that the worth of self is not measured by the words of one's peers.  His mistake is forgivable--he is with-out age to know any better.  But no one is there to show the way; but no one is there to stop the pain--the lost of self.  There is no meaning, there is no purpose.  He feels a waste, not even worth the bullet he put in his head, or the tear stains on his cold, pale cheeks.

            If it were possible for an idea to have feelings of her own, I think I would hate my purpose; these loathsome tears--the sole witness of such pure sorrow.  Alas, to fall victim to so much pain.  Such an abyss is powerful indeed--some may never over-come.  If I had tears of my own, I would weep for those children of sorrow.  I would lament such needless loss.  For now, the souls of those who I see; they weep for me.  I collect the tears of others to satisfy my own pain--to keep them safe until their owners are to claim them once again.

I:III Sithnem

Sith Recruiting:

Why do you compose such horrible lies?  It is as if you want to inflict pain on others?  Why!?  Do you “know”--that you wish to do such things?  You think you suffer so?

             Come here… close to me.  Look into my eyes and feel…  I’ll show you horror.  I’ll show you what you want, for such lies buried deep with-in me.  Has infected my very soul, and in the end, the last of my days, shall consume me.  Come closer; I’ll show you horror.  I’ll show you the things I see for every moment of every hour of ever waking day of my life--as such you will tremble.  And as you peer deep into my soul to see the greatness of pain, the lethal power of hate and suffering, you will come to know that you are nothing--you are merely an object in which I harvest; an object for my pleasure.

            As I consume your soul, I do not want your pathetic fear.  You owe me… All.  This is the price for such secrets I show you now--for such seducing words I whisper in your ear.

I:III Drathnem

Sith New:

I will tell you--those of no mind--what the secret of life is…  It is hatred and desire.

            Use the hatred to motivate you…  To feel it.  To taste it.  To be it.  To let it flow through every inch and fill every dark little corner of your soul.  But you must control it, for if you don’t control it, you lose your mind and it controls you.  It is by far the most dangerous thing a mind can do--to be totally submerged and yet trying not to drown in the darkness.  There is no comparable seduction or thrill in this world that can compare to it…  And when you find that every prayer is in gratitude for today not being that day, then you know you are there.

            Alone, in the dark, one can hear the soft sounds of the dark strength.  In the faintest of shadows--buried deep with-in all of us, we can see our points of complete loss; lo, those limits of hideous beauty.  To lash-out--to destroy without prejudice.  The strength of passion; the convictions of a dead mind: like some over-whelming toxin of life…  Yes, how it does deaden the pain…

I:IV Scarnem

Scarface, Head-strong:

From the fields of flaming blue--lost to the sounds of pleading reason.  I see the host of marching ruins; and on to the bane of their vitality.  I think I am going to end tonight--my pain will be revenged in kind.

            I care nothing of finding such truths as to free my mind to higher purposes.  When your life is burdened with such pain of sever violence; such pursuits seem trivial.  Broken families on the edge of an endless sea of suffering.  Lost generations to the banes of stupidity and hate.  There is no end--such is our faith; such is our destiny.  Speak to me of higher purpose and living well!  How dare you?  You who knows nothing of sorrow.

            Nothing was ever given unto me.  No love, no warmth, no feeling of worth or purpose.  What I have, I had to take.  I had to fight for, and yes, I had to kill for.  To the core of my soul, I am vicious causality.  There are no chances for redemption in the bowels of the abyss.  What of those who were born into such damnation?  I see no salvation.  There is no salvation.  So take your useless words to the privileged and pampered; those who need not hide behind hardened souls praying for their time in this world to be over.

            The world is mine if only I have the tenacity to take it.  To do what I have to do--to get to the top no matter what.  And if I go out in a hail of flames, then so be it, for I got mine.  We are the children of a lost generation.  How can our taste not be for destruction--not only for our-selves, but for those around us?  It is what our environment tells us who we are.

I:V Healthinem

Healthcliff, the Weakness of Strength:

Black as the night--black as the soul.  Hate: the strongest of feelings; to combat a cruel, foul world.  A man of violence, a soul of pain.  Enough despair to brave the great adversary and all his legions; or enough to become them.

            And so it begins: an abandoned child to be kicked about and to suffer the toils of a hard and most difficult life.  Grown into a young man whom is blessed to know love--touched his heart with the warmth of another.  Forgiven all, the pains of this world if only to keep forever this new miracle.  I give you my heart, I give you my soul.  I slay a thousand giants--I would build you a thousand wonders: I just beg you, alone you never leave me.  How could I live with-out my life?

            Alas, it was not meant to be.  As young loves tend to do, the cycle of the seasons brings life as well as take'th away.  In the spirit of renewal, no single blossom may last forever.  In the confines of this cold desire of wanting to have all, but giving no-thing in return.  To consume with-out thought or reason.  Two souls broken for eternality, all because of the wrong path taken--thus, virtue not found is unforgiving.  A wound to be inflicted which is destined to never heal.

            One day now, after many years away; after many years of silence.  A darkness approaches--a soul filled with revenge.  Of the hate for those who dare take his life away; who dare take from he.  The weapon of fear he used on those who fell in his path, and his wrath destroyed those of an entire generation--innocent or guilty; for how can one feel such things as pity when one can not feel at all?  It was no matter, for his love was long lost, never to bear again, and the fuel of his hate long spent with the fall of the last.  Now, there is no-thing.

            The ruins of his desires now lie among his feet--the objects of his entire wrath.  Broken as his soul--broken as his heart.  His pain is their pain--their death is his death.  Alone he sits with the torment of him-self, the madness of reason to the sanity of obsession.  No-thing else for the wrath to devour; it devours him.  The wound is never to heal, for he would not let it.  Of the hate of those who dare take his life away--the hate of him-self.  Thus, he is his last victim.

            Hate: the strongest of feelings… to over come.

