THE KIR'SHARA

C'Thia, Kolinahr and the Teachings of Surak.

By
I'ki Lah'so

About The Kir'Shara.

Although Vulcans and their philosophy are fictional, much of these
philosophies are similar to human philosophies, such as Buddhism,
Confucianism and Taoism. What is inherently different is the adherence to
logic and the suppression of emotions.
Logic is a way of thinking that is worthy and attainable and, with these
writings, I hope to show that the Teachings of Surak can be of great benefit to
humans.
"Change is the essential process of existence."
(Many of the posts will refer to a number of texts written by others. Most
notably:
J W Merrit - http://akspra.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/path-of-surak.pdf The Path Of Surak
(Selections from this text can be found in section 3)
Gregory Hoover - http://sannhedanism.webs.com/The%20Teachings%20of
%20Surak.pdf. - The Teachings Of Surak
(Selections from this text can be found in section 1)
Jaqueline Lichtenberg - http://www.simegen.com/fandom/startrek/kraith/
Surak's%20Construct.pdf. - Surak's Construct

Many thanks to these few who have helped me find the way.)

This is the Kir'Shara. It begins and ends with the Rules of Surak. All else is
discussion, interpretation and exploration of these rules.
They are the basis, the rock and the foundation. Any deviation is not C'Thia
and, thus, without foundation.
The journey begins and ends with these rules, but the journey will take your
entire life.
Surak's rules:
"1. Do nothing to speed up entropy. Cast out fear, cast out hate and rage for
these emotions shall speed up the universe's movement into chaos. Use
compassion to slow our continuous entropic movement.
"2. Do not harm nor kill. Harm shall speed up entropy in the universe, and
oneself. All actions have equal reactions. The Spear in the other's heart is a
spear in your own: you are he. Violence breeds Violence. Death brings death,
and Hate places hate upon oneself. Can you return to life what you take from
it? Then be slow to take a life.
"3. Do not violate one's own intimacy. For it remain precious if one does not
violate it. Privacy is unique and solemn, to violate a secret place shall turn
that place to torment. Reach out with courtesy, accept other's reaching with
careful hands.
"4. Use Reason above all else. What is -- is. Accept the things one cannot
change, change the things one can. Learn to discern what was, what will be,
and what one envisions from the reality of the now. "Learn the truth of reality
-- the truth of reality. Learn Clear thought. Cast out fear. This will set our world
free."

There are things one should do, if one want to be logical:

*Cast out fear, rage, hate, and cast out passion, love, and joy.
*Continuously learn new things.

*Improve ones ability to learn; to store memories and to access stored

knowledge from the memory.
*Do the logical thing -- not what ones emotions are suggesting.
*Find out which errors one have and eliminate them.
*Make sure that one is in good physical form -- it is the logical thing to do -because a situation that demands it might become a reality any time.
*Be creative, because that is necessary for a good physical health, and
because it helps one to find new ideas, and new solutions to a problem.
*Meditate, and keep one's self-control.
*Train and keep the mind trimmed with mathematics and science.
*Be patient.
*Remember that the spear in the others heart is the spear in one's own heart
-- be polite and compassionate, and don't do things against others that you
do not want others to do against you.
*Improve ones minds capacity and abilities with memory techniques, logical
thinking, meditation, techniques that helps one do calculations in ones head,
and techniques.
*Take control of ones emotions.
*Be precise and avoid misunderstandings -- many quarrels and wars have
been caused by misunderstandings.
*Imagine oneself in other peoples situation -- be understanding.
*Find new and better ways to meditate, to do calculations, and to improve
ones memory.

Live long and in peace.

Section 1
The Teachings of Surak
Translated from the original Vulcan by Gregory Hoover
The understanding of many great things has been revealed to us through
logic. Concerning these things, Surak should always be remembered. For it is
necessary, not only for Vulcans, but even for outsiders, to be competent, both
in speaking and in writing, so as to become wise.
The wise Surak, after he gave himself fully to a diligent study of logic, also
chose to teach, so that those who desire to learn logic and to become skilful
in these things would be more and more attentive in mind, and would be
strengthened to live according to the principles of logic.
And so, I encourage you to approach with understanding, and to perform the
reading with attentive study, and to be patient in these things when we may
seem, while pursuing the image of logic, to fall short in the translation of the
words of Surak; for Vulcan words lose layers of meaning when they are
translated into English.
And not only these words, but also the principles of logic itself, and of all the
sages, have no small difference from when they have been spoken in their
own language.
While spending many years on the planet Vulcan as a Starfleet Chaplain, I
learned a great deal from the followers of Surak. I have tried to translate the
ancient teachings faithfully, but often the nearest English words simply did not
carry the same feeling as the original. The Teachings of Surak was originally
translated into English by Skon, father of Sarek, forefather of Spock.[1]
Nevertheless, words and meanings change over times, and I considered it to
be both good and necessary for me to apply some significant diligence and
labor in order to translate the Teachings of Surak into Federation Standard
English.
After much attentiveness to logic and history over a length of time, I brought
to a close these things being considered, so as to offer this book for those
who are willing to apply their mind, and to learn how to conduct their way of
life. This teaching is for those who have decided to form their life in accord

with the principles of the logic of the Supreme Intelligence, as taught by the
wise Surak.
The Teachings of Surak: Part I
1
Logic is the boundary of meaning and reason. Logic is the mother of all
creation.
Freed from emotion, one can see the
hidden logic.
Being ruled by emotion,
one can only see ones own limitations.
Yet logic and reason
emerge from the same source. This source is called the logos. Logic born
from the logos is the beginning of all wisdom.
2
Being and non-being produce each other. Difficult and easy complement each
other. Long and short define each other.
High and low oppose each other. Therefore the wise Vulcan
can act without doing anything and teach without saying a word.
Things come her way
and she does not stop them;
things leave and she lets them go.
She owns without possessing,
and acts without any expectations.
When her work is done, she takes no credit. That is why it will last forever.
3
The wise Vulcan leads by clarifying the peoples thoughts, filling their bellies,
taming their ambitions,
and making them become strong.
Preferring simplicity and freedom from emotions, the wise Vulcan avoids the
pitfalls of wrong action. For those who practice non-doing,
everything will fall into place.
We have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of both
of us.

4
Logic is like an empty container:
it can never be emptied and can never be filled. Infinitely deep, it is the
source of all things.
It dulls the sharp, unties the knotted,
shades the lighted, and unites all of creation with dust. Logic is often hidden
but always present.
There is no offence where none is taken.
5
Logic and reason are impartial; they treat all humanoids as equals.
The wise Vulcan doesnt take sides.
The space between logic and reason is like a bellows; it is empty, yet has not
lost its power.
The more it is used, the more it produces;
the more you say about it, the less you understand. It is better not to speak of
things
you do not comprehend.
6
The Katra of logic is immortal.
It is called the Great Mother
because it gives birth to logic and reason. It is like a vapor,
barely seen but always present.
Use it effortlessly.
A flagon fills drop by drop. Nobility lies in logic not in name.
7
Logic is eternal,
and the reason is long enduring.
Why do they last forever?
They do not live for themselves;
thus they are present for all beings.
The wise Vulcan puts himself last, and finds himself in the place of authority.
He detaches himself from all things; therefore he is united with all things. He
gives no thought to self.
He is perfectly fulfilled.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

8
As far as you are able, do not kill. Can you return life to what you kill? Then
be slow to take life.
The supreme good is like water, which benefits all of creation without trying to
compete with it. It gathers in hidden places.
Thus it is like logic.
The location makes the dwelling good.
Depth of understanding makes the mind good. A logical mind makes life
good. Accomplishments make your work good. Proper timing makes a
decision good.
Only when there is no competition will we all live in peace.
The spear in the others heart is the spear in your own.
9
The sharper the knife the easier it is to dull.
The more wealth you possess
the harder it is to protect.
Pride brings its own trouble.
When you have accomplished your goal simply walk away.
This is the path to logic.
Do no harm to those that harm you.
Offer them peace,
and then you will have peace.
10
Nurture the logos of your katra
until you become whole.
While you cleanse your inner vision will you be found without fault?
Can you guide people and lead them without forcing your will on them? When
logic gives and takes away
can you be content with the outcome? When you understand all things
can you step back from your
own understanding?
To produce, yet not to control: This is the mysterious virtue.
The wise Vulcan seeks peace
because it is the only way to live.

11
All transgression arise because of thoughtlessness.
If mind is transformed can bad behaviour remain? There is no other wisdom
and
no other hope for us but
that we grow wise.
12
Too much activity deranges the mind. Too much wealth induces crime.
The wise Vulcan acts on what she thinks
and not what she sees.
Reach out to others courteously.
Accept their reaching in the same way, with careful hands.
13
Success is as dangerous as failure,
and we are often our own worst enemy. An insincere and evil friend
is more to be feared than a wild animal;
a animal may injure your body,
but an evil friend will injure your mind.
Perceive the whole world as if it were your self; then you will truly care for all
things.
Time is a path from the past to the future
and back again.
The present is the crossroads of both.
14
Look for logic, and it cannot be seen. Listen for logic, and it cannot be heard.
Grasp for logic, and it cannot be caught. These three cannot be further
described, so is the logos from which logic flows. Unending, unnamable,
Formless forms, and being becomes, subtle, beyond all understanding.
Pure Logic Itself.
Approach logic and you will not see a beginning; follow it and there will be no
end.
When we grasp the logic of the wise Vulcan, we can use it to direct our life
today.
To know the ancient origin of logic:
this is the beginning of wisdom.

15
The Vulcans of old were profound
and knew the ways of subtlety and discernment. Their wisdom is beyond our
comprehension.
Better than a thousand empty words, is one word that brings peace.
The wise Vulcan doesnt seek fulfilment.
For only those who are not full are able to be used which brings the feeling of
completeness.
16
The needs of the many outweigh
the needs of the few or the one.
All creatures in the universe
return to the point where they began.
Returning to the source is tranquility
because we submit to logics mandate.
Returning to logics mandate is called being wise.
Knowing this constancy is called enlightenment.
The wise Vulcan can accept things as they are.
By accepting things as they are, we become impartial. By being impartial, we
become one with logic.
By being one with logic, we become one with logos. Being one with logos, we
are no longer concerned about loosing our life because we know logos is
constant
and we are one with the All-ness in All.
17
The most excellent Vulcans are those the people
hardly know exist.
The greatest Vulcans value their words,
and use them sparingly.
When he has accomplished his task, the people say, Facinating;
we did it, all by ourselves. Change is the essential
process of all existence.
But chaos is inherent in all things.
Only logic brings order out of chaos.

18
Embrace simplicity.
Put others first.
Value logic over emotion.
Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on
the present moment.
Only then will you be free.
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.
19
The greatest virtue you can have
comes from following pure logic.
Even though logic is ethereal and elusive, we are able to know it exists.
Untouchable and ambiguous,
yet it has a manifestation.
Secluded and dark, yet there is strength within it.
Its power is very genuine. Within it we can find order. Since the beginning of
time,
logic has always existed.
It is beyond existing and non-existing. How do I know where logic comes
from? I look inside myself and see it.
20
The wise Vulcan embraces logic,
as an example for the world to follow. Because he isnt self centered,
people can see the light in him. Because she does not boast of herself, she
becomes a shining example. Because he does not glorify himself, he
becomes a person of merit.
Because she wants nothing from the world, the world can not overcome her
logic. Hatred will not cease by more hatred,
but only by logic;
this is the eternal principle.

The Teachings of Surak: Part II

(N.B. Here, Hoover continues, but using words and phrases taken wholesale
from the Bible and interprets them as Vulcan. He talks of the creator. I,
personally, feel that a book about C'Thia does not require over-insistence
upon there being a creator or not. That is for each individual to believe and
has nothing to do with C'Thia. C'Thia has no 'side' to there being a creator or
not. It is inconsequential to the teachings. A link to the full text can be found at
the beginning of the Kir'Shara, but anyone who is religious will find most of
part II's text in their own religious tome.)

The Teachings of Surak: Part III

1.
Logic is the basis for everything.
Everything is created by logic, and is ruled by logic. When I speak or act
without logic, suffering follows me as a moon follows its sun.
2.
All is logic, and logic is all. When I speak or act with logic,
peace stays with me.
It follows me like my shadow.
3.
Logic leads to deathlessness
but negligence leads to loss.
When we are logical, we need not fear death
but those who are illogical are spiritually dead already.
4.
When I persevere in logic,
diligently devoting myself to meditation and reason, I am freed from the
chains of bondage
and I transcend birth and death.

5.
If a person is logical and aware,
pure in deed, and acting with reason, self-controlled, and following the Way of
logic, then he will be a wise Vulcan.
6.
When my use of logic awakes me from my spiritual sleep, I climb the tower of
wisdom, without fear,
and view those trapped by their ignorance.
I see without judgment those who suffer without logic.
7.
Logical among the thoughtless,
awake and aware among the sleeping, advance like a racehorse among
aged and weakened beasts.
8.
Just like a fish thrashing about
when taken from its home in the water,
so our minds will twist and shake
when taken from the world of fantasy into logic.
9.
Our minds are hard to control. Flighty and wild, they splash about. It is skilful
to control it with logic,
because a well-tamed mind brings serenity.
10.
Your thoughts wander far and wide, traveling alone, bodiless and naked,
sheltering in a cave within you. When you master your thoughts through logic,
you will be freed from the chains of illusion.
Thus ends the Teachings of Surak.
SOURCES: The works of Gene Roddenberry; Spocks World by Diane Duane; Starfleet Academy Vulcan
Manual; Sirach; Tao Te Ching; Dhamapada; etc.

Section 2
Everything has a beginning ...
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, the Teachings of Surak are the
cornerstone of Vulcan philosophy. A race of near emotionless, impassive
people who value logic above all things. Vulcans are not emotionless,
however. They suppress their emotions due to the damage unchecked
emotions can bring to their world and others around them.
I hope, with these writings, to bring the peace of logic to humans, here in the
real world. Following the Teachings of Surak, coupled with elements from our
own cultures (pertinently, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism) and with
thoughts and teachings of my own added in, I am certain that we humans can
remove fear and hatred from our world.
If you are willing to learn.
"Freed from emotion, one can see the hidden logic."

C'Thia - There is no ignorance, there is C'Thia

C'Thia, or (in some texts) Cthia, is the search for truth through logic.
It is a cornerstone of Surak's teachings and, thus, Vulcan society.
Here, in the non-fictional world, we have many philosophies and religions that
lead to "the truth". Whether that truth leads to a higher power or a better way
of thinking, they all lead to a truth of some kind. It's not for me to say whether
those are worse ways of seeking truth, nor is it my place to say they are
better. But, for me and, hopefully, for you C'Thia is that way.
Through logic, we can find the truth for us. Through control of our emotions,
we can discern a better way for us.
Logic is not irrational. It is a progression. From conjecture, to
experimentation, to proof, to conclusion. As irrational, emotional beings we
bypass parts of the logical method to assert a conclusion before that
conclusion can be proven. Due to our emotional responses, we cause
conflict. Assuming we are correct, when we are wrong, yet holding to our
assumption because our emotional, irrational minds believe we are correct
and cannot be wrong. We will fight our corner of the argument despite
evidence, or proof, to the contrary because of our belief. Belief is not logical.
Belief is emotional.
Living life illogically, emotionally, means we come into conflict more often than
not. Conflict with our employers, our friends, our loved ones. We let our
emotions control us to the point where we will argue something that we know
is not true. It is much more logical to admit a mistake than to compound it.
The search for truth is through logic.
"C'thia. What is - is. This will set you free."

