Soken/Reason
Scroll of Reason
It is the nature of the mind to seek. An unending quest for answers that calls to the supplicant and unbeliever in equal measures. The pursuit of clarity, insight to the workings of the world, fascinate many. To achieve that clarity of being, to soar on wings of knowledge and look down upon the world with understanding is a dream of many. Yet the workings of the mind are complex, the task daunting and many have stumbled on their way down the path. The supplicant realizes these seekers look about them without clarity, their skies clouded by ignorance of self. The supplicant seeks to remove these obstacles as they walk the path of mind.
To soar on wings of knowledge is more then just a nice metaphor in this case. A lesson many do not learn is that no matter how high you fly, no matter how few clouds there are, you cannot see beneath the waves, or the in caves, nor look directly at the sun. It galls many to think the mind has limitations but the point remains that some things must be felt in the heart or held by faith alone to understand them, not scrutinized by the philosopher.
That the world can be understood is the principle tenant of the coil. That every effect has a cause, that every action an instigator. The rational mind seeks to unravel that mystery, to explore the greater nature beyond themselves and discover what that means. Thus the coil is the foundation of all higher learning, the method and design by which the unknown is made known. It is the rational and progressive analysis of facts and knowledge, enabling one to gain insight into concepts not readily apparent. It is the belief that everything had a rational explanation and if one understands logic well enough, one could enact a certain effect by implementing the right cause.
In many cases the actual process of learning is difficult to grasp. Too many see no point to giving knowledge their attention, worried only with the simple and narrow problems and ignoring the greater picture. Memorization of facts rather then true understanding, allows many to give the illusion of knowledge when they have only information at best. In the end learning without understanding can but increase the frustrating of the impatient, for knowledge is like the hammer of a smith, useless in the hands of the unskilled and able to do nothing but injure the user who has not both knowledge and understanding.
Thus the coiled torsional spring is the symbol of the systematic, repeatable, inquisitive mind. One starts at the beginning moving steadily outward into the world seeking knowledge, and expanding one's sphere of influence. The logical progression of thoughts and facts making the stead path of the coil, and yet the nature of learning makes it necessary to double back and seek detail as understanding grows, hence the path curves. As one studies and practises the mind becomes sharp, and information processed more easily, thus the coil tightens, shrinking the distance from each discovery and realization.
As with most things in the path of mind, metaphor works well to accent a point. Of the many things I could have used to explain the rational mind I called up something mechanical on purpose. The rational mind is cold and unfeeling, it can produce wonders, but has it's limitations.
Thus the coil, with it's quest for the eternal truth, brings perspective to the nebulous facts, defining boundaries to the constantly shifting perspective and mutability of knowledge. It provides boarders to the rain and protection from denial.
So too does the coil protect hold fast against the spark, stabilizing the mind that might otherwise descend into illusion and fancy.
While the coil seeks the eternal truth it is thwarted by the nature of knowledge. What is often considered hard and fast fact is actually dynamic and mutable. Each piece of the greater world is filtered and analyzed by the mind that perceives them. Each mind stores facts and assembles them into knowledge in a different way, depending on the individual. Two people may be shown the same facts but reach very different conclusions based on what they know. So the fragments of knowledge acquired are molded by the mind that collects them and in turn the mind is shaped by the sum collection of it's knowledge. Truly powerful fragments of knowledge can resist this change, but they are few and far between.
The mutability of knowledge is a shock to many. Those aligned with the idea that there is but one eternal truth, find the thought that what they believe and know is constantly changing and changing them unsettling. Though not perfectly clear the Path holds that there is in fact an eternal truth, but that creatures such as ourselves cannot comprehend that picture. Thus we settle for personal truths, which have a profound impact on our lives.
As a mind is shaped by knowledge so too is it sculpted by the coil, determining it's nature and design. This is the flaw in the coil's design, the mutability of knowledge, the shifting of truth, constantly deny the coil's attempt to gain ultimate understanding. No matter how much one tries one cannot view the universe in a way entirely removed from their own prespective. What one sees and knows is coloured by what one is, and that limits the understanding of all. This realization is foundation behind an open mind. The idea that there are multiple points of view and that they are all useful in the understanding of the of all, comes from this facet of the mind. If the coil is too tight other opinions cease to matter and knowledge is lost.
Thus for all these reasons the mutability of knowledge is the rain. Each drop of fact is unique, shaped by the wind and the path to the earth. It collects in pools and streams of knowledge, each forming to fit the banks even as the force of their presence changes the shape of the stream.
Unlike the mechanical symbol of the coil, rain is more organic, or at least natural. Again the purpose of this is to outline how the mutable nature is normal, not artificial.
Deep in the mind rests imagination. The sudden flash of insight that defies the methodical coil, allowing one to skip entire lengths. The foundation of knowledge that can bridge the mutable facts allowing two very different minds to reach the same conclusion. The imagination perturbs the normal flow of the mind, rearranging knowledge and the path of the coil, opening new avenues of thought and ideas.
Imagination is the spark, the momentary flash of light, the pulse of something beyond the mind granting an idea. It is powerful, but short-lived, useful when in small portions, and dangerous in great volume.
The spark throws the mind into chaos and the coil works it back into order. For the spark alone pushes a mind to lose itself to fantasy and illusion, inventing it's own twisted mirror of the rain and coil. Yet without the spark fore-thought and preception of the future fade, the mind lacking in the ability to imagine what may occur.
The mutability of knowledge would deny the ability of one to share their discoveries with others reliably. It is here that the spark plants in a mind the first link of a new idea, the ability to find a common ground to begin. From there the coil builds the knowledge and information is shared, but the spark must begin it.
In balancing these things the supplicant gains the foundation of the clarity they seek, yet does not ensure it. Many walk oblivious, wrapped in their life impulses, unaware of the storm that rages around them, in many cases actively refusing to drink of the rain. They walk asleep, lost in their own dreams. Thus the final step differs from one supplicant to the next, but they must learn to open their eyes and attain full sentience. The end to the dream means the supplicant can comprehend the storm around them, and are thus able to control their path, seeking shelter when pressed, and forging on through the mist with purpose. Such wakefulness takes it's toll however, and the supplicant should not be worried if they slip into dreaming again, so long as they can pull themselves out in the future. When the supplicant has slipped from their dream twice many Soken feel they are now ready for the test of proving, though in truth, it is up to the supplicant to choose their time.
The test of proving for the Path of Mind challenges the supplicant to discover some new detail of the world. Left to their own devices, the supplicant is to find a topic that interests them, and then the approval of a Soken. With the course determined, the supplicant is to study and uncover any and all information about the topic as they can, researching and studying it with care. When at last the supplicant feels they have learnt all that they can, they are to consider the topic again, but from the eyes of another. This shifting of perspective can result in drastically different conclusions and ideas all of which are to be explored and presented at the conclusion of the test. The spark is not strictly tested by this method, since it does not work well while forced, however the supplicant is encouraged to use the spark in the selection of their topics, and sifting of their perspective. Throughout all of this the Soken watches their charge, mindful of their motivation, and taking note of their purpose. If the supplicant is found to still dream then they must begin again.
When all of this has been done, and the Soken has agreed, then the supplicant has truly mastered the Path of the Mind.
note: still under refinement