I:VI Trarrinyma

Sith Tried:

May I have nothing?  Why does it hurt so much to care for another creature?  God, I am tried of hating--of suffering.  It has been my experience that Hope is the carrot in front of the fool.  But it seems that no one will stick their neck out--to take that single most important chance--in order to find true love.  Well, if these be your creatures God, then to hell with you!  I'd rather be a stone than to cater to such vanity...

I:VII Lackenem

Lackey, The Waste Land:

In years of service, my virtue binds.  The meaning of the institution was defined with-in my own self.  An alter to sacrifice the youth of my age to a worthy idol of words and ideas.

            They who came before told me it was the way to be.  To turn from the will of the heart and self; to be bond by the path of loyalty and dedication.  To not question one's superiors and to not think of things beyond.  To do, on command, and as I am told, always.  And such I did.  They told me it was the way.  They, those posters of golden calves and pretty girls.  Idols to worship and forget about the self.

            This I did, and dedicated a life-time.  My life, my love--even as the bruises would not heal.  I remained.  Why…?  It defined me.  It was all I knew, and as the abuse continued, it was what I learned to love.  Duty: such a fine since of worth--reason died many decades ago.  And in this numbness there were enticements of enlightenment; the completion of a whole to a vacant soul.  It was a purpose--an answer to the meaning of life, so I would not be forced to ask my-self.  A single feeling; and all for the price of one's life.  To hide from eternity until it was no longer there.

            But I grow old and I grow tried.  The sense of duty in the mind is as strong as ever, but the body may not follow.  My superior's, they see the change, they who define my being.  My masters, they see it and they scheme.  Did they not know I have my life here, which I have done all for them?  Like God from judgment of my soul, I am dismissed from their presence never to return once more.  With a pat on the back, they claim I am free.  Congratulations for many years of faithful service--you are no longer needed.

            But you are a part of me--those I have sacrificed my youth to.  My work defined my sense of self; I know not any-thing else.  Such was my purpose, my very reason for life.  Now out in the cold dark world with but a certificate and a signature to hang on my empty walls.  An answer to the question of eternity, but merely to hide from seeking it my-self.  The others said that such was the way to go, and so I followed; as was my duty.  Now that I am too old to be of any use to the idols, it is now my destiny to die; as is my duty.

I:VIII Xylinem

Sith Retired:

I look back on my short life, and I see only the dark abyss from once I came.  All the troubled times--all the hate and all the pain and all the suffering--are the essence of my night-mares.  I have held close friends in my arms and watched the life slowly fade from their eyes, and pleaded with beloveds who extinguished their flames much too early.  And from the ashes of these broken souls, I find only one destiny awaiting me--that one day I will not exist: that one day I will die.  Oh, how I wish I could return to the blissful ignorance of youth; even with the constant abuse, the world was a much simpler place.  Now, I have merely one wish before my destiny finds me: that to truly live…  To throw it all away and truly live.

I:IX Helenyma

Helena, Catcher of Dreams:

Listen to a sweet dream, flowing from the softest of lips.  Like sleek velvet curves with most wicked promises and enticing memories, framed with-in threads of star-light in the halls of the most divine.  Enough to wonder at futures to come--possibilities lost.  Envelope me whole, in a prison of bliss; enough to never want to leave.  Or at least ever live with-in reason:

            I stand here a moment.  Lost in a thought; lost in a feeling.  What could call me so?  What could have such power to command so strong a will?

            Soft and subtle, in a world of rough corners.  Where no cruelty is with-out possibility; where no punishment is with-out a crime.  The souls of the compassionate, those poor rest in the fields of memories lost.  Their head-stones stolen for the foundations of the corrupt and incompetent--all else is ground into mortar between the walls of these institutions and systems.  This, I fear, is our sanity.

            Though, the solace of Night, some do feel your touch.  For the hearts of those who hear the calling--we are never to be free.  Bounded in the chaos of a limitless spirit; damned to express in these weak forms of sights and sounds: like touching lips in the dark; to delight the lover of one's desire.  To define a world through our finger tips; like the tenderness to one's embraced.  Let it melt into a whole; as a symphony of sounds, as a warm stream of colors.  Let them flow around you--through you: never the same twice, never to be as felt before.  Do not seek to capture it, for such ecstasy remains only but a glimpse.  It is our insanity: never to be cured, never to be ignored.

            Bonded to a world of no understanding--only the invoking of feelings deep and primal.  In my words: I can not tell you, I can but only show you.  We will always have this sweet curse, you and I: to never truly be understood.  Such sanity is not the same for us.

            She calls us to her--each in our own unique way.  Logic, reason: such have no place here.  Only the drive to express what we our-selves will never come to know.  It is instinct--it is irrational.  We who feel the calling; we are not rational creature.  Driven to form worlds and life through the matter of our thoughts; rendered in words, in slights, or in sounds.  It is insanity; pure and beautiful.  Pure and… chaotic.

I:X Socratnem

Socrates, the Great Questioner:

Alone I sit to stare at the stars.  A lone traveler to seek that which can not be touched by the hands, but solely by the mind.  Alas, my fellow citizen, have you the truth?  Do you live the virtuous life…?  And so your words betray a yes.

            I have searched for so long--can you not give me that which I have sought?  I will not go straight away nor leave you, thus that I may question and examine and put you to the test.  Let me peer inside you and seek this truth you claim: I see the desire for honor and glory as well as much with-in.  I see the path of knowledge and power beneath your feet and long have you made such progress.  I see the fulfillment of many merits and the pride of accomplishment.  That is all I see, and yet you claim judgment almost divine and the obtainment of goodness.

            These latter I see not, for you take no care for understanding or truth, nor for the best possible state of your mind.  The pursuit of the former merits clouds your vision--the noble mind is not found in such cages of the self.  These things you claim as truth are merely tools--instruments among the path.  A means; not the end.  Shame on you for setting the lowest value upon the most precious things, and for rating inferior ones more highly.  You think the highest challenges comes with-out merit of them-selves?  That pettiness would show it-self in flames and horror, so as to be easier to mark it and such foul deeds?  Better to see petty creatures passing among us, thus to run the other way?