Arie-Mnu, Kolinahr and emotional control

As humans, we are controlled by our emotions. Practically every situation that
we find ourselves in is due to, confronted and resolved utilising emotional
responses. Thus we find ourselves, more often than not, in conflict of one
degree or another. From wars, to fist fights, arguments, heated discussions,
we see the world emotionally. We will often argue a point even if we know we
are incorrect, because we cannot, emotionally, allow ourselves to lose.
Imagine, if you will, a world where logic defines our interactions. Where
mistakes are acknowledged instead of defended. A wise man admits defeat,
in an argument, even though they are correct, than to escalate the argument
further in the emotional requirement for superiority. What does it matter if your
"opponent" thinks you are wrong? Logically it makes no difference. The only
reasons it would matter would be through emotional validation.
Arie-Mnu, as The Kolinahru (http://kolinahru.com) puts it is "The process of
purging all vestigial emotions". The Path of Surak (website address on an
earlier page), defines it thus, "[The] mastery of emotion - Controlling it to fit
your needs".
The Path of Surak goes on to show the 4 levels of Arie-Mnu mastery, from
level 1 to the epitome of Kolinahr:
1.) A control level of one implies that a person is capable of controlling the
facial expressions normally exhibited due to an emotion the majority of the
time, but still feels the emotion.
2.) Level two implies a person can control all expressions of emotion the
majority of the time, but still feels the emotion.
3.) Level three is where emotion is there, but not expressed, or even felt. It
has no influence, the majority of the time.
4.) Mastery level four is complete mastery. In this state, the emotion is
completely cast out, and is no longer a part of you. This state is also referred
to as Kolinahr.
It is often believed by people watching the Star Trek story, and indeed, people
within the story, that Vulcans do not have emotions. This is inaccurate.
Vulcans are very emotional beings, with stronger, more volatile emotions than
humans. What they do have is a learned control upon those emotions. Due to

the strength of their emotions, Vulcan society was almost extinguished until
Surak led the way to Arie-Mnu through C'Thia.
It is also a misrepresentation that all Vulcans are of the fourth level of
emotional control, Kolinahr. The truth is, most Vulcans fall between the later
degrees of level 2 to the later degrees of level 3. Very few Vulcans are able to
achieve Kolinahr and we should not be disappointed if we never achieve this
either.
For perspective, I fall somewhere in the middle of level 1. I am able to control
my facial expressions most of the time, unless I wish to show my emotions,
but my actual emotional control is in the very early stages of success. As with
all things, the levels of Arie-Mnu are not absolutes, they contain degrees of
achievement.
In previous posts I have concluded with a quote from other sources. Today, I
will end with something of my own. For "religion", read "C'Thia" and you will
understand the idea"
"Religion is the sign post, not the path and certainly not the destination."

Tan Sahat - Accepting emotion to discard it

The Path of Surak states "The Tan Sahat is the intellectual deconstruction of
emotional patterns".
In order to deconstruct emotions we must first confront them. Despite the
ideal of having no emotions we are (as are Vulcans) an emotional species.
We will not ever remove emotions from ourselves. What we are able to do is
control them and, in order to do that, we must understand them, recognise
them and recognise the elements that trigger emotional reactions.
J W Meritt (in the Path of Surak) tells us that there are a number of areas/
ways in which we can help ourselves in the control of our emotions. In this
first part of a series of chapters about Tan Sahat, we will look at the first way
that Meritt tells us are the methods of Tan Sahat. Acceptance.

"Acceptance: You must know that you are a freethinking individual, who can
make a choice for yourself. If you understand logic, then you will see that it is
logical to adopt the Vulcan way of life. Others will surely tell you that you
should not, but give you no logical reason. They will insist that you are
violating their rights by not laughing at their jokes, and jumping into a fight
with them, but you must realise that, as I said, you have the right to do what is
logical, and no one can take that away from you. You will find that it is difficult
to make friends, and that certain people may no longer wish to be your friend,
or vice versa. This is due to the fact that you are different. You should explain
to people that you have chosen a new way of life, and ask them to accept and
respect your choice, if they do not, then they are not truly your friends. Those
who stick with you and encourage your individuality will be worth more to you
than any other of life's riches, for they are true friends who do not wish to
discourage you. You will find that it is more difficult to make friends, but that is
only because your definition of a friend has changed. Instead of finding
someone who acts the same, and dresses the same and looks the same, you
will have a more meaningful relationship with someone who can understand
who you are."
In this section, we are told how others will perceive us as we try to achieve
Arie-Mnu. It is a lonely path which we walk as followers of the C'Thia. We will
not be understood. We will be taunted. People will argue with us about the
rights and wrongs of emotional disassociation. They won't be wrong.
What do I mean, "They won't be wrong"?

They are correct ... In their eyes. Humans have been emotional creatures
since before we were actually human. It is embedded deep inside our brains
to be emotional. Our society is hinged on emotional responses. In more ways
than anyone usually realises (without the aid of psychological/sociological
training).
In choosing to follow C'Thia, trying to achieve Arie-Mnu and aspiring towards
Kolinahr, we are going against everything anybody has ever said or done in
the history of mankind! We are different. The further we progress on the path,
the more different we will become.
But we are not wrong and neither are the people who don't and won't
understand our reasoning and our motives. We are, and will be, different.
The further we progress in our chosen path, the less it will matter how other
people perceive us. To care about how others see us is an emotional reaction
and is illogical.
"We have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of
both of us."

Tan Sahat - In seclusion, we find logic

Continuing the series on Tan Sahat, deconstructing our emotional patterns,
we come to the next phase J W Meritt tells of in the Path of Surak.

"Seclusion: It is important not to be influenced by the emotions of others. It is

possible, with Vulcan mental control, to be exposed to emotional stimuli and
not be influenced. However, in the first stages of the t'an sahat, where there is
a lack of control, the individual must prevent themselves from being
influenced. DO NOT watch television that is considered to be emotionally
moving. That will only complicate the situation. Use time carefully, and ask
yourself whether emotion or logic motivates a particular action. If your answer
is that you are acting on emotion, then stop immediately to reexamine the
situation.
It is not implied that all friendships and associations must cease, only that
there should be a period of solitude (a week or two) to attain mental control.
Emotions should be avoided to an extreme in this first stage. Later on, after
more control has been established, one will be able to reintegrate oneself into
their normal social life with the mental control needed to act logically despite
the irrational behaviour of others. Please note that the presence of fellow
Vulcans/adherents if C'Thia is encouraged in this and all stages in order to
influence one in a positive way."

Seclusion is a useful tool for anyone following C'Thia. It allows us to take

stock of ourselves. To work towards Arie-Mnu, controlling our emotions,
without outside distractions. Everybody, at some point in their lives, feels the
need to be alone. To gather their thoughts, to work through problems they
may have, to just "get away". However, seclusion for followers of C'Thia can
be even more important than for anybody else. Trying to live our lives free of
emotion can be difficult in a society so inherently emotional that practically
everything everybody does or says is made to produce emotional reactions in
others. Emotions are intrinsic in our society and this is why there is so much
conflict.
There are problems that seclusion entails in today's society. Many problems.
If you are in a relationship, your partner will, likely, not understand the need to
seclude yourself. If you are employed, your employer will probably not be
happy that you are taking time from work. Friends will worry about you and
tell you "you need to get out more". Etc, etc, etc. our society is not geared
towards people wanting to be alone.

We also have to deal with ourselves. We were born, brought up and we

currently live in this society. We will also find it odd to be alone for any
extended amount of time. It will be odd not having a tv on, or listening to our
favourite music, or reading a book. We aren't used to solitude!
What we have to understand is that, until such time as we are more able to
control our emotional impulses, seclusion is, perhaps, the greatest tool we
have for achieving some level of Arie-Mnu. Not wishing to be alone is an
emotional response. Recognise these emotions, accept them and let them
go. These emotional jitters are lying to you. There is nothing wrong with being
alone. There is no danger in secluding yourself.
If we are serious in our chosen path, if we are serious about following C'Thia,
achieving Arie-Mnu, aspiring to Kolinahr, about becoming logical, less
emotionally controlled beings, then we must utilise the best tools we have at
hand. Seclusion, until such time as we have a workable level of control, is
one of those tools.
"He detaches himself from all things; therefore he is united with all things."

Tan Sahat - Logical thinking

In this third part of my dissection of Tan Sahat, emotional deconstruction, we
finally come to the use and need for logical thinking.
Again, we turn to J W Meritt and his work, the Path of Surak:

The Study of Logic- During your periods of solitude it is essential that you
truly understand the nature of the principle that you have devoted your life to.
Therefore, you must study logic by reading encyclopaedias and various other
materials on logic and the science of reasoning. If you have not been taught
that certain things are right or wrong, then you must decide for yourself.
Through your newly found logical reasoning, ask yourself whether certain
actions are logical or not. However, logic is not about convenience. What is
logical to do may not be what you want to do. That's a good sign that you are
having a conflict within your mind, but don't let your wants overtake your
needs. Force yourself to do the logical thing instead of the emotional thing.
This will quicken your progress toward becoming dispassionate. You will
come to realise which actions are moral and which are corrupt through means
of logic. Hopefully, once you have a respectable knowledge of logic you will
be absolutely certain that logic is the key to knowledge, and that emotion
must be mastered in order to reach that state of knowledge that we as
Vulcans strive for.
The problem for us humans is that we are inherently illogical. We tend to
make leaps of logic, coming to conclusions before we have thought through
the processes required to make a definite conclusion. We value "gut feelings"
(intuition), often when we know the correct course of action is opposed to that
feeling. The problem with gut feelings/intuition is that we focus on the times in
which these feelings have proven to be correct and, conveniently, forget the
times that they have not been correct. If one honestly remembers the times
that we have acted upon gut feelings, we will notice that incorrect outcomes
far outnumber the correct ones. The fantasy is preferable to the reality as we
gain emotional satisfaction from it.
Logical thinking is hard. We aren't used to it. We dislike thinking logically
because it is more time-consuming when, in actual fact, there is little
difference in the time it takes to logically think things through and "going with
the gut". The extra time often comes from fear. We fear being wrong and,
because we trust our emotional feelings more than our logical reasonings
("Have I made the correct calculations? I'll just check them again." as

opposed to "I'm sure I'm right. My gut's [intuition] never let me down before!".
When, of course, it has let you down. Often.), we fear our emotions (and,
therefore, the possibility of being incorrect) less than we do our logical
reasoning.
In our everyday lives we can build our logical thinking with simple techniques.
When performing everyday tasks, go through the logical reasoning behind
them. As you perform each step of something you are doing, work out the
logic behind how and why you are doing it in the fashion and order that you
are doing it in. For example, everybody knows how to boil a kettle. Work out
each stage of that process and why it is done and why you do it in the order
that you do. If you walk to your local shops, work out why you choose the
path you take to get there. Why you cross the road at a certain point, why you
choose that particular route. Break the task down into its constituent parts
and work out the logic. If you look at the breakdown and see that you are
doing parts of the task illogically, create a more logical method of doing that
task.
Logical thinking is better than irrational intuition. You just have to ignore your
emotional reactions to see it.
"Logic is the boundary of meaning and reason."

Emotional analysis
In the journey towards emotional control and living logically, the biggest
obstacle we have to pass is our own minds
While outside influences can throw setbacks in our path, these can be dealt
with, relatively, easily compared to dealing with our own incumbent emotional
responses. We cannot just flick a switch in our minds and stop emotional,
irrational thoughts from coming through. It is something that we have to work
at, very, very hard.
Think about it logically. Our very first emotional response occurs at birth.
Unceremoniously, we are ejected from the warm, silent (mostly), comfortable
embrace of our mother's womb, only to find ourselves in a much bigger,
colder, noisier world and we react emotionally. We cry. And then we are
passed back to our mother, laid on her chest, we hear the familiar beat of her
heart and we feel comfortable again. Our first emotions deal with the suffering
of loss of the only habitat we have known for nine months, the fear of an
unknown place with strange sounds and sensations and finally the happiness
of being comforted by a familiar heartbeat.
And the emotions don't stop, they continue, day after day. Year after year.
Every moment of our waking lives has been ruled by emotions. Every
decision made with emotional needs to consider. Every thought tied,
inexorably, with a subconscious emotional reaction. Of course our biggest
obstacle to C'Thia is ourselves!
So, how can we ever hope to overcome such an integral part of ourselves
and become purely logical beings? With hard work, with practice and, most
importantly, with acceptance.
We must accept our emotional past. Accept the fact that we are emotional
beings, but also accept the fact that, not only can we stop being controlled by
our emotions, but we can control them!
While striving for C'Thia, aspiring towards Kolinahr, we will continue to be
redirected by emotional responses. When we do, then follow this simple
procedure:

1. Recognise the emotion that you have felt. Recognise it and analyse why it
happened. What the cause of that emotion was.

2. Accept the fact that you had an emotional response. Do not be

disheartened. Do not 'flog' yourself for your error. Accept it. Understand it.
3. Let it go. There is no point in dwelling on your emotional reaction. It has
happened. Continuous analysis, after the fact, will not remove your mistake.
You recognise it, You accept it and then you let it go. It is the past and no
longer exists.
Each time you slip into emotional responses/reactions, follow these steps and
you will better understand yourself and the things that trigger your emotional
reactions.
With understanding will come C'Thia and with C'Thia will come logic and
peace.
"Being ruled by emotion, one can only see ones own limitations."

C'Thia and 'The Creator'

A question that I'm sure must come along, at some point, for any of us
attempting to follow C'Thia must be that of whether or not there is a creator, a
supreme being, a god. Can C'Thia stand with a creator? Does the application
of logic and the suppression of emotions preclude the possibility of God?
The short answer is, yes and no.
Those of us who are scientifically minded would point out that, as there is no
proof of the existence of God, then logically speaking (to their minds) there is
no God.
Those of us who are spiritually minded would say that faith does not require
proof and that life could not have begun through pure chance. God (to their
minds) is in all things.
The fact of the matter is that, with the philosophies involved in C'Thia, it does
not matter. C'Thia is. God or no God, the principles of C'Thia stand,
regardless. Logic and emotional control do not require a stance either way to
justify themselves.
Logic, alone, cannot prove or disprove the existence of God. Yes, there is no
verifiable evidence, of any kind, to prove that God exists. Details written in the
Bible, the Qur'an and the Torah can only be considered hearsay, as there is
no way to corroborate them. You may as well attempt to corroborate the
details in Homer's Odyssey. Acts, such as miracles and times when God has
spoken to people, happened in circumstances that preclude analysis by
unbiased observers. None have happened in controlled and, therefore,
confirmable conditions.
But ...
The fact that these things (details in books, unconfirmed miracles, et al)
occurred but have not been, and cannot be, disproved, leads us to the fact
that they may be true.
Lack of proof, either for or against the existence of a supreme being/creator/
God is not proof!
Simply put, we do not know.

If you have faith, you can follow C'Thia.

If you do not have faith, you can follow C'Thia.
"If a person is logical and aware, pure in deed, and acting with reason, selfcontrolled, and following the Way of logic, then he will be a wise Person."

