The Inner Triad
The base, the foundation. Many religions, many cults, many ways of seeing the world have their own interpretation of the inner triad.
One should have a strong body to face his enemies.
One should know when, who and why he should face anyone.
One should have the will to face things through, never backing down.
Most people know this as the Body, Mind, Soul Triad. I believe there should, most definitely, be a balance between them, but I find that the triad is just a little off the axis with this triad, so I convinced myself that this triad revolves in another terms. Terms many people are familiar with.
Power, Wisdom and Courage.
Yeah, call me a ripoff.
Power, yes this relates to the body. It's NOT about strength, it's about the physical power of the person, and the world around he/she. Strength alone is weak, limited by the material by which one is made. Power on the other hand relates to one's sync with the physical world around him/her. This is the power to perceive physical objects and shape, transform them, use their own strength as one's own. It represents the power to apply your inner forces into the world, becoming more agile, more precise, stronger, more resistant and healthier. This should not be neglected, as your life, depends on your health and resistance. Many martial arts go after this balance with the world around you, realizing that strength alone will no prevail, one learns to use his/her enemy's power on his/her favor.
Wisdom, the one associated with the mind. People believe that studying will enhance this side. Well, I'm not one to say they are wrong, but I'll say that that is not just it. It's not just about how much you know, it's about how you understand the world in its true form. If you've ever paid any attention to two people fighting, you should have seen that they mainly have different opinion about the subject. Which one is right? Probably none. This is where wisdom shows itself, because wisdom is understanding the multiple points of view on something, specially when it involves yourself. Realizing how even simple actions affect the world around you, snowballing into greater consequences by the second, is something difficult, but without this perception, we cannot keep balance in our lives. The balance involves not affecting others people's lives in bad or unwanted ways. Wisdom can come from reading, but more importantly, it comes from observing and understanding, may it be a book, a movie, an old tale or even real life. Lack of wisdom, will eventually lead to bad decisions, and even regrettable comments.
Courage. Put your soul into it. This common sentence represents what courage is about. It may be related to the soul, because it is the force that drives you to do what you want. Courage is not about doing insane things without thinking, courage is closer to understanding your fears and overcoming them when needed. Courages is having the will to face something you have no power to win, or pushing yourself beyond your limits. Courage may resemble stupidity, but when it comes down to it, a courageous person will raise again and again, to fight for their believes, and for the sake of what really matters. Courage is important, without it one will never step up to the challenges, and won't try again upon failure. This may seem simple, but the sheer will to keep on going may move mountains.
This is a careful and delicate balance, very hard to achieve. But the basis to being strong person. This balance may break through almost every wall.
If you feel you lack anyone of these, do your best to find your equilibrium, if it is your will.

The life, the universe and everything

It's been like what? Ten years? more...
Last time I have no recollection of when it was, or where it was. What I recall is that my father took me there, and I was amazed buy the beauty of it, and mostly glad to hear that the Scorpio constelation is the one that resembles the most what it should resemble, a scorpion. I even memorized the disposition of the stars, though I have no idea where it is placed in the sky night. I have some trouble finding Antares...
I have some luck to live in a place a bit away from the metropolis, so I'm blessed with a mind blowing sky from time to time. Of course, I can't scape the fact that I live near a metropoli so the sky isn' t nearly as beautiful as it can be. This I'll never forget, some years ago, I went with my friends from college to this sporting event in another town, mainly a grand excuse to go drinking. On the way, just out of the interstate, we were on this very little road, an there were no light to be seen in any direction, only the headlights of the car... it was around 11:00 pm. So I stopped the car and turned off the lights. It took some time for us to adapt to the no-light situation. I got out of the car and my breathing stopped, paralized by the sight of the sky. Look at all those stars, about 100 times more stars than I'm used to see. Awesome.
Going back to topic. I went to the planetarium this weekend, and took another shot at seeing stars. this machine a very interesting projector, could generate grand images.
The session started with a general message about environment consciousness, the ones that say about preserving nature, and that we humans are recklessly using the natural resourcess of the planet. Then it went into space, talking about mithology and the stars, planets. It had some strange charts with lots of numerical data which I believe was needlessly confusing to any one who isn't studying math related colleges. It had some nice projections, but some very weak powerpoint like presentations.
Sadly, it didn't get into the sign constelations, it barely mentioned the greek constelations.
I like the sky, gazing upon infinity, remembering that in universal context I'm basicly nothing, a insignificant dot trying to life his life on his randomly placed planet.
All that matters is the beauty of it... and of course the good company.