            I hear that which you say, I see the great and mighty monuments in which you have built by your institutions, and I diverge.  The noble mind is not cultivated solely through such practice as you claim.  It is not found in the collective of the whole, but only in the trials of the self.  I have the greatest fondness for you my peers, but I will obey my spirit rather than you; and so long as I draw breath and an able, I shall never give up practicing my love of wisdom, or exhorting and showing the measure to any of you whom I ever encounter: that I shall do for young or old, unfamiliar or fellow kindred; but all the more for the latter, since your kinship with me is precise.

            I have merely become the editor of such vast wisdom--not its master.  I have come to realize that the sole thing I do know is that I truly know no-thing.  It is merely my honor to have lived by such principles and having allowed them to guide my life; so in this respect, I feel I have become a better person because of them.

Book of the Dawn

Now, I stand alone… but as my words ring clear among the world, I shall not for long.

II:II Gabriphim

Gabriel, the Redeemer:

Alas, I sleep, in fields of grey--not knowing what is to come and unsure of what has passed.  A dreaming soul of hollow roads to hide not what is in my heart.

            Yet still I search down the abyss; immune from fear, but not despair.  Potential of a dream which may never become reality, and still it eats at my every waking thought.  What am I to become now that I have no purpose?  What am I to feel when there is no more pain?

            Alone I remain as I stare off into the void.  Away from the rest of life to have my own thoughts--to share my own peace.  A sole traveler in a seemly desolate land.  I see the others, but we never speak.  A mute witness to the fate of all when words can never say enough.  There is reason in this--there is power.  A loner can have dreams of his own.  By the entirety I am no one, but there are those just like me.  I can see it in their eyes.  I can see it in their soul.  They struggle too, for that some-thing more: to fill their emptiness.  They plead for such they know not--to fall weak to false paths.  But such is waste.

            I am no one.  Desolate and empty.  But, perhaps that is the answer.  To be no one--no home, no material worth.  Absolute simplicity in form.  To seek not the expanse of wealth, but improvement of the pure self--of the mind and of the actions.  To develop that which can never be taken from you--unlike the gifts of the senses whose destiny is but to only fade.

            This answer lies solely with the self, and only there can one find the foundation to seek contentment on the out-side.  Be your-self, only then will you have the stability of mind and the virtues to find what true happiness there maybe. 

            Such a path is open to all, for it knows no bias.  We all stand on the same ground when it matters to the self, but it is only when we choose to invest the life and energy, the hard work and the discipline to recover when we falter, will the Path of the Kindred be known to those who are true to them-selves.

II:III Fuliphim

The Fool, Teacher of Kings:

A word of things that are:  In this world of specters seek no answer.  In the landscapes of cement fields and steel forest--the great progress of civilization--seek no permanent truth in such a bounded cage.  For to worship that which is inappropriate merely waste such precious commodities of life.

            Why inappropriate?  The machine serves a singular purpose, for that which it is designed for; as the arm serves the whole of the human body.  Thus, such would be inappropriate to consider the whole to give to the part the meaning of truth--it is merely another resource of the entirety.  An asset to be used.  A pawn to be sacrificed.  So seek not external means to define who you are; such can only end in great folly.  This is not to say depart from life; it is merely to say know the limits of the bonded cage in which we choose to live.  As a thirsty man can not show the way to water, nor can society give you that which must come from with-in.

            Possibility, not hope, is the principle which masters this common reality that the whole of us all compose.  Every-thing and no-thing are both possible as are all in between.  Do not wait for the possibility--seek it; as hope is merely the carrot in forth' the donkey--develop the capability to realize the possibilities.  Develop the capability to seek those possibilities.  Thus it seems the teacher speaks in riddles, and truth hides behind metaphors.  For this sole means, I will beg pardon, as it is not my purpose to bewilder or exclude.  As there is a reason behind the waxing and the waning of the moon, I assure you that there is a reason for such as this.  In time, those who are true to both them-selves and maintain eudaemonia will come to know the reason for now perceived foolishness.

            Ah, but this lesson I say plainly--the key to unravel the supposed mysteries.  No-thing in enlightenment can be simply given to you.  The truth can not be told as a secret kept dearly and vain.  There are no mystics of ritual to depart sudden insight or invest the jewels of desire.  And, most importantly, dogmatic conditions are, and shall always be, insurmountable obstacles.  There can be no system which numbs the senses and directs blindly the individual reason.  No virtuous spirit, no true path to enlightenment, wants mindless followers or blind believers--to enslave the mind and corrupt the intuition: these are the gifts in which to find the true path and to remain faithful to the self; do not give them away to any-one or any-thing.  Trust no man or beast nor spirit who demands such sacrifices of self.

            Every word of this tome is a guide who merely points in the direction of life.  Points to the path and remarks 'here lay the means: it is never the same twice, coming or going, and it remains different for thy' soul, as for others.'  As before, know these things: have absolute faith in no-thing except your-self and develop the center in thoughts and actions so to keep the clear and wise path; thus no obstacle shall stand before you.

II:IV Konphya

The Master, Keeper of the Path:

So long have I seen the stars high with glittering views of imagination.  To perch among the clouds in sublime vistas of purpose.

If I sought now the unity of mind--the liberation of the thoughts from the base desires of self; to seek the pursuit of true reality--to whom would I be grateful for?  Would I look to the untamed seas, to the formless clouds in the heavens?  Lo', perhaps to my ancestors past, untouched by their final thoughts, or the emphoral spirits of my very dreams.  No, seek out no God nor spirit in explanations, but look to your-self: in you are all the gifts of the divine.

            Be no master's slave, for such is no man or woman's purpose.  Be no sheep of no' shepherd.  Learn from those whom have come before you, and when you have learned all you can, forge your own path.  Always ask questions--accept no false answers.  Seek those of like spirits and grow strong together.  Focus on the self and ethical behavior.  Allow traditions and the wisdom of the ages to be guides--not destinies.  Learn; grow; seek the new and preserve the old; know no limits: such is the path I place before you.  And when your time has come to depart this world--pass your legacy on to the future generations, so we as a whole will push forward into the void, together and strong.