The price of emotional control

If, like me, you seek to follow the way of C'Thia, controlling your emotions and
living your life in accordance with logical reasoning, then there are things that
must be laid aside in order to achieve that goal. There are situations that will
be made difficult, practically impossible, not only for you but also for other
people in your life.
In the chapter about Tan Sahat and acceptance, we touched upon how
striving towards C'Thia can impact how others will interact with you and how
others will treat you.
Others, who do not follow C'Thia will not understand you or your motives for
suppressing your emotions. It will be strange for them. Friends and loved
ones will, especially, be impacted by your emotional withdrawal.
The harsh reality is this. It does not matter.
Study your emotional reaction to that statement. What was your first,
immediate, thought? Did you immediately pull back and reconsider this path?
Did you think that you cannot lose your friends, or family, or partner? Were
you scared of being alone because of your beliefs? If you did, good! It means
you are not a psychopath/sociopath! It means you are a human being.
Of course it is going to be difficult. Of course suppressing your emotions will
cause others to think of you differently.
However ...
Logically speaking, the thoughts and feelings of others should have no sway
on your lifestyle choice. This is your choice. This is how you wish to live your
life.
If you achieve C'Thia and manage to control your emotions, you will still feel
those emotions. You are still able to act upon those emotions. You will still be
able to love, still feel compassion, still desire, still want, still hate. You will
control these emotions, though, not be controlled by them. You will react to
them in the most logical fashion. You will be dispassionate and not show
these emotions, but they will be there.
In short. You will still be human.

"Preferring simplicity and freedom from emotions, the wise man (Vulcan)
avoids the pitfalls of wrong action."

Logical discourse in an illogical world

Continuing the thread of reasoning concerning how being a logical,
emotionally controlled person in life, today I shall discuss the way we have to
interact with others.
At the very least, whether we have achieved control of our emotions or not,
C'Thia teaches us to appear dispassionate. To have an outward appearance
of calm and passivity. This will, inevitably, lead to people commenting on our
impassive features. Whether we notice it or not, much communication with
other people is done through expressions. Smiles, frowns, surprise, etc are
not just physical emotional reactions, but also physical communications.
When we show no emotional reactions we deprive others of the ability to
gauge us. That is not our problem, it is theirs. Once we have achieved a good
level of emotional control, we will be able to allow ourselves to show our
feelings, if we so choose, but that would be pandering to the emotional needs
of others. The emotional validation of others is not our concern.
Following on from physical emotional communication comes verbal
communication. In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Vulcans (usually) speak
carefully, in clipped precise sentences and rarely using contractions (words
such as "it's" instead of "it is" and "don't" instead of "do not"). While, perhaps,
that is a little too much (there is no logical reason not to use contractions.
They are universally accepted), there is a logical reason to speak carefully in
succinct sentences.
Achieving a workable level of C'Thia, you should be thinking in a more logical
fashion and, thus, speaking in a logical fashion. In the Star Trek universe you
will notice that almost every time a Vulcan speaks, they will pause before
vocalising their response. I am unsure if this was deliberate by the people
involved, or whether it was just coincidental, but it is logical that a Vulcan
(and, thus, ourselves as adherents to C'Thia) would speak this way.
In order to interact with illogical, irrational people, we must be considerate of
our responses. Therefore a pause, before we speak to others, in order to
gather our thoughts and be certain of a correct, logical response, is an
inherently logical idea.
Until the point where we have achieved a distinct control of our emotions and
an ability to think logically, these are the ways we must think as we interact
with others. After we have achieved that level, it should be as natural to us as

emotional responses are to us now. Until that time, we must just continue to
strive.
"The wise person (Vulcan) acts on what they think and not what they see."

C'Thia and respect

Today I am beginning a series of chapters about some points that J W Meritt,
in his The Path Of Surak, states are integral parts of C'Thia. These points are
secondary to the main parts of emotional control and logical reasoning, but
are no less important. The reasoning being that, without these secondary
traits, being unemotional and logical can be almost as destructive as illogical,
irrational and emotionally extreme behaviour. A human without these
secondary traits could choose logical paths that would be inhumane, ethically
and morally wrong and, at worst, evil.
We begin with the trait of respect. Meritt puts it thus:
Respect: This may actually be a subset of logic. Respect for others would
seem to be necessary in order to achieve peace and is of course the
foundation of IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations). Respect for
oneself is necessary before respect for others can be achieved. Plus, we
have seen examples of how Vulcans respect elders in the clan and their
parents.
An adherent of C'Thia is attempting to achieve full emotional control and
logical reasoning but this can cause problems. Decisions can be made,
thoughts can be vocalised that, while logical and free of emotional reactions,
can be morally and ethically wrong.
Imagine, if you will, the debate over compassionate assisted suicide.
Logically and unemotionally, assisted suicide on compassionate grounds is
preferable to letting a terminally ill person suffer longer than they need to.
C'Thia teaches us that all life should be respected, however. The moral
implications of taking someone's life to end their suffering can take a very
dark turn without this respect for life. Logically, anyone that is unable to live a
full, fulfilling life could be considered for euthanasia. They would no longer
suffer, no longer be a burden on their families and the state. But this would be
morally and ethically wrong! We cannot choose who lives and who dies
according to logical reasoning. This is why C'Thia tells us to respect all life.
Respect in other things must be considered before logical reasoning, too.
Respect for the law. Respect for our antecedents (our parents, grandparents
and so on) without whom we would not be here to even attempt C'Thia.
Respect the views of others, even if they are wrong, as they have a right to
believe what they wish to. Respect for other people's traditions, even if you
don't follow those traditions.

Respect comes in many forms. Some forms are intrinsic and must be
respected regardless of the logic involved. Some forms have to be earned.
Whatever form the respect takes, without it a logical, unemotional person can
make morally and ethically bad decisions and that leads to conflict.
Be logical, control your emotions, but be moral and ethical too. Be respectful.
"Works will be praised for the hands of the artists, and a leader of the people
will be praised for the wisdom of his words, yet truly, the word of the elders
will be praised for its understanding."

Compassion for an unemotional mind

Continuing the series on the secondary aspects of C'Thia. Aspects that,
although they are not primary goals, are just as important as logic and
emotional control. If not for logical reasons, then to at least retain our
humanity.
Compassion is, at first thought, an emotional response. However, showing
compassion to others is key to remaining human in the face of logical,
unemotional, rationality. A race without compassion is morally and ethically
corrupt.
J W Meritt, in the Path Of Surak, has this to say about compassion:
Compassion: To me this is summed up in The spear in the other's heart is a
spear in your own . Is that not an ultimate statement of compassion for
others? We also see that Vulcan's have great compassion from their
reluctance to take life - sentient or not.
Vulcans, in the Star Trek universe, are dispassionate but their compassion is
quite clear. Their respect for all life, sentient or not, their dedication to the
diversity of life is made clear with the phrase "Infinite Diversity In Infinite
Combinations". The reasoning behind both these points is that, while they
appear to be emotionless, they are not. They control their emotions. They
have emotions but view how to act upon these emotions through the use of
logic (reason/truth).
In turn, we also are emotional beings. The choice to follow C'Thia is not to
remove these emotions, but to stop emotions from controlling us.
Compassion is logical in that, if you cannot show compassion, then you may
as well be a stone. To lack compassion is to lack the ability to be part of any
society.
Without compassion, what reason could there be to teach? For is teaching
not giving of yourself to benefit those without?
Without compassion, what reason could there be to be a doctor? For is not
healing others the giving of your skills, earned through your time, your study,
your money, to those less fortunate than yourself?

Without compassion, many of the roles, many of the activities and many of
the lifestyles that colour society, that everybody benefits from, would be
redundant. Think carefully about the world and how it would look without the
compassion of others, then look within yourself and ask the question "Am I to
be without compassion, as life is to be without air?"
"The supreme good is like water, which benefits all of creation without trying
to compete with it."

Logic and the pursuit of knowledge

J W Meritt states that a desire for knowledge should be an inherent part of
C'Thia and I have to agree. Too often the pursuit of knowledge is sneered at
by people today. This is understandable when there are so many ways of
achieving success without any kind of knowledge, but it is an empty life.
Desire for knowledge: This is actually just a Vulcan trait, and not necessary
for Surak's philosophy. However, how can one have logic if there is no
knowledge on which to base it? We see this in almost every Vulcan. They see
it as a waste not to learn as much as they can.
Logic, in and of itself, without an understanding of the very basic parts of life
is, quite simply, pointless. This is not to say that you must enrol in some form
of education and get certificates shouting your mental superiority to the world
at large. It merely means not being afraid to learn. If someone mentions
something you don't know, ask them what it is/means. If you see something
and you don't know what it is, research it. It's not difficult. A few clicks on a
computer. A few seconds to read it and you know something you never knew
before.
Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Never be afraid to learn something.
After all, not learning as much as you can about as many things as you can,
gives you far fewer options in life and that is illogical.
"When you master your thoughts through logic, you will be freed from the
chains of illusion."

Discipline for a difficult path.

Do not be under the illusion that following the path of CThia is not difficult. It
will, almost certainly, be one of the most difficult tasks you or I have ever
attempted. There will be many times when we stumble. Many times when we
will suffer outright failure at controlling our emotions or leading our life in a
logical fashion. This should be expected. We are not machines, nor are we
attempting to become like machines. We will always be human. We will
always have human emotions. However, the process of CThia is in order to
ensure that those mistakes become ever less frequent. The process of CThia
is not to rid us of emotions, but to control them.
Thus, we come to the next part in our series of secondary traits of an
adherent of CThia, that of discipline. Again we turn to the work of J W Meritt,
who, for this trait, simply says the following:
Discipline: Practicing the emotional control of cthia or the rigours of Kolinahr
requires a considerable amount of self-control and meditation.
Such a small note for such a large requirement. It is almost as if the
requirement of discipline is an afterthought, which it clearly is not. For what is
CThia, if not a discipline? What is the goal of Kolinahr, if not the forging of a
disciplined mind?
Controlling our emotions and thinking logically is not, and will never be, an
easy task. It will require discipline of such a scale that you will rarely have
tried such a thing in your entire life. Yet this is the life that I (and, I trust, you)
have chosen.
At first, it will be difficult to mask our emotions. Offering impassive features to
all we come in contact with. To achieve this will require discipline.
At first, it will be difficult to recognise triggers for our emotions, difficult to
control our emotional reactions to any outside stimulus. To achieve this will
require discipline.
At first, it will be difficult to think in a sufficiently logical manner without
allowing irrational, illogical thoughts occurring. To achieve this will require
discipline.
I do not believe that Meritt believed that discipline was something
inconsequential, undeserving of a larger entry. I merely believe that he

achieved everything he required to put across about discipline in a logical

way. CThia and Kolinahr require a vast amount of discipline.
Our minds are hard to control. Flighty and wild, they splash about. It is skillful
to control it with logic, because a well-tamed mind brings serenity.

Meditation and CThia.

Mention meditation to most people and they imagine someone sat in the
Lotus Position, finger and thumb circled and resting on their knees, eyes
closed and repeating the ohm sound. It is stereotypical to the point of clich.
Many people hear about possibly having to use meditation and they pull away
from philosophies that may be the right ones for them, through fear, or lack of
understanding, or because they think they lack the time.
However, following the path of CThia is a rigorous mental process.
Controlling our emotions and thinking in a logical manner is, as has already
been said, very difficult. Utilising some form of meditation is essential to bring
focus to our minds and thoughts in order that our irrational, cluttered minds do
not end up causing illogical thought processes.
In this final part of the secondary essential parts of the way of CThia, we will
discuss the point of meditative processes to our chosen philosophy. J W
Meritt describes meditation thus:
Meditation: Meditation encompasses an extremely broad array of practices
connected to many of the worlds religious and philosophical traditions.
Meditation generally includes avoiding (though not harshly) random thought
processes and fantasies, and a calming and focusing of the mind. It is not
effortful, and can be experienced as just happening. Different practices
involve focusing ones attention differently, and a variety of positions and
postures including sitting cross-legged, standing, laying down, and walking
(sometimes along designated floor patterns).
The stated purpose of meditation varies almost as much as the practices. It
has been seen as a means of gaining experiential insight into the nature of
reality (religious/spiritual or not), or communing with the Deity/Ultimate
Reality. Even without the spiritual aspects, many have gained concentration,
awareness, self-discipline and equanimity.
Meditation is one of the most important tools in the process of mastering
emotions. Mental control is essential, and that control can be achieved
through meditation. One must customize a routine and engage in it daily to
have the desired effect. Later on, after more control has been established,
modifications can be made to this routine.
Human minds are irrational. Our thoughts are random and imprecise. Illogical.
We jump from thought to thought, with little to link each thought to the next.
What our minds lack is focus. Meditation is a strange process for those

unused to it, but it does help to give a mind focus and focus is what is
required for us to control our emotions and think logically.
There are many different forms of meditation. From the aforementioned Lotus
Position through to exercises, such as Tai Chi. I will not go into specific
methods of meditation (a quick search will find many different forms that you
may try for yourself), but merely try to help others understand the need for
some kind of focusing technique. At a later juncture, I will offer a number of
methods that I, personally find useful.
The point of meditation, again, is focus. The ability to focus our minds to
relieve the clutter and randomness that are inherent to us. Without focus, how
can we possibly control our emotions, or think in a logical manner? Meditation
trains us to think, to stop ourselves from being irrational, emotional. To act,
rather than react.
It may be difficult. It may be strange. The path of CThia is one of emotional
control and logical reasoning and, in order to achieve that, some form of
meditation is essential. Whether that be painting, exercising, Tai Chi or actual
meditative exercises, we must organise our minds. Make the irrational,
rational and the chaotic, ordered.
"Difficult and easy complement each other.

Dissecting emotions.
One of the problems with emotional control is that we react emotionally on
many different levels. We have various levels of love, various levels of liking
things, hating things. We are hurt on different levels. We care on different
levels. In so many ways it is almost as if we deliberately make these
gradients because we know that these emotions are, on some level, helping
us to work against our better judgements (our logical reasoning). We grade
them in order that we can somehow justify these emotional reactions.
To better aid us in our goal of emotional control it may be better to restrict our
idea of which emotion we are feeling. I have broken down my emotional
spectrum into four elemental emotions. Perhaps this method will help you,
perhaps it wont. Try it out. If it doesnt work for you, perhaps you can use
your own restricted emotional spectrum to find the best way for your mind to
make sense of the emotions you are feeling.
Remember, this is a guide. My method of making better sense of my
emotional reactions and is, in no way, the definitive method for everyone.
The Four Elemental Emotions
All emotion is desire, want, suffering and regret. CThia can only be achieved
when we control emotion. For me, CThia can only be achieved when I lose
all desires and wants, let go of all my sufferings and regrets. Only when I
understand that desires and wants are impossible to achieve without some
form of suffering and regret following like a shadow can I find the peace of
CThia. Only when I understand that wanting to let go of my suffering and
regrets is still only desires and wants will I be able to just let go.
To strive to remove my suffering is only desiring it and will only lead to more
suffering and regret. To try to let go of my regrets is only another term for
wanting it and, again, will only lead to more suffering and regret.
To find the true peace of CThia, I cannot want to let go of my suffering and
regrets, I must just acknowledge them and let them go. I cannot desire to
achieve CThia or I will never achieve it. I must just do it and let go.
To want the true peace of CThia is the same as wanting some new clothes.
The same as wanting new furniture, or a new job, or some new equipment.
Wanting to achieve CThia makes it a thing and is, therefore, no longer
CThia. It becomes an emotional desire.

Only when I understand that all wants and desires, all sufferings and regrets
are illusions created by my own irrational, illogical mind, only when I
understand that life just is, only when I understand that, one day, my life will
end and that everything I have wanted and desired, suffered and regretted
means nothing in that last second Only then will I find the peace of CThia.
I dont have to be at the point of death to achieve CThia. I just have to
understand that life just is and that emotional control and logical thinking is all
I require.
Everything else is a desire or a want.
I will come back to these four elemental emotions in later posts.
"Success is as dangerous as failure, and we are often our own worst enemy.

Humans and emotion.