~ The Adventurer Chronicle 25 ~
"... looked at it, and sat back.
- Well, ok. It was some years ago when I finished my training with Ofaristat, my master. I left there with no place to go, I had no objective, so I thought of something that would occupy me for some time, and probably would be beautiful. I went out to find the source of most pure energy in the world.
- I mean like one of those springs where lots of energy get concentrated? - Asked Artanis.
- Yes.
- But aren't those rare?
- That's what made searching for them so entertaining. I had many adventures during the time I spent searching. It was my chance to train what I've learned, and acquire some spells, and equipment. So after some months of searching I managed to find the fabled spring of most pure energy. It was strange and hard to find. Nature seemed to twist around it trying to hide it, so despite the huge amount of energy concentrated, I didn't feel it until a certain point. After some barrier of sort I could feel the energy, it was huge, it took me some time before I got adapted to so much energy and could walk again. Then I just searched a bit until I came upon a little clearing, with a pond in the middle. The pond emitted a strong glow that reflected in many colors on the trees. The pond had about 10 meters from side to side, but it seemed to have no bottom.
- Amazing! - the girls said to each other in a low voice.
- So, I didn't want to mix up impure energies so I took of my equipment and clothes and dove into the pond.
- Sure like you have the most pure energies. - mocked Cid.
- I did what I could. So, the water was perfect, in the lack of a better word. I've never felt so great. The energy seemed to flow with me, carrying me with it, and I felt part of the world. But something was not exactly right. The energy was incredibly pure, but it wasn't the purest energy there, so I looked around. After some time when I dove under water and looked around I saw a bright light deep down into the pond, the energy seemed to come from there. So I went up, got my air back and put on my wind inducer ring, - he said showing the simple green ring on his left hand - and created a bubble of air so I could breath under water. And dove deep into the pond.
Maelstron paused shortly and walked to a nearby rock. He took the sword and stabbed it into the rock.
- At first going down was kind of easy, but after sometime, as I got nearer to the light the flow of energy began to get to strong to go on, it was pushing me away. So I concentrated my energy and put a greater effort to go down a bit more. Some time latter I was close to the light, it was greater than I could see from the up there. I was trying to get past this place, but I could barely see anything let alone keep up against the flow of energy. Something caught my attention. There was something solid in there, maybe a rock to stand in, I tried to reach for it, and when I got near I notice a handle out there, from the rock, just like this. - he pointed to the sword's handle - But the light was so much I could see nothing more, so I used the handle to pull myself onto the rock. I held the handle with my two hands and stepped on the rock, the energy was immense so I had to hold on with all my strength. Even if my mind was focused on holding on, I felt happy, the energy was so pure, it was fantastic.
- So the sword was down there in the rock? - asked Selina.
- My attention turned to reality when I realized that the handle, even though it looked like made of stone, was indeed metallic. I trying touching things around there, but my senses were mostly numb from the mass energy, so I I tried to pull the thing out of the rock. I put all my energy into it, and when I was about exhausted I felt the handle loosen a bit. That was when this incredibly huge energy engulfed me in this bright light and I lost consciousness. When I woke up I was lying down in the clearing near my clothes and equips, and there was this sword in my hand still shinning a bit. I could..."
~ End of Part 25 ~

The Triple Triad
No, not the card game, even if the game is awesome.
This is a concept I've been fiddling for many years now. Like when they say you have to keep your mind and body at a balance.
This is what my "religion" believes to be the structure of balance. And since I have NO religion, this mainly is what I believe to the points needed to be balanced.
Is not about mind and body, it is about much more. There are four main axis of balance, being three parallel and one connecting them.
Hence the name, there are there (triple) axis to balance, each one having three things (triad) to balance. Once each axis is balanced, you have to balance them all.
I can't say what is to be achieved by all this balance. I think this balance is what makes one a good person, whatever good may mean. I could say that this balance is what gives one the power to overcome most challenges in life.
Why do we need balance?
Well, in nature we see the first law:
"The strong will survive and the weak shall perish" ~ Survival of the fittest.
If we observe, we see that each animal prays on the weakness of its enemy. I know we are probably the only species not to be threatened by another living being, (Of course we have diseases, but not the point), but even so, we can become better in some way by overcoming our weakness', right?
So, take a generic geek. During his life, he's prone to suffer for his lack of strength, or social skills. (if you have anyone of these, you're NOT the geek in the example)
Take the usual jock. He may have troubles in life, developing new skills, and studying due to lack of mind development. (Same goes here.)
Take the generic good looking girl. She has the jocks do the physical stuff for her, and the geeks do her homework, so she only gets her social skills trained. (Once again...)
Sure they may excel in their area. But a geek who knows how to socialize and practices sports, will have a better health and fun, and will be as good in the geeky department as any generic geek.
This is just to show how balance in life can improve it.
More on The Triple Triad soon. One Triad at a time.
" If qualities of Heaven are your desire,
Acquire wisdom and knowledge to take your mind higher.
If Earthly qualities are what you lack,
Train your body in the fields and prepare to attack.
When Heaven and Earth are opened together,
The perilous path will become righteous forever." ~ Naruto, ep 37.