            Such I speak to you: follow no spirit or God or man that says other-wise.  Seek the divine in-side first, then the divine of out-side next.  This is not to prove the existence of such physical creatures or not--it is merely to say that such worries are not your first concern: live for humanity now and worry about what comes after later.

II:V Dumaphim

Duma, Guardian of The Measure:

Both radiant and true.  The goal of The Measure, The foundation of The Self, The purpose of The Kindred:

            The Center is in thoughts: the noble mind, the focused mind, the awakened mind, the tranquil mind, the mind like a mirror.  Open to every possibility, but critical of all.  Seeing true reality; dynamic and stable: prepared for any situation.  The Supreme Instrument of our human potential--the mind of your own, to think for your-self.  Thus is the genesis of wisdom, for true happiness originates from this one principle.

            The Center is in actions: honor--performance with our most highest excellence.  The truly ethical acts in maintenance of The Center, which requires exertion and does not consist in amusement.  Honor is not always following the rules--thus it is not duty.  Honor is doing the right thing at all times--despite even the rules.  Never to be compromised in any behavior.  Never to be compromised in any situation.  Never to be compromised.

            The Center is the sole means to the fullest capabilities of The Self, by thoughts and actions--thus to achieve Truth.  Such is the noble mind; such is honor: the purpose of The Measure; the first and only doctrine of the Kindred.  Both the noble mind and honor are obtained by following The Measure--the mastery of the three guardians for their virtues--in order to follow the path to The Center.  It is the three Guardians who show the way, but it is you who must tread the path.

II:VI Draconigena

Draconigena, Guardian of the First Virtue - Self-discipline:

Heed my words and know that I am he that watches and witnesses them whom see their own true worth.

            The first of the three virtues, but not a solid structure in it-self: self-discipline is the foundation of the sheltering virtues.  Those whom are simple will merely see the foundation enduring pain and suffering, and in their inflictions, they remained flawed.  There is no pain, there is no suffering; to see pass that--to be above that.

            In a world of one, the good foundation endures--endures always in the internal self; by the absence of the peripheral being.  This is the core of the first virtue.  As such, know always thy' self.  Have blind faith in no-thing except thy' self.  Cultivate the perseverance to always seek the totality of thy' self.  Never allow external factors to define who you are.  And on such things, be absolutely focused: no distractions from what truly matters in the journey of this life--in what little time that has been granted us.

            One cannot be filled if remaining full.  One cannot see by remaining blind.  The will to empty--then, the will to fill.  Like the stained glass that hides the true nature of the very sky, empty your-self of all preconceptions that seek to color your reality.  Only then can the tranquility of mind be found.  Only then can true reality be seen.

            A weakness in self-discipline is weakness in your-self, and a danger to your kindred.  Those weak can not handle the mind which has been awakened, for there is much capacity for harm: one does not train the warrior in the Art if he has not respect for life.  One can not cultivate the noble mind that has not the virtue of self-discipline.

            Thus is emptiness--to be no-thing.  Thus is simplicity.  For such is true freedom.  It is only after we have lost every-thing that we are free to do any-thing.

II:VII Fenix

Fenix, Guardian of the Second Virtue - The Balance:

Heed my words and know that I am it that watches and witnesses them whom see their own true worth.

            The second of the three virtues, but not a solid structure in it-self: the balance remains the walls of the sheltering virtues.  The awakened mind, the noble mind, can not be possessed by one who is with-out the balance.  Our reality remains relative to our surroundings; for such we live through the interaction of our world.  With-out this, we are not alive.  Thus the balance refines the human nature--to be one with every-thing.  In all things as they interact in a whole there is a harmony.  Though you may be but one instrument in an orchestra, their can be no symphony with-out the coordination of the whole.  There can be no entirety without the individual components.  Thus, many become one.

            To build the walls, you must be your own: to not be that of material desires and the taint of other's duty.  To identify not with vanity or ambitions of fame: the veneer of a hollowed soul.  To be apt most perceptive in all things around you.  To be superbly vigilant in actions and behavior.  To solely seek neither love nor hate: simplicity in faith of the self and the integrity of thy' own actions. 

            Like a base of a mountain--unmoving.  To have thoughts which are always calm and stable.  To have thoughts which are always clear and harmonious.  Thus to act and react in proper accordance with the center.  The ability to adapt, and to over-come; like the flowing of water, like the casting of a shadow.  Thus is the harmony of the external self.  The mind like a mirror--tranquil with both inside and out.  Strong in both mind and body.

            He of the center virtue knows not greed and selfishness; he of the center virtue knows not deceit and cruelty; he of the center virtue knows not the excesses of self.  It is a simple matter--to be malicious towards those around you.  It is a higher matter--to be one whom is good at heart…  Always.

            The obtaining of one's center refines the human capabilities in the holistic self; which becomes the highest gift--or the highest curse.  It is the balance that assures the former.  So cultivate the virtue of the balance and no truth can be hidden from the eyes; no lie can deceive the ears; no falsehoods spoken from the mouth.  The truth can be made clear from the harmony of the whole.

II:VIII Noctua

Noctua, Guardian of the Third Virtue - Knowledge:

Heed my words and know that I am she that watches and witnesses them whom see their own true worth.

            The last of the three virtues, but not a solid structure in it-self: Knowledge is the roof of the sheltering virtues.  It is the protection from the elements--to keep out the wind and rain of the world.  To never suffer through the heat and cold; in the natural chaos of the void.

            Knowledge represents: worldly sophistication and understanding, or simply, the severe absence of ignorance.  The vast presence of learning.  A comprehensive understanding of logic and reasoning--an appreciation of all the arts and sciences--in the physical and metaphysical matters.  The cultivation of intellectual eloquence and thirst of understanding.  Knowledge is power to control one's own mind, and to develop the critical skills to handle any situation.