We, as humans, like to believe that we have progressed as a race. That we
have become better than humans used to be. We like to think that we are
more intelligent, more forgiving, more enlightened, but we are not.
Compared to humans from the middle ages, the dark ages, neolithic times,
etc, there is little difference between our intelligence and theirs. What we
have is better education, better living conditions and more laws. Do you think
that you or I compare in intelligence with Galileo? Or Newton? Perhaps we
think we are more intelligent than Aristotle? Archimedes? I think the
undoubted answer is no, we are not.
We humans suffer from the same problem as our ancient antecedents. Our
emotions control us as much as emotions controlled them. Wars were fought
then because of uncontrolled emotions. Wars are fought now because of
uncontrolled emotions. Murder, theft, sex crimes, assaults, etc, etc, etc, all
happened then for the same reason they happen now Uncontrolled
emotional reactions. Do we still believe that human kind has progressed? Do
we still believe we are better?
During the Inquisition, the church resorted to a form of mob rule, murdering
thousands through fear and hatred. During the Puritanical era people, not just
the church, fell into a mob mentality, ruled by fear and hatred and murdered
thousands in the hunt for witches. The Romans lined the Appian Way with the
crucified bodies of Christians, partly through fear and hatred, partly through
the desire to appear superior and invincible. During World War II, the Nazi
regime committed genocide against the Jewish people of Europe. The
reasons, again, fear, hatred, desire to appear superior and invincible. On and
on it goes, throughout history, time and time again. Mob mentality, ruled by
emotions.
We have progressed? We are better?
Ethnic cleansing in the Balkans in the 1990s. Kurdish villages gassed in Iraq.
The World Trade Centre attack. The civil war in Syria.
Fear. Hatred. Desire for superiority. Desire for invincibility. Desire for control.
Emotions unchecked, uncontrolled, allowed to run rampant in this world from
ancient times right up to the present day.

No. We are not better. We havent progressed. We arent more intelligent. We

are still as emotionally stunted as our furthest ancestors.
And, until we humans learn to control these emotions, then atrocities, crimes,
hatred, fear, will all continue.
The world, humans, need CThia. We need Arie-Mnu. Only logic and
emotional control will stop it.

Emotion under a microscope.

Examine your day.
At night, as you are about to sleep, take a good look at the events that
occurred during your day. From the moment you awoke, to the moment you
got into bed. As we are humans, pursuing the ability to control our emotions,
we will still feel emotions. For most of us, even those who have achieved
some level of Arie-Mnu, we will have experienced an emotional expression.
Even Spock would raise an eyebrow once in a while.
Now, as you examine your day, try to remember the instances when you
experienced an emotional reaction. Explore the cause of the emotion, what
brought you to the point that your mind automatically reacted to that situation
emotionally. Perhaps you heard or saw something that amused you. Perhaps
something occurred that angered you, saddened you, excited you. Did
waiting in line cause you to feel frustration? Did a line of dialogue on tv cause
you to smile or laugh?
For so long, for all of us, we have reacted to stimuli emotionally without a
single thought. Something happens, we react emotionally and we move on
with our day. Yet examining these situations in a logical fashion brings the
cause more clearly to our minds and gives us the ability to react differently. A
logical mind can curtail emotional reactions. We can educate ourselves, if not
to control the emotions completely (although that is our goal), then to not
show our reaction.
The ability to appear impassive, despite experiencing the emotion, is the first
step in achieving Arie-Mnu. We must understand that an impassive face is not
a frown, nor a tight-lipped rictus. The muscles in our faces should be relaxed,
truly expressionless.
Until the time comes that control of our emotions becomes a natural exercise,
as natural as feeling those emotions are to us now, then putting our emotions
under a proverbial microscope is a useful tool for following CThia and
achieving Arie-Mnu.
Examine your day.
Logic is like an empty container: it can never be emptied and can never be
filled.

Setbacks and resolutions.

On the path of CThia, towards Arie-Mnu and emotional control, there will be
times, many times, when we fail. We will fail in our attempts at emotional
control. We will fail in keeping our features impassive and emotionless. We
will fail at thinking logically. It is inevitable. There are no switches with which
we can cut off our emotions. There are no guarantees that our thoughts will
always be logical. We will fail. Yet we will continue in our path.
What happens when failure occurs?
We let it go.
It happened. We failed. Move on and continue working on our emotional
control, continue holding impassive features, continue thinking as logically as
we are able to. The failure is in the past. Berating yourself, going over it again
and again resolves nothing. Examine the failure, see how it happened how
you reacted, then let it go.
Regrets are one of the most insidious of emotions as, with them, we hold a
strange belief that feeling bad about it over and over again will, somehow,
change the outcome. It will not.
The past is gone. It no longer exists, except in memory, and it cannot be
changed. The future is a hidden country. It does not exist until it happens.
Only the here and the now truly exists.
Take each day as it comes. Experience the day. Do not re-experience the
past or try to experience that which does not exist yet. You cannot look at the
top of a mountain and think I will climb that mountain, therefore I have
already scaled it. The mountain is only scaled when you take each step
towards the summit. You cannot look back at the mountain and think I did not
perform that climb correctly, then climb it again and again, as each climb will
not be the one you failed at. It will be a new climb. A different climb, with
different conditions and dangers.
Thus with CThia. Examine, evaluate, understand and let it go.

Life, living and death.

Do you fear death? Do you worry about what happens when you die?
Its nothing to be ashamed of. We still have emotions, even if we have some
level of control, and the thought must have crossed our minds more than
once in our lives. If you have faith in a creator, then you also have faith about
what happens after you die. However, if you came to your faith because you
fear death, consider this: Is it not an insult to your God that you only come to
have faith due to your fear of death? If you have faith, it should be because
you believe in your God, not because you fear dying.
I, personally, do not have faith, but I dont fear death. As I have said before,
CThia does not accept or refute faith. CThia is for everybody and accepts
everybody who wish to follow the path. Faith or no faith, emotional control
and logical thinking can be attempted by all.
This is how I feel about life and death:
We are all one. We have always been and always shall be. Everything
begins, exists and then ends in an eternal cycle. Atoms are composed of
smaller particles. Many different particles that are the constituents of
everything in the universe. Us, the world around us, the galaxy around our
world, the universe around our galaxy. Continuous. Seemingly infinite. Worlds
are born, exist and then die. Stars are born, exist and then die.
There are uncountable particles between your eyes and these words. As you
read, you are moving incalculable particles just by your observance.
Every particle in existence has existed since the dawn of space-time. Any
single particle in your body has been part of something else, in the past, that
had a beginning (was born), existed (had life) and had an ending (died).
Perhaps this particle was once part of an historical figure, or part of a tree, or
an animal. Maybe this particle was once part of a star. Wherever these
particles come from, they all used to be part of something else and will be
part of something else when we die. We are 100% recycled material. So is
everything else. The universe is the ultimate in recycling as everything has
been used and will be used again.
We are looking for an answer. The questions being; Why are we here?,
How did we come to be?, What is our purpose?, What follows life?.
Truthfully, there are no questions. We are. The universe is. There can be no

answer because we are viewing the universe from a perspective grounded in

ourselves and our emotional, irrational thoughts. The human race is just not
that important. Neither is our solar system. Neither is our galaxy, nor our
universe. Perhaps if life is found elsewhere, other than this planet, we will
accept that the universe is not here merely for us to exist?
We are not special from a reality point of view.
We are special in ourselves.
What we do while we exist, how we treat others, how we act, makes us
special. Everything that is to do with the human race as a secular entity, but
not as part of the bigger picture of the universe.
CThia does not need the questions. It certainly has no need for the answers.
CThia only has the here and the now. The Way of CThia has no need for a
God, or a Gods creation of us, for us to be special. The Way of CThia does
not disagree with a God, or his creation of us. CThia is the way of emotional
control and logical thinking. CThia does not have anything to do with who we
are, what we are, where we are from or what, as a race, we will become. Only
the true peace of CThia and Arie-Mnu is our destination, our beginning, our
journey.
We are not here to find CThia. We were not created for CThia. CThia just is.
Some will achieve CThia and some level of Arie-Mnu, some will not. We
attempt CThia because life is better with controlled emotions and logical
thoughts.
As in all things, we either do or do not achieve Arie-Mnu through the way of
CThia, but is it not better to let go and, probably, even possibly, achieve it?
We are born, we live, we die. The only constant is CThia. You have a choice
to follow the way or not to. The decision is yours.
The only things stopping you are uncontrolled emotions and irrational, illogical
thinking and the only place these can be found are in your mind.
Let them go.

Defining needs.
What do you need?
Do our needs define us?
We often mistake those things that we want and desire for needs. If we see
something in a shop, we will say we need it. If we see someone we are
attracted to, we say we need them. This is a mistake. This is not need. The
only things we truly ever need are five things. The Five True Needs.
First, we need air. Without air, we suffocate and we die.
Second, we need water. Without water, we dehydrate and we die.
Third, we need food. Without food, we starve and we die.
Fourth, we need shelter. Without shelter, we are exposed and we will die.
Fifth, we need clothing. Without clothing, we cannot leave our shelter, we
cannot gain water or food and we will die.
Everything else, we desire and we want.
We do not actually need fire. With enough food, enough water, a good
enough shelter and enough clothing, we can survive without fire. We desire
and want fire because it makes life easier and more comfortable, makes food
taste better and warms water for us.
All this desire and want is an illusion that our emotional, irrational mind leads
us to thinking and nobody truly needs what these emotions are trying to
achieve. We will never truly be satisfied until we realise that we do not really
need what we want and desire and that we already have everything we need.
It is understandable that we fall into the trap of believing these uncontrolled
emotions. Weve been listening to them for years. As infants, we initially cried
for our basic needs, feeding, changing dirty diapers/nappies, relief from
trapped gas (burping), relief from pain, etc, but eventually our minds grew. As
our minds began understanding the world, we understood how actions
became reactions and we tested these observations. We would cry to get
other things. Things we did not need. Things we desired and wanted.
Sometimes our crying would not get us these things, sometimes they would.

Enough times for our irrational, emotional minds to correlate wanting and
desiring something with needing it.
Yet we do not need that new tv. We do not need those new shoes, or that
new computer, or phone or anything that is not one of the Five True Needs. If
you find yourself thinking that you need something, think about that. Take
control of that emotion. Accept it, understand it and let it go.
If you want that new tv, admit it! But do not, for a minute, think that you need
it.
Recognise that desire, that emotion hidden as a false need. Recognise it,
accept it, understand it and let it go.

Basic logical thinking.

Today we return to J W Merrits, The Path Of Surak, to focus upon the basics
of logical thought. Logic is a progression from conjecture, examination,
experimentation to proof. It is a way to see the world as it truly is without
irrational leaps that our emotional minds tend to make. The intuition, or gut
feeling, that some propose that they have. As I have mentioned before, these
intuitions and gut feelings are, if we examine them closely and honestly, not
as frequent, or anywhere near as accurate, as our irrational, emotional minds
lead us to believe.
This segment from Merrits work is quite long and may take a few readings to
fully understand.
Logic
The word logic in Terran English may be only a poor translation from the
corresponding Vulcan text. Vulcan dictionaries provide reason-truth and the
way (things are).
Logic is exact and valid reasoning. It is the belief of Vulcans (as well as other
followers of Surak) that everything in life should revolve around logic, and that
logic itself is the fundamental constant in the universe.
A Vulcan philosopher by the name of TPlanahath once said, Logic is the
cement of our civilization with which we ascend from chaos using reason as
our guide.
The fundamental philosophical difference between Vulcans and traditional
Humans is that Vulcans only use emotion when it is logical, and Humans only
use logic to suit an emotional need.
Roughly speaking, logic is the study of prescriptive systems of reasoning, that
is, systems proposed as guides for how people (as well, perhaps, as other
intelligent beings/machines/ systems) ought to reason. Logic says which
forms of inference are valid and which are not. Traditionally, logic is studied
as a branch of philosophy, but it can also be considered a branch of
mathematics. How people actually reason is usually studied under other
headings, including cognitive psychology. Logic is traditionally divided into
deductive reasoning, concerned with what follows logically from given
premises, and inductive reasoning, concerned with how we can go from some
number of observed events to a reliable generalization. As a science, logic
defines the structure of statement and argument and devises formulae by

which these are codified. Implicit in a study of logic is the understanding of

what makes a good argument and what arguments are fallacious.
Philosophical logic deals with formal descriptions of natural language. Most
philosophers assume that the bulk of normal proper reasoning can be
captured by logic, if one can find the right method for translating ordinary
language into that logic.
There are many different kinds of even Terran logic beyond the Aristotelian
(cf. Nagarjuna, whose ideas may prove more closely related to those
examined by writers on Vulcan philosophy)
Here are some examples of logical equations and instances.
1. Argument I Form I
2. No one putting profits first is putting Vulcan rights first. No P is V
3. This person is putting profits first. This H is P
4. Therefore: Therefore:
5. This person is not putting Vulcan rights first. This H is not V
In this case a person putting profits first cannot also put Vulcan rights first. It
is an impossibility for an H that is P to be V.
Below, only the facts are given and conclusions are made only by the facts.
A implies B
If A implies B, then B does not necessarily imply A. This is like saying that just
because all Tigers are cats, that all cats are Tigers.
All As have Bs, and all As are Cs. Therefore, all Cs have Bs. This is an
illogical way of thinking.
It is like saying that just because all Tigers have stripes and that all Tigers are
cats, that all cats have stripes. It is obviously illogical.
All As have Bs, and all As have Cs, are the premises of the equation.
Therefore, all Cs have Bs is the conclusion drawn from the premises.
If A cannot be B, and C is A, then C also cannot be B.
If A cannot be B, and C is B, then C cannot be A.
Does logic necessarily negate faith? There is no need for faith where the Way
is known. intellectual logic only succeeds in making faith unnecessary, yet it
has its limitations of value. Faith might be likened to a forward declaration in a
programming language, giving just enough information for the following
declaration to make sense.

As we can see, basic logic is not necessarily a linear progression. There are
far more variables in our everyday lives than just A, B and C, yet the thought
processes are clear.
It is important to understand logical thought in the Way of CThia as using
reason to come to the correct conclusions. Allowing our emotions to control
our thoughts leads to far too many errant conclusions. Ones that do not have
anything to do with the variables at our disposal. Making leaps of logic, or
judgement, based upon irrational thoughts can (and does so, often) cause
conflict. Mistakes are made, jobs lost, relationships ended and people killed
due to irrational progressions of thoughts.
Thus the Way of CThia is a two-fold way. Thinking logically in order to reach
correct conclusions. Emotional control to curtail irrational leaps without
relevant data.
If everybody followed CThia on Earth, we would have no wars. Think about
that.
Logic is the boundary of meaning and reason.
Logic is the mother of all creation.
Freed from emotion, one can see the hidden logic.

Anger vs emotional control.

