Version 1.6: Completed: Mon Jan 6 22:01:46 EST 2003 --------------------------------------------------------------------- A Vulcan Mind-Discipline Book Copyright (C) 2000, Adam Ophir Shapira Permission is granted to freely distribute verbatim coppies of this document, provided that this copyright notice is fully preserved. Altered versions of this document may not be distributed without prior written permission from the copyright holder. --------------------------------------------------------------------- A Vulcan Mind-Discipline Book by Adam Ophir Shapira (Sirak) Latest Version: http://techno-info.com/ophir/vulcan --------------------------------------------------------------------- Introductory Tips Section 1: Practices of Vulcanism (1): The recomendations and chants in this document are not a result of divine revalation, but of science and philosophy combined in synnergy. I do not claim any sort of infalibility: not for myself, and not for this document. (2): Central to Vulcanism is mastery of one's emotions. For the purpose of acheiving this, I would advise the following four practices, (1) To Learn, (2) To Meditate (3) To Mend Habit, and (4) To Replenish Self. (3): For those who wish to take on the additional task of teaching Vulcanism to others, thereby acting as a Clergy, two additional practices are important: (5) To Teach, and (6) To Serve Example. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Introductory Tips Section 3: The Second Practice: To Meditate (1): Have you ever taken a vacation from having to exert your voice? Have you never focused inward on your heart? ->: If you see it as giving something up, it will frustrate you. If you see it as a vacation, it will pacify you. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Introductory Tips Section 5: The Fourth Practice: To Replenish Self (1): Practices such as Pon-Farr and the Test of Manhood are still practiced on Vulcan as they were before the time of Surak. This is not because Surak's reformation was not thorough enough to whipe out these practices. Rather, it is because of the knowlege that it is illogical, and hasardous on the long run, to alienate one's self completely from the primitive roots. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Introductory Tips Section 6: The Fifth Practice: To Teach (1): A member of the Instructional Body must be familiar with this Vulcan Mind-Discipline manual, enough to know basically what is in every part of it, and to be able to easily locate anything that is in it. In addition, familiarity with the tradition that produced this Mind-Discipline Manual is required, to prevent it from being misconstrued and distorted. (2): The instructors require more knowlege than other practitioners, and therefore must be respected accordingly. But neither this document nor it's author claims infalibility, so surely anyone in the Instructional Body who claims infalibility is way out of line. Therefore, the Instructional Body must be respected, but not blindly so. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chants Section 1: Basic Mastery of Emotions (1): With every inhalation, calmness fills me. With every exhalation, tention escapes my body. With every breath, the ripples of entropy in my mind subside and give way to clarity and logic. (2): The harsh condemnations of the fool scathe me not, for they are like a bucket with holes. They hold no water. (3): I will not be blinded to the truth by my misconceptions. I will whipe them out of my way like dust is whiped off of a lens. As one pulls the curtain from the window to reveal the world, I will pull my prejudices away from my eyes to reveal that which really is. (4): There are the True Facts that exist in Reality and the Preceived Facts that exist in the Mind. I strive that my Preceived Facts in my mind become accureate representations of the True Facts that exist in reality. Therefore, I will not give in to my desire to see my Perceived Facts as the Definitive Truth. (5): I will look not only on the bad things in life, but focus on the good things as well. This way, I will be satisfied with life. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chants Section 2: Habits of Compulsion (1): I will not mess compulsively with my hair. I will handle my hair only when it is a conscious decision to do so. Instead of messing compulsifely with my hair, I will place my hands together and breathe clamness. [For those with a habit of messing compulsively with their hair:] (2): I will not bite my nails out of compulsion. Instead, I will place my hands together and breathe calmness. [For those with a habit of biting their nails:] (3): The temptation of unhealthy eating controls me no more. Instead of eating unhealthily, I will place my hands together and breathe calmness. [For those with unhealthy eating habits:] (4): I will not buy, trade for, or otherwise acquire anything other than that which I have use for and need. [For those with compulsive buying habits:] (5): I will review my material posessions and dispose of whatever I no longer have use for and need. [For those with Packrat Mentality:] --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chants Section 3: Expunging Sexism (1): I will not adhere to stereotypes of sex-gender that inhibit me from speaking when it is time for me to speak, nor will I adhere to stereotypes of sex-gender that inhibit me from saying what I have to say at such times. (2): I will not directly or indirectly enforce any stereotypes of sex-gender that would inhibit someone from speaking when they should or from saying what they have to say. If I catch myself intentionally or inadvertently enforcing such a stereotype, I will stop myself from doing so. (3): I will not allow my pre-conceived notions of sex-gender to prevent me from trusting anyone whom otherwise I would trust, nor will I trust anyone whom I would not trust were it not for my pre-conceived notions of sex-gender. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chants Section 4: Expunging Racism (1): I will not adhere to stereotypes of race that inhibit me from speaking when it is time for me to speak, nor will I adhere to stereotypes of race that inhibit me from saying what I have to say at such times. (2): I will not directly or indirectly enforce any stereotypes of race that would inhibit someone from speaking when they should or from saying what they have to say. If I catch myself intentionally or inadvertently enforcing such a stereotype, I will stop myself from doing so. (3): I will not allow my pre-conceived notions of race to prevent me from trusting anyone whom otherwise I would trust, nor will I trust anyone whom I would not trust were it not for my pre-conceived notions of race. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chants Section 5: Expunging Miscellaneous Prejudice (1): I will not adhere to stereotypes of any invalid critera that inhibit me from speaking when it is time for me to speak, nor will I adhere to stereotypes of any invalid critera that inhibit me from saying what I have to say at such times. (2): I will not directly or indirectly enforce any stereotypes of any invalid criteria that would inhibit someone from speaking when they should or from saying what they have to say. If I catch myself intentionally or inadvertently enforcing such a stereotype, I will stop myself from doing so. (3): I will not allow my pre-conceived notions of any invalid critera to prevent me from trusting anyone whom otherwise I would trust, nor will I trust anyone whom I would not trust were it not for my pre-conceived notions of any invalid critera. ---------------------------------------------------------------------