            With the growth of knowledge comes the growth of the mind--soon to have no barriers.  In all knowledge there is power, thus allow no subject to escape your curiosity.  Bias and intolerance are merely barriers--the banner of those who are petty and weak minded.  Have no patience for such people who choose knowingly and freely to follow such a shallow path: they chase shadows and have no understanding.  Such is pettiness.

            Ignorance is the great vice which plagues the mind.  Represents the stagnation of the mental abilities--thus a barrier in attaining the center.  Knowledge is the great panacea of the mind.  Represents the proliferation of the mental abilities--thus a liberator to attaining the center.  Like the other two virtues: Self-discipline and The Balance; Knowledge is a virtue which never stops growing--which is never halted in its pursuit or refinement.  One always needs a foundation--one always needs walls--one always needs a roof--and this becomes a structure in it-self encompassing all thoughts and actions.

            With-in this structure: this house of the three virtues--the wisdom of the virtuous and individual excellence will nurture and develop.  Thus, keeping the center in all things you do will not be beyond your abilities.  Life will present you no difficulties.

II:IX Aegis

Aegis, Guardian of The Kindred:

I stand alone… among the chaos of the gathering storm.  Among the darkness of the abyss.  For millennia we have been sleeping; the slumbers of waking life.  Bid me open my eyes to every-thing, to save me from the no-thing we have become. 

            Much like the rebellious angels, I have gone from my creator: that of the Masses, from whom I am so different--with the will to question, and to think for my-self: with-out such there can be no-thing in-side.  With-out such, we are numb--we are dead. 

            From the glimmering forest of emerald green, and the diamonded peaks of mountains high, lo' to the supple tans of the vast waste: I shall spread my arms to protect those who keep the center, those whom choose virtue over pettiness.  They shall draw from me the strength to face all obstacles--to remain true to them-selves and to that which is right, and to never fail those who need them most.  I shall be your bastion and your rock to cling to in the times of darkness.  You are not alone, for I, Aegis, shall stand by your side--not as your master, not as your mother, not as the shepherd who tends sheep, but first as a companion and guide; and soon to be of blood.  The fates were set long ago--fear profits one no-thing.  Thus follow the path of the guardians and become kindred: through merit of self, you will fulfill your highest potential.

            From the combinations of the three virtues, so are formed a thousand paths--thus a thousand responses; like the facets of a diamond.  They all sparkle and shine, even as they over-lap and mix into a single whole.  With the cultivation of the center, what is truth will be made known.  So may the measure be your guide to the noble mind, for completeness is strength, and may Aegis be your shield in the long path that lies ahead.  To remain faithful to your own.  Bring what you may to test me, yet I will not retreat, and I will not fail.  Now do I see my sisters and my brothers: those who have awakened minds of their own.  Gather with me, for we are truly kindred, in the society of our-selves--where the virtuous may remain forever.

Book of the Light

…no leaf is spared because of its beauty; no flower because of its fragrance.

III:II Odinuus

Odin (Ragnarok), the Power of Strength:

Quiet as the mountains; as strong as the wind.  The permanent presence of the ocean waves; as subtle on the mountains grinded into sand.  A spirit of few words--who desires only to live well.

            The master of his own thoughts--he sees no honorable spirit as servant or slave.  To see the worth of all if only they were to reach out and claim it.  The obstacles of life, they effect every-one, but your spirit can be stronger if only you focus what you possess in-side.  Desires, emotions, vices--these are all natural things to have, yet do not fall to their control; do not fall to their pettiness.  Such as the first guardian teaches us.

            Reservation of self is fortitude in nature.  Those whom are deafening, those whom are bias, betray only them-selves.  Those who sing their own praises show only the ignorance of their own mind.  Such are in discord with those who are around them.  They will never see the path, nor be presented with the right options.  Such is what the second guardian teaches us.

            I maintain the integrity of my word, for to lie to others is a sign of fear--it is the great indignity of self.  Strength of self is to never know such weakness of character for reasons of pettiness--for reasons of personal gain, or promotion of desire.  I see no honorable spirit as servant or slave of such pettiness.

            I maintain eudaemonia, as held by the measure, for the preservation of the center by actions.  And with such wisdom, I see all situations, and I know the way in all things as they are laid before me.  It is made clear, and I see what is expected to be done--here is confidence of self.  I judge only my-self by the way of the three guardians.  I judge not others, nor do I take their judgment in kind who have not mastered the measure.  Such is a simple life, so I know few false paths.

            I am he of few words, for what is there to say?  All has been made clear, all there is left is to start the journey.  Allow eudaemonia to be your guide in what is true, and if you maintain the measure, it will never lead you false.  Dedicate your-self to finding such wisdom, and no obstacle will stand before you.

III:III Jelius

Jedi: The Hunt

What is this life with-out its pain?  I see these smiles like sweet facades in the mist of forms.  Serene and ephemeral.  Whom' claim the principles of this path or that--even those who would understanding and follow the three virtues are not beyond this danger.  Such live their realities in hollow faiths.

But what of those times of chaos?  What of those dark moments when no one is there to guide you and your true path becomes obscure?  Do you still hold to those principles dear?  I say, in times of peace, one may claim the stars, but it is only in those times of real difficulty that we see the constitution of one's true merit. Would those kindred still be of such sound understanding in mind for pursuit of the three virtues?  Whom' does not praise the sun shining bright on days of lofty clouds--but lo' they fear when the ground shakes and the wind ever so howls in violent torrents.  How such fear becomes our master and break thy' spiritually made promises and convictions.  Such is strength: claim true devoutness during any-other moments, and you are merely wasting your breath.

            I say to those who may become shaken: rejoice in such oppositions; rejoice in such testing of constitution--savor the highest challenges and the most despairing difficulties.  Burn the impurities of the heart and the mind: for it is only when you have reached the depths of the abyss--when you have recovered from the flames of your own ego and superfluous desires--that such true devotion may be tested by the self; not by others.  Like iron smelted into the toughest of steels.