The ability to control our emotions is not something that could ever be easy to
attain. The ability to be angry is easy. It is so easy that no-one ever realises
they are becoming angry until the emotion has taken hold. It is a primal
emotion. It can be a violent emotion. Anger does not lead to violence as often
as we believe it to, but the itch, the desire for violence is never far away if we
feel anger.
Thankfully, most people do not give in to the urge for violence that the
emotion of anger brings. However, any instance of violence is one instance
too many. It is not only anger that breeds violence, passion can also lead to it.
Suffering can lead to it. Frustration can lead to it.
Today we focus on anger. We get angry for a variety of reasons, far too many
to list, but we should all be able to recognise the things that trigger anger in
us. As always, the method is examination, recognition, acceptance and then
the act of letting go. To fully understand your anger triggers, you must
examine the cause. Not the irrational cause that an emotional mind can
imagine, but the true cause. Sometimes, more often than most are willing to
admit, the cause is not external. It is something we irrationally believe has
caused it when, in actual fact, it is our own irrational mind that sees
something to make us feel anger. The external element is merely something
we latch on to to give justification for our anger. This is why examination of
the emotion is important, to find the real cause for our anger. Once we are
honest with ourselves and find the true cause of our anger, we can recognise
it for what it is, an irrational construct of an irrational, emotional mind. Do not
allow yourself to justify anger with external elements. Do not allow yourself to
justify anger because of your emotional, irrational mind.
Once we have examined the emotional reaction we have experienced and
then recognised the true cause, we are then better able to accept/
acknowledge that reaction. Acceptance/acknowledgement of the emotion
enables us to progress from the emotional reaction to a state of greater
knowledge about ourselves.
After acceptance/acknowledgement comes the act of letting go. This is the
one step of the process that is vital in the Way of CThia. Constant reexamination of that instance of emotion will only lead to regret, which is only
trading one emotion for another making it a never ending cycle of emotions.
Letting go is the act of ending the emotional cycle for that reaction. It is not to
say you wont feel that emotion again, but every time you examine, recognise,

accept and let go of an emotion, it means you are better equipped to stop the
emotion in the future.
Through experience, we educate ourselves. With education comes greater
understanding. With greater understanding comes a greater ability. Thus an
irrational cycle of emotion can become a rational cycle of emotional control.

Aspects of meditation.
If there is one part of the Way of CThia that could put anybody off, I would
assume it would be that of meditation. Both emotional control and logical
thinking are both things that one would be actively searching for when they
come across the term of CThia. Meditation, however, would be a search that
would uncover many sources that would be of interest to someone thinking
about meditation.
The mere thought of meditation can be a fearful prospect. Many people dont
trust it, or believe it is eastern mumbo jumbo, some even fear it. Yet, as I have
mentioned before, it is just a tool. A tool that is not very difficult to use. For the
Way of CThia, it is a tool to enable us to gain focus. Not focus as in
concentration, but focus as in clearing the mind of extraneous thoughts.
Too often we hear people talk of meditation and hear terms such as,
becoming one with the universe, reaching for enlightenment and divesting
ones mind of its shackles. These, and other similar terms, are just
semantics. Methods of making meditation sound exotic and mysterious, but
they only serve to distance many people from something that could be of help
to them.
Today, Im going to put forward a few techniques to aid in the attempt of
anyone trying meditation for the first time. These are examples only. They
can, and should, be modified to better suit you as an individual. There are no
specific meditation methods, regardless of what anyone else says. Meditation
is in the process, not in the exact mechanics.
To begin with, find a time of day when you feel comfortable spending the time
for meditating. Anticipating doing something else, or coming down from
mental or physical exertion means your mind will be pre-occupied. Find a
time when you are least likely to be disturbed.
Then, find a position that you find comfortable. Perhaps in a recliner chair,
perhaps laid down or even in one of the usual meditation positions. As long
as you are comfortable and not slouched, able to breathe easily.
Once in your preferred position, close your eyes and begin breathing. Dont
force deeper breathing, or breathing in certain time increments, but just
natural, relaxed breathing. Now, try one of the following methods.
Method 1

Once you have relaxed enough (not too much. Try not to fall asleep) begin by
counting. Before you start, choose a number. Not too low a number that the
process becomes a quick repetitive exercise, nor too high a number that you
lose interest getting to it. I, personally, tend to use the number 9. Just high
enough that you may drift and end up counting higher, but not too high.
Now, begin counting from one. With one in then out breath counting as one,
the next in and out breath as two and so on. Once you have reached nine (or
the number you have chosen), return to the beginning and start from one
again. If you find yourself thinking about something else, dont worry, it is to
be expected. Just start again and focus on your breathing and the count. If
you find yourself counting higher, again, dont worry. Recognise that you have
done it and then start again, counting from one. Remain as relaxed as you
can, breathe regularly and naturally.
Perform this exercise for as long as you can, or as long as you wish to.
Method 2
As before, remain relaxed and breathing regularly and naturally. Once your
eyes have become accustomed to being closed, examine what you see. Most
people will see darkness with splashes or lines of lesser darkness.
Occasionally these less dark areas may appear white.
Now, imagine the less dark areas becoming lighter. Start with one specific
area and imagine this area becoming lighter and lighter. Try to make it white.
Expand the area as much as you can. You are attempting to imagine the
whole of the darkness becoming white so that there is no longer any
darkness that your closed eyes can see. This is more difficult than you think.
If lighter areas fade back to darkness, or the white disappears, do not be
discouraged. Just stay relaxed, continue breathing regularly and naturally and
then begin again.
Again, perform this exercise for as long as you can, or as long as you wish to.
In the future, I will detail more advanced meditation methods, but these two
are some of the best to begin with. They are not strenuous or too difficult to
attempt.
The point of these exercises are to train our minds. To force ourselves to think
about one thing, but not to a point where it becomes an exercise in

concentration. Our minds tend to veer off in many directions due to our
emotional responses. We are irrational because we allow these emotions to
control us rather than us controlling them and meditation is one way of freeing
our minds from chaotic, irrational, emotional thoughts.
With the use of logical thought and emotional control, we free ourselves of
irrational mistakes and decisions.

Observe, analyse and understand.

If you are continuing to read these posts, then you must either be actively
attempting to follow the Way of CThia or you are, at least, interested in the
thoughts the Way brings forward. For both kinds of people reading these
writings, the exercise I shall put forward today should prove interesting.
When attempting to achieve emotional control and to think logically, there are
many variables to take into account. When talking about CThia, the focus is
usually centred upon ourselves. This is a right way of thinking, the majority of
the time. The biggest obstacle to achieving any level of Arie-Mnu is ourselves,
after all. However, other obstacles are also in play. External obstacles that we
have little or no control over. Other people.
Knowing ourselves is of little use if we do not understand how others interact.
Not just interactions with us, but the interactions of people with other people.
The way people, other than ourselves, interact with each other can give us
insights in how we, as we become more aware of ourselves, our emotions
and thinking logically, can continue to interact with a world still in thrall to their
own emotions.
Which leads us to the exercise. Choose a day best suited for you. One where
you arent expected to be doing anything else as you do not need to be
distracted from what you are supposed to be doing, nor distracted from this
exercise. Throughout the day, observe the interactions that you see. Watch
people as they deal with other people in their own everyday lives. Watch the
expressions on peoples faces and note which emotions these expressions
are showing. If you can hear the conversations, listen to the inflections in their
voices and see if you can identify the subtleties that emotions give to peoples
speech. Throughout the day just observe the role that emotions play and see
if you can identify instances where irrational leaps of logic come into play.
There is some use of watching interactions between people on tv, or in
movies. Although the emotions on display and the illogical leaps are
deliberately magnified due to the nature of the medium, it is all based upon
how people actually react and interact with each other. However, observing
interactions and reactions in real life serve this exercise better, as real life is
far more subtle and intricate.
As you are performing your observations, analyse what you are seeing and
hearing. Try to work out what words or expressions cause which reactions
and the severity of those reactions. Perhaps you may even attempt to predict

how each individual will react and see if the way you interpret the words and
expressions are similar to how the recipient interprets them.
What you are looking for are the causes and triggers for emotional reactions
and irrational leaps of logic. When you understand how other people react in
normal, everyday situations, you are better able to understand your own
reactions.
Understanding others can give us greater understanding of ourselves.

Emotions and crime.

All crimes are due to emotions, in one form or another. Every single crime can
be tracked back to an emotional reaction.
All theft is desire and want. Humans steal because they want and desire what
others have. All assaults, even up to murder (and including wars), are through
desire, or want, or suffering or regrets. Whether it is desiring something that
the other person has, or the desire to control, subjugate, be stronger than,
superior than, to be thought of better, or any number of wants and desires. All
crime is the desire and want to be satisfied, or to gain satisfaction in
something.
Violence fills our world. Violence always stems from one emotion or another.
If someone attacks you, it usually due to a desire or a want. You attacker is
likely to desire something that you have. This does not necessarily mean a
possession. You are just as likely to be attacked because your attacker
believes you have more confidence, more intelligence, more calm. Often an
attacker will want to feel superior to you in some way. In the end, the reason
for an attack is meaningless and has no real point other than allowing your
attacker to get what they desire or want.
It is always a natural reaction to retaliate against an attacker through a desire
for revenge, or due to suffering from the attack, or due to regret at not being
able to defend yourself. This is pointless. It only leads to more violence and,
ultimately, more regret.
People cannot follow CThia or achieve Arie-Mnu while they resort to
violence.
As with violence, then so with all crimes. Theft, of all kinds, sex crimes and,
indeed, all accepted crimes are products of irrational, uncontrolled emotions.
If following CThia and achieving Arie-Mnu is your goal, you cannot commit
crimes of any kind. Being a criminal, or rather, continuing to be a criminal, is a
great barrier to achieving Arie-Mnu.
CThia, itself, does not have laws, does not have commandments. Nor is
anything forbidden. It is not the place of the Way to tell people what they can
or cannot do. It is your responsibility to do what is right in order to be able to
achieve any stage of Arie-Mnu.

It is the responsibility of the State to set laws, rules and commandments that
we should adhere to. CThia is not a religion, but, even if it were, CThia
would have no say in how a State governs its people. Church and State
should always be separate and Church should always adhere to the laws and
rules of the State.
Does this mean that CThia has no views on crime? Not at all! Crime is a
barrier to following CThia. Crime is emotion and irrational. Crime is want and
giving in to those wants and desires will always halt progress to emotional
control and logical thought.
What of acts that are not illegal, but are frowned upon? Morally wrong, if not
legally wrong? Adultery is considered wrong, but is not illegal. CThia does
not forbid adultery, but adultery is based upon desire and want and leads to
suffering and regret. Often the person who suffers and regrets is not always
the obvious person. If someone commits adultery, they cannot expect to be
able to achieve Arie-Mnu, as they are giving in to desire and wants. Only
through recognising, accepting and then letting go of our emotions can we
hope to achieve Arie-Mnu and be succesful in following CThia.
As with adultery, so with all such emotionally caused acts that may not be
illegal, but are frowned upon. They are only emotions, do not be consumed
by them.
"Only when there is no competition will we all live in peace. The spear in the
others heart is the spear in your own.

Examine your motivations.

In order to follow the Way of CThia we must achieve some level of Arie-Mnu,
the purging (control) of our emotions. We must also think logically, to the best
of our ability. This way of living our lives conflicts with many of the things
which we take for granted in our everyday lives.
However, we must understand that, even though we are attempting to control
our emotions, these emotions will always still be a part of us. They will never
truly be purged, only submerged, hidden, controlled.
Most aspects of society are emotionally motivated. The very state of many of
these aspects come from emotional reactions, follow emotional responses
and lead to emotional ends. There are also many aspects of society that are
emotionally motivated, but do not need to be. The purpose of todays post is
to examine these aspects of society to determine which are intrinsically
emotionally motivated and which aspects do not need to be.
Things, such as falling in love and getting married are inherently emotional. In
no way can love and marriage be divorced (no pun intended) from emotions
and nor should it. Only when love turns to obsession does it become a
problem. In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Vulcans love and, although
arranged marriage is prevalent, Vulcans do marry for love. Spocks father,
Sarek, married more than once for love.
For aspects of society that involve emotional motivations, but do not need
them, let us look at some examples.
Competition is usually an emotionally motivated exercise. The passion to beat
someone else at something. The drive and ambition to be the best at
something. Emotions are the basis of most peoples attempts in competitive
exercise. Yet, competition can be seen differently. From the perspective of an
adherent of CThia, the drive to be the best at something can be turned from
the externalising emotion of desire for superiority, to the internal requirement
of focusing your ability to optimum levels. It is logical to compete to test and
improve your abilities. It is illogical to compete due to the desire for
superiority. It is illogical to compete in order to win a prize of some kind. This
is a vanity. It is logical to compete to see where your abilities lie in relation to
others and where you can improve to realise a peak efficiency in accordance
to that which you are capable of. The difference is in the motivation.
Emotionally motivated or rationally, logical motivation.

Let us look at something which many people attempt at some point in their
lives. Learning to play a musical instrument.
Firstly, we have to look at the emotional motivations. Music evokes emotional
responses. We hear certain kinds of music that cause us to feel happy, or
sad, etc. We feel emotions according to different tunes and songs. We also
try to learn how to play musical instruments for emotional reasons. Some
people wish to play music in order that others will gain emotional responses
from it. Some (some would say many people) even do it in order to be
idolised as a pop/rock/etc star. Both of these are vanities, again.
Externalised emotional validations.
There are also rational reasons to learn a musical instrument. Appreciating
music is quite different from an emotional reaction. Appreciation for the
complexity, the ability of musical prowess, the process of musical creation.
We can learn because we wish to learn. As has been said before, education
is a worthwhile exercise. Gaining an ability that could be a source of income.
Testing ones abilities in order to gain some level of expertise. An exercise in
manual dexterity. There are many non-emotional motivations for learning to
play a musical instrument.
The things we do, in life, that we have motivations for are important in how we
interact with others, but the motivation for these actions do not, entirely, have
to be emotional.
Examine other aspects of your life and try to find non-emotional, logical
motivations for them. As with anything, giving in and allowing emotions to
control us is not viable for someone attempting to follow CThia. Controlling
these emotions and finding rational, logical reasons for performing actions is
always the preferential way.
"Own without possessing and act without any expectations. When work is
done, take no credit. That is why it will last forever.

Examine your motivations - Part 2

Yesterday, we looked at the motivations involved in performing day to day
activities. We examined the difference between performing exercises due to
emotional responses compared to performing exercises for logical, unemotional reasons. Effectively, yesterday posited that it is possible to
continue performing activities as long as the motivation to do these activities
is not based upon emotional needs. CThia requires emotional control and
rational, logical thinking and performing activities because of emotional needs
is playing against that which we wish to achieve.
Today, we will examine another motivation. The motivation for following
CThia.
For my part, I came to CThia after a period of my life in which I had been
searching for a philosophy/lifestyle that fits me. From a very young age, I
fully understood that the accepted religions, in my country, did not feel right. I
was always more scientifically minded than my family and faith was
something I could not accept (even though I do not believe, for the purposes
of CThia, having faith or not having faith is immaterial. CThia works for all
people, regardless of faith or lack of it). Thus, as I grew older, I still looked for
a philosophy. I rejected outright atheism as, to me, saying definitively that
there is no God is as pointless as saying definitively that there is a God. It
cannot be proven and, therefore, is beyond my requirements. I later came to
have an affinity for Eastern religions and philosophies, such as Taoism and
Buddhism, but even these did not strike the correct chords within my own
mind, despite both having many traits I agree with. Then, a few years ago, I
began thinking about life and the universe from my own perspective. I began
looking at myself and the people around me and realised things were wrong.
Writing down my thoughts and observations, I came to think much of what I
later found in CThia. It was only when I searched for How to control
emotions that I came across CThia through the Teachings of Surak and it
was as if I had finally found what I had been searching for most of my life.
The reason I am relating this tale is to show my motivation for choosing
CThia as the way to live my life. I observed the world around me, seeing
people interact emotionally, coming into conflict more often than is at all
healthy for entirely the wrong reasons. And I have been the same. I have
made dubious leaps of logic, leading to conflict, because I reacted
emotionally and irrationally in situations where a logical, un-emotional mind
would have stopped any conflict before it started. My motivation for following

CThia is to stop the cycle of emotional reaction, leading to emotional

responses, leading to conflict.
Motivation for choosing CThia is important. It gives you a basis and an
explanation for your choice. Examining yourself and your motivation is
healthy. If you come to CThia because of an emotional trauma, for example,
that you do not wish to feel anymore, examining this and yourself is far
healthier than just burying this pain with a mask of impassivity. You must
understand yourself, your motivation and any emotions that lead to your
choice and the motivation for that choice.
Whatever the motivation for searching for and choosing CThia is, examine it.
Before you can control your emotions, you must address them! You must
recognise emotions, understand emotions, accept emotions and then let
those emotions go before you can even begin to control them! Hiding your
emotions and never acknowledging them and they will only return, leading to
suffering and regret and, thus, the emotional cycle continuing.