Dog Meat
Do any of you have pets? Most people I know do.
Have you ever hear someone say: "Don't give your dog stake, or it will never eat dog food again."?
Well I've heard, but my dog kind of eats everything he can get, including napkins and eventual spiders.
But I suppose this is true. Some dogs may become a tad picky when they're fed good quality food, like a stake, a lobster or lasagna. I'm not saying it is normal to feed your dog these kinds of food, I for one find it kind of weird, but it's not my point here today.
Guess it is only natural for the dog to want more of the good stuff, when the alternative is generic dog food. No matter how well they may pitch it in television, it will never taste better than a slice of barbecued meat.
I guess people are not much different, at least I know I'm not. For example, I almost always drink the drink I like most, if I discover a better drink, I'll start drinking that one. If possible, and not too troublesome, I'll drink, eat and do whatever I prefer to.
But there is a syndrome related. Like when the dog won't eat ANYTHING but the best.
People think I'm like this. What I think is that I just LIKE less things.
I've tasted many things that I would say are perfect, but contrary to what people think, I will and do, eat a food that is not the best and I'll find it VERY tasty.
See, the problem is. People complain a lot, and it is common for people to complain that a food is not perfect. I say, as a person with a peculiarly bad taste, I'm just glad to eat something I like, it may not be the best I've had, but it is tasty.
I eat things I don't like, it's part of life. I taste everything at least once. In the end it's all just to pass through another meal.
But remember this.
I've been told to be very picky about things. But I guess people don't see that they are picky on their own. Next time you want to complain about something, think first if it is so bad, or just not perfect.
I'd rather hear someone say he does not like the type of food, even if I like, than to hear that it is not good, not even close to some other that they consider perfect.
This is NOT about food, figure it out.

One Gate
Time was passing normally, I had no rush, so I was enjoying the fact that I had some free time to get to my destination. Forward, stop, look around, listen to the music, forward again.
Nothing out of the ordinary, but in the end, special moments never happen in a very confusing, full of changes, weird day, they happen when you least expect, in a most ordinary day.
There it was. Right above the bridge. That old bridge, not much of an eye candy, more close to visual pollution, it had the center a bit lower than the edges, and being of solid stone (cement?) it made two straight lines forming a "very wide" letter V. People were crossing, with no attention paid to what scenery filled the background to their side, they merely went on with their day, on that routine that like me, they had to face everyday, but contrary to them, I learned early that the beauty of life lays hidden around every corner, just waiting to smile to a more observant person.
During the stop in my mind boring routine of getting to the place I had to be but had no rush in getting there. I raised my eyes a bit, and seeing through the gentle silhouette of the unsuspecting people crossing the not so far bridge, I saw the sun.
Some can say, what about it? It's been there for like billions of years and would still be there for more billions, so what's so damn interesting now?
Sure, I've grown tired of having the burning sunlight shinning upon my eyes, blinding my path every day. But this was oddly different. Sometimes there is a mist, but I always surfaced on the sides, far from my path. This was new, the mist took over in from of me, blocking my vision from far away.
And all these oddities combined generated such a marvelous view. The sun fighting against the mist, trying to break through and shine over a deserving soul, while the mist held strong, but the reflection of the light could only break through and reveal the trees in a nearby "forest" specially this one tall tree that bent over the path, just a bit taller than the bridge, and some meters behind it. One could see the silhouette of the tree, not enough to see leaves, but just to see it on the other side of the mist, trying to reveal to all people, even those not paying attention, that the path followed, and the tree was a mark to be seen.
Simple, the sun, the mist, a tree, and a bridge. And the gate to a better place should have been open. Someone must have passed. It seems like a better place.
But I must follow my way, I have to be somewhere, even if I don't have any hurry to get there.