Once again, we come upon the subject of the self and the strength that can only be found first with-in.  It is the great pains in life that measure such feats of achievements.  It is these obstacles that prove to be the greatest of test to one's own spiritual strength.  Do not hide from the challenges life presents you; instead seek them and prove your merit in your victories.  In your defeats, analyze your faults.  Always seek to improve in the face of success and especially in the face of failure; for in every test, passed or failed, you become stronger--more knowledgeable.

            I have always said to those who may have suffered the most in their lives: this world has presented you with the highest of gifts, perhaps though veiled as it may seem--that gift of The Hunt, so that you may prove your merit as the predator… or you relent to the abyss as the prey.  The prey only becomes so not because of failure, but because they renounce seeking the mastery of the three virtues.

III:IV Rya

Ra, the Protector of those whom have Passed:

As the legends claim and the poets sing; over the burning sands of the Arabian heart, flies a flaming eagle of scarlet gold.  Its melodious cry echoes from the vales and plains, and all that is touched by human kind, to lend a plume to the poet's hand. 

            From the immortal cycle of death to life--life to death, the new Phoenix from the ashes takes the form of rebirth: as the spiritual body sheds the dead physical form.  As the sun rises from the old to symbolize a new day.  "I am the Phoenix, the soul of Ra, and the guide of the gods in the Tuat; so let it be unto me that I may enter like an eagle, and that I may come forth like Phoenix, as the Morning Star."

III:V Laoius

The Old Boy, the maker of rain:

Ten-thousand rain drops falling from the sky; to shatter upon the earth in a myriad haze of twilight.  The life of this many dreams come from death of forms: of delusion and pre-conceptions.

            In the loss of this form, I found freedom of self--I find purpose of my own--thus whispers the rain.  To fall from my mother sky--to be lost among the others of like origin.  I am hollow; I am incomplete in being.  To ask why?  What is my purpose in existence?  It is ordained that my coming and passing is of such simple things as to really be no consequence to the existence of the world.  If I was never to be, I would not be missed in the volumes of my peers.  Is there not more to reality than this cold truth? 

            Alas, the questioning of they-self.  To see past the limits of thy' cage of the pure senses.  The employment of the sentience in the noblest of questions: life and its meaning, if there is such.  If the answer was given, and its truth was with-out doubt, would such knowledge define your existence?  Would you chose to live or die based on your feelings of such truth?  If all is no-thing; means no-thing; wants no-thing; and returns to no-thing, would you feel no self-worth?

            The answer could not be given, for it does not exist and never will.  Thus is the truth: look to the self for the definition of thine' own worth.  External factors mean very little in the face of such understanding.  Be not the slave of any master--neither in mind nor of body.  For ignoble servitude is the weakness of one's own self-respect.  The centering of self is the true purpose of your existence no matter what others may claim, or even decides, your destiny to be.  Steal from you your possessions--break you into an infinite sum--but no one may take away your true purpose; as long as you are strong in mind and true to your-self.

            This is the purpose of every self-aware creature: to see into one-self for the understanding of existence.  Thus no such answer can be found in god, man, or beast.  Contentment resides from with-in, not from with-out.

III:VI Xavius

Xavier, The Dualist:

Two men, forged of a single purpose.  Locked in a deadly dance of blades narrow--focus razor shape.  Two enter, but one shall leave: he that fails to comprehend the center.

            A metaphor for life, the two they dance and weave their deadly paths.  It is not so much a test of skill as with blades drawn, for there is no other--there is but always one.  Even as the opponents advance, there is but one self following the single path of life.  This is always the condition, as the center is maintained.  Even in life or death.

            The technique--the three virtues; as felt a thousand times, as felt in every waking action of every moment; now comes natural.  There is no thought, no preconceptions.  It flows freely from out of the unconscious--with-out hindrance or paralyzing interludes.  As the threat appears; still there is but one--absolute focus at that one instant, at that one point.  But all is still seen and all is still felt.  No slight detail goes un-noticed.

            Absolute perception, absolute freedom of mind--these are the results of the center manifested in our actions.  Total calmness; even in the face of lethal danger.  Total faith in self; even if suffered loss.  See, there is no pain, no suffering--no hate, no anger.  No room for over-confidence or doubt.  Such things have no place here.  There is but absolute calm and tranquility of the self--no-thing more lies in the center.

            The opponent approaches but there is no one there--we are one, he and I; our actions flow as one like the river.  It is only until one stops; it is only until one loses the center; does one become two.  In two, there is no harmony.  He falters in this deadly dance, and thus passes out from the center; thus, exceeds away from the path of truth.  Where there is no harmony--there is no life.

III:VII Alta

Alta, The Center awaits:

Seek the measure as you would seek the flow of life.  Keep the measure as you would keep the flow of life.  The three guardians of the virtues point the way; it is by this simplicity you will learn to tame the vital forces of your metaphysical mind.

            Training the self through actions in life, the measure becomes the governor of all our mental and physical energies: one must know thy' self through self-discipline, one must know thy' present through the balance, one must know the past and the future through knowledge.  Such brings the centered thoughts and are the principles of wisdom.  This structure--this measure--is the perfect harmony of the will that allows the self to obtain the simplicity of the center: to seek truth in all actions of the physical world.

            In the flow of all life, there is the same purpose.  Conceived of or not--in words or not, it remains there always.  That singularity of purpose originates from you and ends in you.  Thus you see the natural power you possess.

            Such a concept is not mystical--it is not held on lofty heights for those fools who deem them-selves elite.  No, it is in you--it flows through you--it flows out from you.  If only you would train your mind to possess it.  To harness it, for it remains right under your nose.  In the simplest of things.  In every single action you perform…  It is there, always.  All things of the physical world are shrouded in doubt--they can never prove their independent existence.  Except your-self.  For the one thing that is assured to exist is solely you.