C'Thia is.
Following CThia and achieving a level of Arie-Mnu is more difficult than ever,
in this age more than any other. Desire and want is everywhere. The desire
for possessions, of which there are multitudes, for celebrity and fame, which
come so easily but is a folly. There is desire for others, people who turn our
heads, our minds and hearts. There is desire to be entertained, to let others
fulfil us. Living by proxy. Desire pervades our lives almost to the exclusion of
all other things. Arie-Mnu cannot be achieved while holding on to wants and
desires.
Arie-Mnu is held away by sufferings. We suffer because of so many things,
real and imagined, physical and mental. We suffer by not having something
we desire. By not having possessions, by not having celebrity and fame. We
suffer by not having the people we desire or by not understanding the people
that we do have. We suffer by not being entertained. Boredom is a form of
suffering. We suffer in our bodies. We suffer in our hearts and minds. ArieMnu cannot be achieved while we hold on to our suffering. Let go of your
suffering. See it, know it, but do not be your suffering and the peace of ArieMnu will be there waiting for you.
Regrets block the path to Arie-Mnu. When we lose what we desire, when we
cannot attain what we desire, when we carelessly throw away what we
desire, then we are consumed with regret. When we find what we desire,
when we attain what we desire, when we hold on too tightly to what we
desire, if it turns out to be less than what we expected or not what we truly
desire then, again, we are consumed with regret. Regret leads to suffering
and bars the path to achieving Arie-Mnu as a gate bars the way to a road. Let
go of your regrets, acknowledge them but do not be consumed by them and
Arie-Mnu will be achievable.
The peace of Arie-Mnu, through the Way of CThia, is an awakening to the
world as it is. It is knowing that desire and want, suffering and regret are
emotions that control us, when we should control them. It is knowing that all
of it is illusion and that none of them matter. The lives of others will continue
until they die. The world will continue until it is consumed by the Sun or it is
destroyed in any number of ways. The universe will continue until it too
comes to an end. Everything begins, exists and then ends and your desires,
wants, sufferings and regrets will mean nothing.

Achieving Arie-Mnu and the true peace of CThia is knowing that everything is
nothing and nothing is everything. CThia is the only way for life to be worth
living.

Loss, emotions and C'Thia.

However cruel it may sound, loss is a barrier to achieving Arie-Mnu. When we
lose something, we desire its return. We regret the loss and we suffer due to
the loss. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, through death or parting, or
loss of a possession. Whether it is the loss of health, or any person or thing
which we consider precious. Allowing loss to consume us with regret and
suffering, desire and want will hinder us in following the Way of CThia.
To lose a loved one brings immense feelings of loss. We wish for them to
return to us. We wish that the pain would lessen. We wish that they had never
died or left us. Yet those are all desires, wants, sufferings and regrets and will
not bring them back.
When a loved one dies, they will no longer suffer ever again. They will never
again suffer pain, or regret, or even loss themselves. They will never want for
anything again. While they may or may not have followed CThia and
achieved that peace, they will finally be at peace.
When a loved one leaves us, we will suffer and feel loss. We will regret our
actions and suffer due to their absence, but will this bring them back to us? If
we allow our emotions to control us, this will only lead to further regrets, more
suffering, allowing more wants and desires to fill us. We cannot follow CThia
this way.
Just let go. Let the loved one go, but remember them fondly. Let the
possession go. A possession is just a thing, no more important than any other
thing even if it has memories attached to it. The possession is not the
memory, that will never leave you. Regardless of what that possession
means, how precious it is, it will always just be a thing.
Let go of your regrets. Let go of your suffering. Let go of your wants. Let go of
your desires.
Recognise your emotions, examine them, accept/acknowledge them and then
just let them go.
To let go of our emotions brings us ever nearer to the peace of CThia through
our achieving of Arie-Mnu. Peace for our minds, our hearts and our souls.

Further meditation.
Earlier, I discussed meditation and its place within the Way of CThia. A tool to
focus our minds away from the tumult of irrational thoughts.
Our minds have random thoughts every waking hour of our lives. Even when
we are performing mentally intensive tasks, random thoughts creep in.
Sometimes they disappear as quickly as they arrive. Other times they linger,
breaking our concentration and causing mistakes. Utilising meditation, we can
lessen the effects of random, irrational thoughts, perhaps even eliminate
them. Having the ability to focus our thoughts leads to the ability to think
logically and rationally.
Today I will put forward two more meditation methods which further our
meditation abilities. As before, find a time, a place and a position which you
find comfortable. Do not slouch, but be relaxed and alert. Begin both these
exercises by starting with the counting method in order to get yourself in the
mindset and keep your eyes closed throughout.
Method 3
After preparing yourself with the counting method, continue being relaxed.
Make your final set of counts and then pause, while continuing to breathe
naturally and regularly.
After a short pause, choose one of the remaining senses (taking into account
your closed eyes). Choose either your sense of taste, touch, hearing or smell
and then place all your focus on that one sense. Do not force it. Do not
concentrate. Focus is not concentration, it is paying attention.
For example, if you decide to focus on your sense of touch, be aware of the
things you are in contact with. Perhaps you feel your clothing against your
skin, or maybe a breeze from an open window. Try not to describe what you
feel and try not to think I feel cotton or I feel the breeze, just be aware of it.
Allow your sense of touch to separate each different thing that you feel. If you
find yourself focusing on more than one thing, or you find yourself describing
the feeling, recognise it, acknowledge it and then return to just one and away
from description.
Take as long as you wish to, remembering to breathe regularly and naturally.
On different days, choose a different sense to focus upon.

Method 4
This one takes a little preparation. First, find a box. It doesnt have to be a big
box, but one capable of holding a few small items. Then find several small
items, about five or six, of varying types. Perhaps a stone, or a feather, a
pencil perhaps, or a shell. Try not to choose items that have a particular
meaning to you until you are certain that you have a good handle on this
method, as items with specific meanings may cause extraneous thoughts to
creep in. Put the items in the box and place the box beside you as you begin
meditation.
Again, start your meditation with the counting method for a short while. Stay
relaxed, breathe naturally and regularly. Once you have performed a few
counts, pause after the last count.
With one hand, shake the box gently but thoroughly, in order to mix up the
items. Reach into the box and remove the first item your hand touches. Now,
with your eyes still closed, examine the item. Again, try not to describe it (ie
This part is smooth, but then it becomes rough) and try not to name it (ie
Its the feather.). Just feel it. Move your fingers over it. Close both hands
around it. Press it, or brush it, against the skin of your face. Merely focus on
the item itself, not what you know of the item. Feel it as if you have never
encountered it before.
If you find yourself describing the item, or identifying it, or if your mind
wanders, then stop. Recognise that you have slipped, acknowledge it.
Perform another round or two of the counting method and then return to your
examination.
Perform this exercise as long as you wish to and remember to breathe
naturally and regularly. On different days, change the item you have used and
replace it with another.
These two methods are quite different from the previous ones that I
described, but are not really any more difficult. The same process of
removing irrational, random thoughts is in all these methods. They are just
different ways of achieving the same result. Try them and see how they work
for you. If it does work for you, you will find the effects fascinating.

Surak's rules.
I found these rules on this website. I do not know where the rules originated,
but these rules can be found, in parts, from various sources.
I wonder if the people who originally thought of CThia, Suraks teachings and
Arie-Mnu realised how pertinent it all was? How much we, as humans, could
gain from something that was essentially created for a tv series? The series,
movies and books that form the Star Trek universe may be fictional, but the
rewards of following CThia are real.
The following are the rules of Surak.
Suraks rules:
1. Do nothing to speed up entropy. Cast out fear, cast out hate and rage for
these emotions shall speed up the universes movement into chaos. Use
compassion to slow our continuous entropic movement.
2. Do not harm nor kill. Harm shall speed up entropy in the universe, and
oneself. All actions have equal reactions. The Spear in the others heart is a
spear in your own: you are he. Violence breeds Violence. Death brings death,
and Hate places hate upon oneself. Can you return to life what you take from
it? Then be slow to take a life.
3. Do not violate ones own intimacy. For it remain precious if one does not
violate it. Privacy is unique and solemn, to violate a secret place shall turn
that place to torment. Reach out with courtesy, accept others reaching with
careful hands.
4. Use Reason above all else. What is is. Accept the things one cannot
change, change the things one can. Learn to discern what was, what will be,
and what one envisions from the reality of the now. Learn the truth of reality
the truth of reality. Learn Clear thought. Cast out fear. This will set our
world free.
There are things one should do, if one want to be logical:
*Cast out fear, rage, hate, and cast out passion, love, and joy.
*Continously learn new things.

*Improve ones ability to learn; to store memories and to access stored

knowledge from the memory.
*Do the logical thing not what ones emotions are suggesting.
*Find out which errors one have and eliminate them.
*Make sure that one is in good physical form it is the logical thing to do
because a situation that demands it might become a reality any time.
*Be creative, because that is necessary for a good physical health, and
because it helps one to find new ideas, and new solutions to a problem.
*Meditate, and keep ones self-control.
*Train and keep the mind trimmed with mathematics and science.
*Be patient.
*Remember that the spear in the others heart is the spear in ones own heart
be polite and compassionate, and dont do things against others that you
do not want others to do against you.
*Improve ones minds capacity and abilities with memory techniques, logical
thinking, meditation, techniques that helps one do calculations in ones head,
and techniques.
*Take control of ones emotions.
*Be precise and avoid misunderstandings many quarrels and wars have
been caused by misunderstandings.
*Imagine oneself in other peoples situation be understanding.
*Find new and better ways to meditate, to do calculations, and to improve
ones memory.
Live long and in peace.
The term entropy is used in the rules above. The Oxford English Dictionary
defines entropy as this:

Entropy
Pronunciation: /ntrpi/
noun
[mass noun]
1 Physics a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a
systems thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often
interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system:
the second law of thermodynamics says that entropy always increases with
time
[count noun]:
the sum of the entropies of all the bodies taking part in the process
(Symbol: S)
2 Lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder:
a marketplace where entropy reigns supreme
3 (in information theory) a logarithmic measure of the rate of transfer of
information in a particular message or language.
For the purposes of CThia, we see entropy according to the definition
designated 2, above. Allowing emotions to control us, thinking irrationally
and illogically is where there is chaos, unpredictable events and responses
and disorder. Choosing to follow CThia means that we wish to control our
emotions, to think rationally and logically, thus bringing order and greater
predictability to ourselves and our interactions with others.
Even though these rules of Surak were fictional creations, they are very wise
words and ones that we, as followers of the Way of CThia, should remember
well and take to heart.

Justification.
Love is all consuming. Real love is a passion that cannot be ignored. It is a
primal, powerful feeling. To love and to be loved is the only thing anyone truly
wants.
If anyone hurts someone I love, I will make them suffer. You take from me and
I will make you regret it. Murderers and paedophiles deserve nothing better
than capital punishment.
Justified?
For a follower of the Way of CThia, these are exceptions to our passivity?
Exceptions to our emotional control? Logical?
No. They are not.
There are no exceptions. There are no justifications. They are not logical.
If you believe otherwise, then you should stop following CThia. Stop aspiring
to Arie-Mnu. CThia is not for you and you should continue your life as it
always was. I wish you long life and prosperity.
-+As has been said, many times before, we are human. We will always have
emotions. They will always be there at the back of our minds, even if we are
ever able to achieve Kolinahr.
What we, as adherents to the Way of CThia must do, above all, is control our
emotions, to reason using logic. We cannot achieve Arie-Mnu if we have
exceptions to our emotional control, or allow logical thinking to lapse due to
irrational arguments fuelled by emotions. We cannot take a short cut. The
path is the path. The Way is the Way. We either follow CThia, or we do not.
We will stumble. We will fall. This is natural. Dismissing our emotional control
because we believe it to be justified is utter failure by our own hands. Failing
by accident is very different to failing by choice.
Attacking someone because they have hurt a loved one? Enacting violence
because something has been taken from you? Taking the lives of murderers
and paedophiles is logical? Justified?

Where is the logic in these justifications?

Attacking the one who has hurt your loved one will not erase their pain, their
suffering. Enacting violence against the one who has taken from you will not
change that person, nor will it change the fact that they took it. It had
sentimental value? Illogical! No matter what it is, it is just a thing and has no
more significance than a stone on the floor. It holds important memories for
you? Illogical! You hold those memories, not the object. It is, was and always
will be, a mere thing. Nothing more.
As to the murderers and paedophiles. They dont deserve to live? They have
destroyed lives, why should they be allowed to live? These are emotional
statements. There is no logic to killing others because they have committed
crimes, regardless of the severity and regardless of who these crimes were
committed against. There is never logic involved in taking the life of another
human, only emotional justification.
Choosing to follow CThia, we are choosing to live our lives controlling our
emotions, thinking logically and with reason, without exception. We must go
into this with total commitment. We cannot pick and choose the parts that suit
us best for what we are experiencing. We either follow the Way of CThia, or
we do not.

Examine your motivations - Part 3.

Previously I have discussed examining our motivations for performing
everyday tasks and also our motivations for following CThia. Examining our
motivations for performing tasks gives us a greater understanding in how our
emotions propel us in performing these tasks. As we are attempting to live our
lives according to the methods of CThia, this means we cannot continue
performing tasks for emotional reasons. Our reasons must be logical and
rational.
Today we examine something which appears to be a dichotomy, as such.
Today we examine the motivations for performing compassionate acts. CThia
teaches us that compassion is a natural part of being a living, sentient
creature. Yet, compassion is often intrinsically linked to emotional responses
to adverse conditions. We are shocked, dismayed, appalled by certain
circumstances and feel emotionally charged to react to these circumstances.
Unless we are completely lacking in any morals, immediate emotional
reactions to, for example, someone suffering, is natural. Even Spock and
Sarek (Spocks father) had immediate emotional reactions to the destruction
of Vulcan and the death of Spocks mother, in the 2009 Star Trek movie.
There will be times when even the most accomplished adherent of CThia,
one who has achieved a high level of Arie-Mnu, will immediately react
emotionally to extreme situations. The difference is that an adherent of CThia
knows that continuing to display that emotion and allowing it to control them
does not help the situation. It only leads to a clouded mind and irrational,
illogical decisions. These decisions, in turn, lead to more suffering and
regrets.
When it comes to compassion outside of extreme situations, the motivation
becomes more murky for a follower of CThia. Such situations as charitable
contributions (both monetary and physically) are often performed for the
wrong reasons. The logical reason for helping charities is because it is
necessary when states cannot (or do not) perform these functions for the
people. It is logical to give aid to those who require it. If we have a skill that a
charity can utilise and we are in a position to use that skill for the charity, then
it is logical to offer our services to that charity.
However, there are many people who perform charitable works and
compassionate acts because they wish to appear charitable and
compassionate to others, in order for people to think more highly of them.
This is a vanity masquerading as a compassionate act. Performing a
compassionate act requires no praise, no fame, no recognition, no reward.

Even the phrase charity is its own reward is flawed, as it still says that it
requires rewarding. It does not.
Perform compassionate acts because it is necessary. Do not perform them in
the vain hope that others will notice what you did. Help those who require it
because you are able to do so, not because you wish to be thanked. Give
your skills charitably because others need those skills, not because you may
be rewarded for it.
We dont need medals. We dont need honours. We dont need recognition.
We merely need to be compassionate. Because we can.

