Winter, Deoch 214
“Temuair is the sum of all of us who dream within it - no more, no less.”
By now I think we have laid bare the planks of my philosophy, but to summarize: my beliefs center around the idea that our world is frozen, and cannot progress. We looked at the historical state of Temuair in all of its glory, and what contributed to its so-called fall. We examined the aftermath of that, the root of much of the original division in our society, and we have also discussed at length the damaging impact the Mundane has had on Aisling affairs.
In previous classes, I'veve talked about what I believe to be the practicality of persistence. The Aisling is an aberration, a mutation. The very word Atavism means: a throwback to something ancient or ancestral. Therefore, the Atavism Age was a return to a previous state of being: a world of wonder, a time of greatness.
Do you see? Already in the seed of the beginning we have arrived at the nature of the wheel. That age was not a one-off! It was not an accident - it was part of a cyclical path of events. And it required the dedication and encouragement of thousands of Aislings.
The entire history of Temuair was preparing and moving towards...us.
I've talked before about how I believe we live in the era of Chadul. The unceasing dominion of absolute order. Even with all of the new sparks, we still feel that something about this land isn't....quite right. There is something missing.
What is it exactly?
We see shades of the past and reach out to grab them. We want so badly to return to the past that we neglect and forget the present. And we cannot and will not have a future without rebuilding the present.
So, now we must ask ourselves: What is to be done? Which is to say, having identified the problem - now what? How can we improve our world, and our lives, in spite of the grasp of Chadul on the mundanes and the state? Can we learn to dream together again?
I propose simply, the following:
Put aside the past
Aisling unity is now the most important and precious thing. We have all had our arguments in the past, ranging from small blowups to full blown wars. The past is the past. Glioca's compassion is infinite: let us have a drop of that. Perhaps you feel you have been so egregiously wounded that you cannot let it go - in which case, I ask you - do not make it worse. Do not return to a poisoned well. Remember the Octave: release. Let go. A new cycle demands our shared attention. Forgiveness yields the society we want, not re-litigating and revisiting history.
Be present in the now
All of my classes have remarked repeatedly on the necessity of being present. Many of us are present - but do we live in it? Are we standing in lines daydreaming when we should be speaking, walking, going to masses, listening to classes? This is an appeal to all who hear or read this: be present. Your world needs you. Your fellow Aislings do, too. Light begets light: by existence here, in spirit and in body, we draw others. We can have that throwback age, if each of us acts in accordance with fostering it once more into existence.
If it isn't fun - don't do it
We must all live in this world. We must be willing to encourage others to do so. If we wish to make it better, we need to encourage a larger, more comprehensive idea of what that means - a wider hearth for all of us.
Value enjoyment and joy over syntax. Encourage art in others, even if their art is not perfect, or even sensible. Do not dull attempts of other sparks to infuse this world with their own mark. At the same time, do not let your attempts to be dulled by those who do not understand, or who would oppose it.
Simply put, your spark is precious. Use it to shine light, not to dull others. Nothing is gained by opposing joy where ever it may be found in this world - so long as it does not hurt others.
Sometimes, we daydream, and may not respond for hours or even moons. This, too, is expected. We must slowly rebuild the presence and immediacy of the past. That requires time - and effort. Be gracious in the absence of it. We are lucky to have the opportunity to exist at all within this dream of ours - and we would do well to remember that.
Be the Aisling you wish to see in the wider world
Each of us has a challenge now. We must be ourselves, Aislings, in this world, not as an act of defiance, or in opposition to others, or to be noticed and lauded - but to frame and invoke the world we desire.
Older Aislings in particular - you remember the magic. You have not forgotten it. No one who has experienced it truly, has ever forgotten it. Our presence here, in spite of the state of our world, is not an accident. We lament its absence. Many have asked me how to replicate it, and the answer is: every choice you make while you are in Temuair builds this magic collectively. Temuair is the sum of all of us who dream within it - no more, no less.
So, too, was the Atavism Age - a time made, not found.
If you are an older Aisling, your spark is needed the most. Be what you want to see in the world, encourage it in others, and do not judge those who attempt to follow in our paths, especially when they stumble - and they will stumble!
Do not worry about the future
Trust that what we have built can be rebuilt elsewhere. Do not despair of what will happen to this world. It will survive, in one form or another. Perhaps if the world ends, we shall meet each other again in a new one. The project of Aislinghood is eternal, and the great work continues. Be not too attached to any one form of it. Trust in the friendships you make, and in the companions you meet. Anyone can put on a cloak and join you on your path. That is the magic.
I, myself, am fully committed to these principles. I intend to remain here for as long as I can, now - having come back and forth several times. Each time I have returned, it has been for a different reason, and this time - I return to be of service where possible. To provide inspiration, to deliver encouragement, to provide succor for those who would join together with all their wit, power and energy within this world to aid in the invocation of a new Atavism Age.
With your permission, Aislings. The hall is rented, the orchestra engaged. Now it is time to see if we can dance.