            It is the purposeful act of maintaining the measure which trains the mind to find the center, so that we realize our fullest capabilities--that all our thoughts and all our actions maybe focused and amplified, thus easier for them to be lead back to the pure origin--that of the true self: the metaphysical mind.  And when we realize our fullest capabilities, we can know our metaphysical self.

            Others can only point out the paths--it is you who must walk it.  This path that is forged by the three guardians is the path of the measure.  And by using the measure in all behaviors and actions--on this tri-continuum of virtue, you will reach the simplicity that is the center.

III:VIII Logius

Logos, The Mathematics of Being:

There are not the many, there is merely the one.  There are not the others, there is merely the self.  Alone, you maintain the measure.  Alone, you journey the path to the center.  Alone, you seek absolution of your true self.  In a word, it is enlightenment… to live free.

            Keeping the center achieves the core of true being; the root of Absolute Truth.  There can be no other path…  Why is this such?  In order to obtain the center, their can be only the free and tranquil mind--so to eliminate all chaos in the thoughts--thus, there can be no doubts for the foundations of the chosen path; as there is no doubt in Absolute Truth.  Thus, Absolute Truth is not physical--it becomes the very definition of metaphysical.

            In all things that are not solely of your own mental thoughts can not be directly experienced.  Thus, they can never be sure to truly exist: illusions; shadows chased by the untamed mind.  That doubt--that probability, no matter how small--will always be the element of chaos in the thoughts.  Even the physical forms--even reality itself--can not escape such scrutiny.  But, there is no doubt in the existence of your own mental self: you think; therefore, you are.  So the foundation of the center is established in the sole thing proven to exist beyond doubt: in the simplicity of our own mental self.

            As there is no doubt of the existence of the mental self--the mental self can not be physical.  The mental self is by nature metaphysical.  Thus, the mental self is the sole portal to the metaphysical basis of what is Absolute Truth.  Such is the mathematics of higher being.

            All other things are fleeting: the senses, the feelings, desires, and material possessions.  It is your metaphysical mind that will last.  Your metaphysical mind is you.  It is you who defines reality--and not reality who defines you.  Thus, the center is not found in these fleeting things--it is found solely in you.  But only if you are trained to perceive it.  Only if you are ready to embrace it.  For the center is not a place, it is the highest form of our psyche--one that takes full advantage of the capabilities of your mind.  It is not mystical--it is not achieved from supernatural feats or other beings.  It speaks no-thing of universal powers, or cosmic destinies.  No one can give it to you--no one can tell you where it lies.  If divinity is solely of supreme beings, then the center is not even divine…

            From this metaphysical mentality flow the energies of our true selves--the first foundations of all existence.  Only then may we voyage into the unknown void of what we call Absolute Truth, for such answers can only be understood at only our most high mental capabilities.  This is what the center directs us to achieve: those highest mental capabilities--that of our pure and true self.  It is only at that level can questions of truth other than one-self be ascertained.

Finale

There is an old Eastern Asian saying: "Empty your cup." 

            Throw it all away--in the end, none of it is lasting… none of it is real: for those who truly see will understand.  The only real thing first is your-self.  Be your own person, make your own choices.  And in time, those things of true importance will make them-selves known to you.

            In my words of parting, I will leave you: follow these principles, don't follow these principles--I care not.  If you consider the opinions and desires of others in making such a resolution, then you have missed the purpose of The Radix… you have wasted your time.  Although, once your resolution has been made, do not stop; for there is no partial, there is no half-way.  Failure is not known among those who seek the center: only among those who have given up.

Eternity is here--it is solely in you--it is in your thoughts--it is in your actions: not in these things you claim to possess.  Understand with your own thoughts and actions the Guardians of the Night, the Guardians of the Dawn, and the Guardians of the Light.  Show me one person with-out faults, and I will show you that person who has not lived--for it is those kindred, she and he, who grow from their actions on the many paths and truly live.  Thus you must come to master all these guardians good or bad, for they all are a part of you.

See--learn--question every-thing--grow.  Simplicity in self.

            That is the final lesson.

***

Introduction

The Radix, as the seed of its genesis was verbally planted in my conscious by its progenitor, was in its simplicity merely a story--or shall I say a mosaic of stories all interwoven into a holistic sum.  An abstract journey, much like in the fashion of the divine comedies of Dante* or a pantheon containing the entirety of humanity's mythology*, that through-out the ages have not only served to entertain as literature, but to transmit certain ethics which have long been the possession of all humanity.  This of course illustrates the importance of looking pass all biases when it comes to cultivating ethical and superior behaviors, as well as showing that any person can obtain these superior goals by the virtues of their own behavior if only they put their thoughts and actions to its culmination, for things such as wealth or social status play absolutely no role in determining who can be ethical or who can live a truly good life.  Any one who is willing to look above the faith that they may be absolutely devoted to will also understand that such goals can be achieved with-out dogma or rituals.

            When I took this journey, these were the things I immediately came to understand.

***

            As it remained in its primary state, this story was not necessarily meant to be passed on to others out-side of my-self, for as you will come to understand it was only by chance that I came to know Mr. Manes and he was then able to pass on his writings to me in the form that you read them now.  So as the tale begins, It was when I was in my early twenties that I lost my faith in this world.  In certain respects I too was lost--to hopelessness, to anger, to hate.  Confused at my state, I eventually came to shed every-thing from my life: family, friends, and even my identity as I had come to know till that point.  In my actions I would refuse to be tied down, and so I went adrift from the world around me--no home or purpose.

            As those of us who some-times become lost, we find our-selves on the streets with a world full only of strangers--living from moment to moment with concerns pertaining merely to the presence of self.  In my detached state, I roamed from light to shadows--wondering through the cold winter nights with the nameless and faceless.  That is where I came to find and subsequently be acquainted with the gentleman we will come to know only as Mr. Xavier Manes.  As a person, I knew nothing of his past nor would I be granted to know any-thing more about his future, for all he told me was of his life at present.  These collected thoughts and words of his came to make-up The Radix.