A world with C'Thia.

As has been said, to let go of our emotions is difficult. If it wasnt, everybody
would find CThia, the peace that it brings and the world would be a better
place. If everybody recognised their desires, wants, sufferings, regrets, and
let them go, there would be no wars, no crime, no bigotry, no hatred, no fear.
Only natural, physical suffering and pain would remain. Without wars and
crime, more money would be available to lead to cures for diseases, hunger
would be gone and other natural sufferings could be focused upon.
Naturally, it is unlikely that the world will open itself to the Way of CThia. The
Way will be followed by few, but perhaps the few may influence the many.
The Way cannot be preached. It must be sought. You cannot tell another that
they are living their lives wrongly. You can tell them only how the Way helps
you. If what you say to others influences them, they will seek the Way.
Finding the Way is not achieving Arie-Mnu. This takes time and the process of
Tan Sahat. The Way is the signpost, not the destination. Knowing that
emotions control us is not letting them go, but knowing that we are all
controlled by our emotions is like setting your first step on the long path to
Arie-Mnu and, possibly Kolinahr.
Searching for the peace of CThia does not mean you have to stop doing the
things you normally do. You do not have to stop being entertained. You do not
have to stop searching for, or having, a life partner. You do not have to stop
drinking or going out at night. You do not have to live sparsely, with little in the
way of possessions. No, these things do not have to stop. Without these
things, you would find achieving Arie-Mnu easier, but they are not anathema
to CThia. Only if you do not see that they are desires and wants, leading to
suffering and regrets, will they halt your progress completely.
Just the knowledge that life is comprised of irrational thoughts and emotional
reactions is enough to begin the calming of the spirit and the mind. The
knowledge, alone, is not enough to achieve Arie-Mnu, though. There must
also follow the recognition of our emotions and how they shape our life.
Recognising our emotions and irrational thought patterns is not enough to
achieve Arie-Mnu. There must also follow the most difficult part of the Way.
We must, then, let go of our emotions and irrational thoughts. This is the most
arduous task in the Way. Some may attempt for many years to let go and may
never achieve it. Others, it may happen sooner. There is no yardstick, no test.
No one person is better or worse, for setting a scale in the Way is just an

illusion and a domain of uncontrolled emotions. The levels of Arie-Mnu are for
our understanding, not as a gauge to how superior we are to others.
There is no pontiff in the Way, no prophet, no leader, no followers of one
person or another, no priests, no lay-person and nor should there ever be!
We follow the Way of CThia, not a person! You are no better than anyone
else for following the Way, neither are you any worse than anyone else. You
are just you, with your own emotions and thoughts. You recognise your
emotions and irrational thoughts, or you do not. You let go of your emotions
and irrational thoughts, or you do not. You achieve Arie-Mnu through the Way
of CThia, or you do not.
The Way of CThia is not an absolute in life, it is a choice to make. It is not a
faith. It just is.

Impassive, expressionless, saturnine.

Our expressions speak. Communication, by humans, takes many forms, most
of them inadvertent and subtle. As well as communicating through speech,
we communicate using facial expressions, body language and intonation. Our
methods of communication are varied. We even communicate via smell,
although we are acutely unaware of this, for the most part.
In order to achieve any level of Arie-Mnu, we must be capable of controlling
not just our emotions and our irrational thoughts, but also the methods with
which we communicate. Impassivity is far more than keeping a straight face.
If you observe a Vulcan focussed episode of Star Trek (any of the
incarnations), you will notice that the actors gamely struggle with Vulcan
impassivity. This is quite understandable as they are just humans playing a
part. For followers of the Way of CThia it is not a part that we are playing. It
is our life choice that we are pursuing. Therefore we must look beyond merely
holding our faces in an unemotional state. As has been said before, this is not
just looking sad, or determined. It is not just frowning, or looking as if we
are deep in thought. Impassivity, for a follower of CThia, is the state of nonexpression. Relaxing our faces. Neither smiling, nor frowning. Neither
concentrating, nor dream-like. It is non-expression.
We must also pay attention to the inflections in our voices. Expressing
emotional responses by the rise and fall of our intonations. While we do not
wish to appear robotic, speaking in a stark monotone, we do require a more
precise control of our voice. We must steer clear of any expression of
emotion, to the best of our abilities.
Body language is another part of our communication system. While we do not
realise it in our normal, day-to-day interactions, we communicate much of
what we are feeling through the way we position our bodies. Crossing our
arms when we are feeling defensive. Standing with our legs parted, our fists
clenched, showing a rise in aggression. It is a large part of our
communication system and we would do well to investigate body language
further. There are many books and websites that detail body language and its
meanings. A quick search and a few minutes of reading will give you a far
greater insight than I can provide in this post.
Once you get a greater understanding of the various methods that humans
use to communicate, beyond mere speech, try an observation exercise. Like
the previous times I have put observation exercises forward, find a place and
a time where you can observe people in a natural environment, but this time,

instead of observing the overt interactions between people, observe the less
obvious communications. Watch how people use their hands, their eyes, their
whole bodies. Listen to the intonations in their speech. Try to recognise any
times when what a person is actually saying is not mirrored by their other
communication methods. Are they speaking in an open fashion, but sat crosslegged and with their arms folded? Try to interpret the whole of the
conversation, not just that which is being said.
Once you have observed others in their complete communications, observe
yourself and how you communicate beyond your use of speech. If you find
yourself expressing emotions non-verbally, make mental notes and bring
yourself back to full body impassivity. This may be more difficult than you can
imagine.

Leaps of logic, fallacies and honesty.

One of the most important things we must do, in order to follow CThia, is to
be honest with ourselves. We must be honest with ourselves about the things
we think, the way we think. We must be honest with ourselves about how,
when and why we have emotional reactions and responses. It comes down to
being honest about our justifications and our motivations. I say this because
we, as humans, will make any number of self-perpetuating lies to justify
ourselves. We dont do it maliciously, or to gain advantages (Im talking about
the lies we tell ourselves, not lies we tell to others. That will be discussed in a
later post). We merely lie to ourselves in order that what we think, say and do
fall into specific areas to fit certain expectations, so that the outcomes of what
we say, think and do end in positive outcomes.
One of the ways in which we lie to ourselves is, as I have touched upon
previously, in the area of leaps of logic. Those intuitive gut reactions that we
lie to ourselves about and say they have never been wrong. Well, they have.
They have been wrong far, far more often than we allow ourselves to believe.
The times when our intuitive gut reactions have been right are just the times
when we have quickly and correctly calculated the correct answer, or
response, or choice. The intuitive gut reaction was nothing of the sort. It was
a real, logical calculation that we performed so quickly that we dont even
realise it. Nothing more.
We, as followers of CThia, must be honest with ourselves about such things.
We cannot allow ourselves to believe these fallacies that we instinctively tell
ourselves. We have to live our life performing tasks, making decisions and
responding to events and situations with the deliberate utilisation of reason
and logical thought processes. If we dont, then we are lying to ourselves
about our commitment to following CThia.
We must be honest with ourselves about every aspect of our emotions and
thought processes, otherwise we arent, truly, following CThia.

Further thoughts on respect.

Respect is an integral part of CThia and is not a barrier to achieving ArieMnu. People and things are due respect and it should be freely given. Most
certainly, respect given without regret holds you more securely to the path of
the Way of CThia, but does not guarantee achievement of Arie-Mnu. Respect
is just one part of CThia.
Respect is due to those who have gone before. Your mother, your father, your
grandparents and all your forebears. Your body is from their bodies. Your
mind is, largely, from their minds, but you have built upon that foundation to
become yourself. We are all products of our pasts and our experiences.
Never let respect for those who have gone before to falter. This does not
mean idolise them, or to dwell on the past. It means respect them and
remember them with fondness.
Respect should be given to those who give respect to you, as respect, freely
given by others should be cherished and nurtured. Friends, colleagues,
acquaintances, brothers, sisters and family on the fringe should be given
respect as long as they deserve such respect.
Respect is due to all living things. You should not kill or injure anything that
you do not have a use for. Unless you use the meat for food, its skin for
clothing or its fat for oil, you should not kill or injure another living creature.
Ever. Trees and plants should not be cut unless they are of use to you. The
earth should not be moved unless you mean to use that earth, or the hole it
creates.
Respect can help greatly in following CThia. Respect helps to remove
suffering and regrets. Respect requires no desires or wants. Those who do
not give you respect do not deserve respect in return. Neither do they
deserve anything else. Neither hatred or anger, nor do they deserve
animosity. Pay no mind to those that hate you. Give no attention to those that
wish you suffering or pain. You do not need to return their emotional
reactions. Just turn away and let them go. Holding on to their hatred, anger
and animosity to you can only lead to more suffering and regret and can only
be nothing but a diversion from what is truly important. A diversion from the
Way of CThia and a barrier to achieving Arie-Mnu.
Achieving the peace of Arie-Mnu, through the Way of CThia, must always be
at the forefront of your mind. Only Arie-Mnu, through the Way of CThia, or at

least the aspiration to it, can make life worth living. Everything else is
transitory, irrational, emotion and is only a fleeting, passing diversion.

What makes us 'us'?

The things you own end up owning you.

The above quote, from Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk (a very well written
book, even if I dont personally agree with its overall message) is indicative of
something that is a wholly human concept. The externalisation of our
personalities.
Please note: Some concepts in this chapter may be considered insulting or
offensive to normal human sensibilities. No insult or offence is intended, but
these concepts, and their emotional basis, should be understood by anyone
wishing to follow CThia.
We tend to consider the things we do, or own, or use, define what and who
we are. Of course this is illogical, at the very least, and they are only
emotional attachments. We allow too many things to be the indicators, to
those around us, of what kind of person we are and who we want people to
think we are. The opinions of others are of no consequence. As long as we
act logically, respectfully and with compassion, living our lives properly and
within the confines of the law and accepted moral standards, then we are
above any reproach from others around us.
However, we should look at ourselves honestly. We must look at the things
we consider as part and parcel of who we are as a person and examine why
we think that way. From the clothes we wear (Do we wear a certain kind of
clothing to show we are part of a group of some kind? Do we wear
fashionable clothing? Do we wear certain clothes in order to not appear to be
part of a group?), to the hobbies we do. From the way we decorate our
homes, to the places in which we socialise. Why do we do these things? Why
do we act in certain ways? Examine yourself and see what has an emotional
basis.
Imagine you are describing yourself to someone, who has never met you, and
see the kind of things you say. Be honest! What kind of things would you say?
Im a skater.
Im a Goth.
Im a rock music fan.
Im an avid reader.
Im a geek.
Im a follower of fashion.

Im American.
Are the things you describe you? Are they emotional attachments? Are they
just a matter of circumstance?
Stop. Stop putting yourself into brackets and groupings. It is not logical. It is
not rational.
You are not a skater. You enjoy skating.
Youre not a Goth. You like the Goth aesthetic.
You are not a rock music fan. You like listening to rock music.
You are not an avid reader. You read books.
You are not a geek. You like the culture of comic collecting/gaming/etc.
You are not a follower of fashion. You keep up with and wear clothes that are
in fashion.
You are not American. You are a citizen of America.
These are difficult words to hear. I can imagine, especially, that some will take
offence at saying you are not American, or British, or any country, but we all
must understand (myself included) that being born in a certain country, or
being a citizen of a certain country, is not who we are, it is a matter of
circumstance and emotional attachment to arbitrary boundaries on a map. If
you feel insulted, or offended by these words, then you are being emotional
about a thing. A place. Somewhere that you just happened to have been born
in or became a citizen of. If we truly are following CThia, attempting to control
our emotions and to think logically and rationally, then we must understand
that emotional attachments, even those as deep and strong as an emotional
attachment to our country, are just emotional attachments.
One day, the borders will change, as they have for centuries. One day, the
world will have no borders and we will merely be people of Earth. One day,
we may find intelligent life beyond our world and we will merely be people of
the Universe.
And one day, we will die. We will cease to exist and nothing, not our country
of origin, not our social grouping, not even our parentage will mean anything.
We will be the past. As countries that have gone from the face of the Earth
became the past. As the Earth will, one day, cease to exist and become the
past. Perhaps we will be remembered, perhaps not. Yet, remembered or not,
all our emotional attachments will mean nothing.
There is only one group a follower of C'Thia can truly define themselves as:

I am human.

The line.
Speak to most people about anger and being angry, and they will usually say
something along the lines of Im slow to get angry, but if . There is a line
that shouldnt be crossed.
Theyll tell you that there is usually one thing they will not accept. One thing
that is guaranteed to raise their hackles and cause them to resort to violence.
It is a lie, of course. There are often many more things than just one that
angers people, that could cause them to provoke violence. Or the lie is that,
even when the line is crossed, they will not resort to violence. But the anger
is real.
There are many, many reasons that people become angered, quite apart from
their lack of emotional control. People are quick to anger if a loved one is
hurt, or a possession is stolen, or broken. Quick to anger because they have
been offended by some situation, or act. Quick to anger because they have
been insulted by something that has been said.
Anger is such an easy emotion to allow control over us. It is a quick, primal
emotion that often catches us unaware. It is an insidious emotion that hides
behind other emotions and then burns through, overtaking our usual
sensibilities.
So, it is better, more efficient, to find the emotion that has allowed anger to
creep up on us.
If a loved one is hurt, it is probably the love you have for them and the
suffering you feel for their pain that leads to anger. There may be other
emotions involved. If you face this situation, examine the underlying emotions
to your anger.
Being offended by some situation, or an act that you find offensive, can take
the form of many different emotions. It could be embarrassment, or hurt, to do
with your sense of moral superiority, or against how you were brought up and
told how things should be. It is easy to say we are offended by something just
because it lies outside of our comfortable arena of sensibilities. Again,
whenever you feel offended by something, examine its cause. Often, the
reason for being offended is a ridiculous, pathetic reason that should be
disregarded as a pointless emotional reaction.

Insults are an affront to our vanity, nothing more. They cut deeply into our
insecurities, but they are just words. Words only hurt if you allow them to hurt.
Regardless of what is said, or about what, words are just words. They only
have strength against those who are weak.
As in all cases, recognise the real emotion at work, examine it, understand it,
accept it and then let it go. Control your emotions or they will control you.

Retrospective.

Everything we need to know, we have been told.

Everything we have been told, we need to know.
Since starting my writings about CThia, there have been many topics that
have been covered. We have examined the writings already available, The
Path of Surak, Suraks Rules, etc. We have gone into detail about the causes
of emotional reactions, the meditation methods and the basics of logical,
reasoned thinking.
The purpose of this post is to serve as a pause in our progression and to look
back for a quick overview of what has been told to us.
CThia The Way, or philosophy, of controlling our emotions and the use of
logical, reasoned thought.
Arie-Mnu The method of controlling our emotions. Using logical reasoning
to recognise our emotions, understand, acknowledge, accept and let go of
these emotions.
Tan Sahat The process and method of breaking down our emotional selves
and rebuilding ourselves to a non-emotional state.
We have seen that we are emotional beings, but that we understand that the
majority of the time we allow our emotions to control us. Allowing our
emotions to control us causes conflict and leads to irrational decisions.
We understand that, in order to remove conflict and irrational decisions, we
must control our emotions.
We have seen that, given the methods and teachings of CThia, we can
isolate the true causes of emotional reactions and responses. We can use
that recognition of the underlying emotions we feel to better understand our
emotions and that these emotions can be released, let go, allowing us to think
more rationally and logically.
We understand that our emotions lead us to form irrational groupings, to form
irrational relationships with objects and to make irrational conclusions about
situations without full awareness of the variables in play. With CThia, we
understand that we are not defined by an irrational grouping, or by things that
are just inanimate objects and that to fully understand situations, make

correct decisions and conclusions, we must take into account all the available
variables in a logical fashion.
We have learnt to observe ourselves and those around us to better
understand emotions and their hold on humans in general. We are now able
to observe how people interact on many levels and how emotions dictate
those interactions, also on several levels.
CThia, as a concept, is simplicity. It can be described basically in a few
paragraphs. In one sentence, even. The complexity, and the difficulty, comes
from exploring those basics to the very deepest parts of ourselves. This is the
reason for reiterating many of the methods and teachings, using different
viewpoints, examples and techniques.
While everything we need to know about CThia has already been said, by
myself and others, there are still many variations to explore. I will continue to
explore these variations throughout the life of this text and I trust that you will
continue to join me on the journey.