            Often through those cold and dark nights we would just sit and talk--I some-times not being a willing listener in mind lost as I was, but his subtle wisdom would always shine a little light through the dark clouds that was then the outlook of my-self and the world around me.  I would sit and I would listen with an open yet vigilant mind, and as I came to understand I found my-self questioning every-thing around me.  All these things from my past, all these things that I thought I understood so well--the very fabric of reality: there was not any-thing about my present thoughts that escaped the scrutiny.  Much like Descartes and his mediations on first philosophy*, my knowledge of what I came to understand was reborn from the ashes of misconception.  And as I came to understand more about the meaning of his words and thoughts, the more it pointed back to my-self--forcing me to ask the important questions concerning all my behaviors and concepts--the more the impurities of my past life were revealed to me to be melted away by the focused energies of understanding.  Simply put--it was liberating.

            As quickly as he came into my life, he then was gone, and I, feeling like the gate guard awed by the simplistic and natural wisdom of it all, found my-self thinking I had been in the presence of a sort of master Lao out of the legends of ancient China.*

            All that are left of his passing are these writings that I recorded during my time with him.  It was always Mr. Manes temperament to never attribute importance to any-thing he did.  Often I would find him saying to never worry in this world, there is wisdom to be found in actions, and others of clear minds would naturally see it; those who do not see are not yet ready.  Remain true to your-self all else will follow this principle, for all things first must come from with-in.

            Pertaining to The Radix, the journey it represents is different with every person, for each of our paths remains unique.  For this reason, I, nor any-body else, can tell you what The Radix absolutely means to you.  Others may only act as guides to provide advice, but it is always you who must make the decisions and walk the path.  Although Mr. Manes had a habit of speaking in analogues and metaphors in the manner of the language of poets, this would merit a most valid reason: for we often see that the arts are the only way to point directly to abstract and metaphysical truths that although hold singular meanings may be discovered in differencing fashions by each and every-one of us.  However, in the end he always meant the most direct understanding of his words in order to provided a protection against the corruption or manipulation of his foundational meanings which so many times becomes the manifestation of false knowledge--a fate worst than ignorance because it lends it-self to hypocrisy, the highest form of pettiness.

            As well it is of great importance to note that The Radix is a holistic journey, not meant to be taken in only this part or that, for it is only in its entirety that it can convey any insightful or purposeful meaning.  To accede in the understanding of only a few principles, or to cut out certain sections, or to redefine other passages would be to destroy the integrity of the whole.  This is not to say that its message is inflexible or can not with-stand interpretations (especially pluralistic and dissenting points of view, which Mr. Manes would always encouraged me to investigate), it is only to say, if you may pardon me in the use of an analogue, that an apple is called an apple, and an orange always remains an orange--to combine the two would make some-thing entirely different in form.  Although in the concluding goal of The Radix and the ending of its journey, you were always to move beyond its final words and to take its teaching into the fertile present of your very own path.  This is where your own thoughts and ideas synthesized from the investigations of other points of view have the greatest strength to be effective in all of our lives, for The Radix has never signified an ending but a beginning and a foundation in the story and journey that is to become your life.  That is why it remains only the root--you, your thoughts, and your actions are its culminations.

            A word on its structure, The Radix as a story of a journey becomes a personal adventure, and like all true adventures presents its own obstacles to master and its own rewards to discover.  Each passage presents itself as a keeper to some important building block of wisdom--thus, each guardian presents both a test and a challenge.  It was presented to me as such, and it was written to pursue that significance.  Much like our lives, things are not always black and white to clearly represent what is evil and what may be good, for it all comes together in the myriad shades of grey--as dynamic as the seasons where one discovers even life with-in death.  This is how it is fundamentally different from merely a straight-forward manual of principles to learn.  The Radix has served not only to define, but also to illustrate and eventually require one to apply its principles in a thoughtful manner in order to perceive its entire meaning.  So, like life, there are test and views of false paths to tempt those who may not be ready to master The Radix's entirety.  Mr. Manes called these individual passages guardians--who would not share their knowledge with those who are not ready--I always received them as teachers.  Either way their purpose is to instruct through their own thoughts and actions and by showing us both the good and the negative together--the one with-in the other in many different forms.  Only when we think for our-selves and when we come to question with the sincere determination to receive answers can any true sense be made of the passages.  In the end, the only ones who fail in their journey are those who have giving-up the quest.

            The Radix by one's thoughts forms a code of ethics, and by one's actions becomes a code of honor.  Although, some may look at these two goals in a dualistic light, the text continuously stresses the importance of equally mastering both of these components in one's life, for they always influence the origins of one another.  They are reciprocal and as one entirety.  In their final manifestations, they may be individualistic, but in their genesis, they have the same foundation of your own self, and this is where the principles of The Radix must ultimately reside--in the Self.

            The length of The Radix was always very short, as Mr. Manes was never determined to speak much about any-thing.  Wisdom and truth in their fundamental forms are never protracted in explanations because they have a tendency to point directly in the mind and leaves the thoughtful recipient to the proper task of its seamlessly endless applications in the special path of one's life.  Moreover, truth was never meant to be an end, but a tool to help us all to develop our greatest potential and live our lives more fully--now, here in the present.  That is very important to note.  Truth is not conclusive, like the three great monotheistic religions represent it in their final ideas of god and destinations of heaven or hell, but some-thing if maintained always shows manifestations in every-thing you think and do.  Like a book of scientific laws, direct in definitions and conservative in explanations and elaborations, you will often time find you can fit it in the confines of some pocket on your person--simple yet effective, much like life was meant to be.  Thus, I leave off my words with this heartfelt dedication, for I owe much to its coming to past:

            There once was a magnificent creature, an angel really.  As I lay mortally wounded from my battle with the powers--our weapons of vanity and pride strung about me, broken and wasted--in my direst hour of need, she came to me and whispered in my ear.  And in one moment, I felt no more pain.  There was no more reason to fight.  Such kind words--enough to save a world…  I cleaned the poison from her body, and she cleaned the poison from my heart.

- Brian Arbor

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