Everything we need to know, we have been told.

Everything we have been told, we need to know.

The only thing to fear is ...

Fear is the single most primal and instinctive emotions that we experience. It
is an emotion that has rational, real causes and irrational, truly baseless
causes. There are many valid, instinctive reasons to fear something. I wont
list all the fight or flight causes. Better people than I have studied and written
about them. These kinds of fears, valid as they may be, must still be
controlled by a follower of CThia, although controlling our real fears may be
one of the most difficult exercises in emotional control that we ever attempt.
The problem with fear is that we experience fear for far, far more reasons that
are irrational than the rational ones. We fear change. We fear creatures that
can cause us no physical damage whatsoever. We fear sounds. We fear
things that do not exist, or things that do exist but we will never, ever,
experience. Make a quick search for phobias and you will find incredibly long
lists of fears that people allow themselves to suffer.
The process of being able to control these irrational fears, these phobias, is
the same as for any other emotion, but it is likely to feel more difficult than
most of our other emotions. Firstly, we have to recognise the fear. Recognise
what this thing is that causes us to feel fearful. We must fully understand that
this fear is completely irrational and has no basis in reality. This is important
as people who have phobias are, often, unable to acknowledge that the
phobia is not, for want of a better word, a real fear. It is a fear that is learnt,
more often than people realise, it is often inherited from a parent. If a parent
has an irrational phobia, then it is more likely that a child will also have that
irrational fear. Once we have recognised that fear and we understand it, we
can finally start to accept it. Once we have accepted it we are far better able
to overcome our irrational fears and, eventually, let them go.
We do not have to be held back by these fears, they can be controlled and
they can be overcome. We only need resilience, strength and trust in our
abilities and, with the truths of CThia, we will overcome any and all irrational
fears.

The little things.

Previously, we have examined the larger emotional properties that we, as
humans, have to contend with. The larger causes of anger, of love, desire,
suffering, regrets. Yet, how can we hope to master the larger things when we
do not examine and master the smaller things? The petty annoyances, the
twinges of attraction, the little wants, the small sufferings and the tiny regrets.
Throughout our lives we live with these small emotional impulses and barely
realise that we experience them, barely even recognise them as emotions,
but that is what they are. Almost like micro-emotions. And, like our larger,
macro-emotions, they must be recognised, understood, managed, accepted
and controlled, let go.
Firstly, let us work through some examples of these micro-emotions.
In our daily life we have many instances where little things, ridiculously stupid
things annoy us. Standing in a line that takes too long to move forward.
People being ignorant. Things occurring on a tv show. A wrong word.
Someone looking at us in the wrong way. Things like this, while not sending
us into paroxysms of fury, still make us fume. They are, simply, annoyances.
Nothing worth any kind of response, let alone an emotional one, yet we fall
victim to these micro-anger bursts, almost, daily. We let them pass because it
is hardly as if we are going to be violent about them (and, if we are, then we
have far bigger problems with our psyche than CThia can help). So, even as
followers of CThia, we are likely to allow these little infringements to our
emotional control to pass without attempting to control them. However, this
would be wrong. Like leaving a piece of cancer inside a body, dealing with the
larger problems without also removing the little problems would only result in
the larger problems returning later, perhaps even more virulent than they
were before.
Like annoyances, we must also keep our minds on the lookout for the other
micro-emotions. Allowing ourselves to feel that tingle of attraction to someone
we consider good looking. Wanting (desiring) that cheap little item we see in
a shop because we think its cool, or cute. Letting ourselves feel sad because
we missed a tv show that we wanted to watch. Regretting leaving home late
because it means we have missed the bus or train. All tiny little things, but
little things add up. Little things can be greater than the sum of their parts and
can become bigger things.

We cannot allow these micro-emotions to pass. As with the larger emotional

reactions and responses, we must recognise them, we must understand
them, accept them and let them go. They may be petty. They may pass in a
fleeting moment, but they are still examples of emotions controlling us rather
than us controlling them.
Watch these micro-emotions with as much focus as we watch our more
visible emotions and deal with them as we would all irrational emotional
reactions and responses.

Everything but that.

Out of all the emotions that we experience there is only one that I would even
begin to wish to keep. Only one emotion out of the very many that I would
choose to continue experiencing. It isnt happiness. It isnt sexual desire. It
isnt even love.
The one emotion that could ever have a chance of changing my mind about
following the Way of CThia, is humour. The ability to laugh and to genuinely
smile when I believe something is funny.
For others, I dont doubt that there may be more than one emotion you would
choose to keep, perhaps even some that wouldnt want to keep any. Either is
an acceptable response.
Some see certain emotions as the defining emotions of humankind. They
would say that, without love we are bereft of the most beautiful of emotions.
Others that, without curiosity humankind would stagnate and never progress.
Still others that would think, without sexual desire, the need to create life
would be lost. All, to my mind, are foolish thoughts. Humans are far more than
any one emotion. Far more than any collection of emotions.
Love is only desire. Only infatuation, it just lasts longer. Curiosity is not the
only reason humankind progresses. Necessity also breeds progression. It is
merely logical to progress as stagnation, a lack of progress, would be
pointless and useless. As for sexual desire, the very idea that procreation
requires sexual attraction is laughable to the extreme. It is highly unlikely the
human race would die out because the last two humans didnt find each other
attractive!
And what of my emotional keepsake? A sense of humour is not important.
The ability to laugh at things does not drive humans, does not progress
humans and certainly doesnt define humans. It is merely enjoyable to find
something funny.
I can, and I will, let my humour go. As I can, and will, let all my other emotions
go. If I allow one emotion to remain, it leaves the door open for others.
Allowing one emotion to control me is the same as allowing many.
Examine your thoughts on this subject and see if you have, latently or openly,
thought about letting one or more emotions to continue. See which emotion/s
you could possibly find yourself saying Everything but that.

Putting others first.

The needs of the many

outweigh the needs of the few,
or the one.
Imagine, if you will, a scenario.
You are in a situation where actions performed by you could save millions of
lives, but your life would be forfeit. By your death, millions would live. Would
you perform those actions? Some people would say yes, straight away,
without giving it a second thought. Others would say yes, but would be
thankful they would never be in that position. Still others would say yes, but
secretly wouldnt do it. Similarly, there are those that would say no, straight
away, without a second thought. Others would say no, but would regret
doing so. Still others would say no, but, when it comes down to it, ultimately
would sacrifice themselves. Humans are as varied in their responses as there
are people on this planet. Each response would be affected by their
upbringing, their experiences, the choices they have made in the past, who
they have around them. We humans are individuals. Individuals that gather in
groups, share philosophies, religions, morals, ethics, ideas, but individuals
nonetheless. We would all face such a situation differently. We would all
make the decision for different reasons, from differing perspectives.
Now, imagine the same situation, but this time your death would only save
two people. Does this make a difference in the decision you would make?
Yes, or no? Your life, or the lives of two others? What about one?
Now, imagine both scenarios, the millions of lives and the two lives (or even
the one life), but (in this scenario) you are a brilliant scientist who, in time,
could, not would just could, make discoveries that could change the course of
human development for the betterment of everybody. Billions of lives that
could be made better. Now, what do you suppose the answer would be?
And again, imagine the same scenario but one of those people, whose lives
you could save, is the scientist. One of the millions, or of the two, could make
amazing discoveries. Would your sacrifice be justified then? Or would some
people still say no?
What if the people were all children? What if they were all elderly? What if
they were all criminals (or ex-criminals)? What if? What if? What if?

Of course, these scenarios are extreme examples. Thought experiments.

CThia teaches us that the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few,
or the one. CThia teaches us that nothing is forever, everything begins, exists
and then ends. We also know, from history, that if someone falls there will
always come someone to take that place. No-one is irreplaceable. No-one is
that unique that someone, someday, will not come along and do what we are
able to do. It is inevitable.
The decision, logically, comes down to logic, morality, ethics and compassion.

Peace.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines peace as this:

1. Freedom from disturbance; Tranquility

2. A state or period in which there is no war or war has ended.
For CThia the first definition is the peace we should be most interested in.
Part of the reason for going through the difficulties of the Tan Sahat,
attempting to achieve Arie Mnu and following the Way of CThia is in order to
bring peace to ourselves and, by extension, our lives. We are in a struggle
against our native emotions and irrational thinking to bring order to our lives.
In essence, to bring about peace and tranquility. If we can gain peace through
our shared philosophy, it may help to bring peace to those around us. Peace
can be contagious. Conversely, conflict can also be contagious.
In a world where conflict is rife in all walks of life, on so many levels, a person
who walks in peace not allowing others to corrupt that peace can be a beacon
of change. Order needs to begin with just one person who can pass on that
peace to another and they on to another. We can be a beacon of peace. We
can be the first to help bring order to the world. If we focus on our own peace
and bring order to our own lives, we may be the ones to show those around
us a better way. An ordered way. A peaceful way. The Way of CThia..
As for the second definition. I cant really agree with it. It may be the
definition. It may be what people, in general, consider the word to mean (to
the detriment of peace meaning tranquility), but it isnt really what peace is. Is
it? It cant be.
Two countries who oppose each other, but arent at war, arent really at
peace. They are just not fighting. They are in a state of not-war. Even
countries that have never been at war arent really at peace. Even allies
arent really at peace. They are all suspicious of each other. They all spy on
each other. Each country is in a game of Chess, or Risk, on a global scale.
They are all still in conflict. It may be on a smaller scale than outright war, but
it is conflict. It certainly isnt peaceful.
This is why the world needs CThia. Logical thinking and emotional control
would show, in the simplest terms, that countries are illogical. Borders are
illogical. Conflict between humans due to cultural differences, geographical
differences and ideological differences is illogical. Logic dictates that we are
one people, humans. Logic dictates that we have one border, that between

our world and the vastness of space. Logic dictates that the people of the
world should work together for the betterment of everybody. Only then will the
world be in a state of peace. Only then would there a world without conflict,
without war, without suspicion.
Only then will this world be at peace.

Principles of logical thought.

In the many, many treatises on logical thought there are also many principles
that can be taken into account when searching for logical outcomes to
situations. It is easy to get caught up in the intricacies of logical thought
experiments and principles. From Cogitum ergo sum, the almost ubiquitous
I think, therefore I am, to the mind bending thought experiments of Zenos
Paradoxes. There are works from throughout history that have taken logic to
extremes. Philosophers have often spent their entire lives delving into the
complexities of logic. For those of us that follow the Way of CThia, we do not
need to mine the backlog of logical thought in order to live our lives. These
works are there, awaiting us if we ever choose to examine logic further, but
that is a choice to make in our own time.
Today we will concentrate on just three principles that can aid us in day to day
living. Principles that can steer us to logical conclusions in many situations.
Okhams Razor
The Encyclopaedia Britannica has this to say about Okhams Razor:
Ockhams razor, also spelled Occams razor, also called law of economy or
law of parsimony, principle stated by William of Ockham (12851347/49), a
Scholastic, that Pluralitas non est ponenda sine necessitate, Plurality should
not be posited without necessity. The principle gives precedence to
simplicity; of two competing theories, the simpler explanation of an entity is to
be preferred. The principle is also expressed as Entities are not to be
multiplied beyond necessity.
As I have mentioned before, we humans tend to make leaps of logic. When
coming to conclusions about situations we allow emotion to control our
decision making. Adding superfluous, often spurious (false or imagined)
variables into the equation. We have all done it, if we are honest with
ourselves. Sometimes we have outright lied, to others and ourselves in order
to leap to a conclusion more favourable to ourselves (or for someone else,
even). It is nothing to be ashamed of, but it is something we should stop
doing.
In most cases and situations, we need to understand that the simplest
explanation is, more often than not, the correct explanation and this is what
Okhams Razor teaches us. In decisions, explanations, theories and
arguments, the simplest answer is usually the correct one. The most logical.

Irresistible Force Paradox

Wikipedia has this to say about the Irresistible Force Paradox:
The irresistible force paradox, also called the unstoppable force paradox, is a
classic paradox formulated as What happens when an unstoppable force
meets an immovable object? This paradox is a form of the omnipotence
paradox, which is a simple demonstration that challenges omnipotence: (Can
God create a stone so heavy that not even God is strong enough to lift it?).
The immovable object and the irresistible force are both implicitly assumed to
be indestructible, or else the question would have a trivial resolution (it
destroys it). Furthermore, it is assumed that they are two separate entities,
since an irresistible force is implicitly an immovable object, and vice versa.
For the purposes of a follower of the Way of CThia, we look towards the
Irresistible Force Paradox (IFP) for one kind of situation, conflict resolution.
Far too often, during arguments and other kinds of verbal conflict, we get to
points where neither side is willing to give, or to back down. In IFP, there is no
winner. The irresistible force is immutable. It cannot be stopped by anything.
However the immovable object is also immutable. It cannot be moved by
anything. Neither the force or the object can win and it is a stalemate. So,
how can such a contest come to a conclusion? Logic dictates that the only
way to stop such a conflict is through surrender. Either the irresistible force
must choose to stop moving, or the immovable object must choose to move.
The benefit from being an adherent to the Way of CThia is that we are not (or
should not be) bound to our emotions. We do not need to avoid backing down
from conflict through fear of appearing to be in the wrong, or that our ego will
be bruised. We do not need to win to show our superiority. If we are at the
point where someone is not accepting our logical, reasoned arguments and
points, we can stop. There is no logical reason to continue a conflict if it
cannot be resolved, thus it must, logically, end. We have the power, the
strength of our convictions and the knowledge that we are correct to stop the
conflict even if we must concede, or, at least, state that we refuse to continue
the conflict. We either stop being the irresistible force, or we stop being the
immovable object.
The Elimination Principle
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, had his
protagonist state this:

Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable,

must be the truth.
There will be times, perhaps there already has been, where you cannot come
to a conclusion due to the variables pointing to something that is completely
unlikely. Times when you look at a situation and think well, it can only be
magic (taking the idea to the absurd). Of course, there are many things that
are impossible, or just, plainly, not real but we attribute these impossible
things to situations. We call it luck, or magic, or any other reason to justify our
conclusion. Emotional reasonings for rational outcomes.
Imagine walking down a street and finding a lottery ticket. You pick it up, take
it home and find that its the jackpot winning ticket from the night before. Now,
is this luck? No. There is no such thing as luck. Yet it is highly improbable.
Taking into account all the variables, the odds of you finding that winning
lottery ticket are billions, perhaps even trillions or more, to one against you
finding it. Extremely improbable, but not impossible.
This is what the Elimination Principle means. It is, almost, the opposite of
Okhams Razor in that if a situation appears to be beyond the boundaries of a
simple explanation, and that the only conclusion one can come to is highly
improbable, then that explanation must be true, not some impossible flight of
fancy.
In conclusion, logical thinking is exactly that, thinking logically, using
reasoned arguments and coming to correct conclusions. These three
principles are tools to reach those correct conclusions.

Logic with or without compassion.

In the canon of the fictional universe of Star Trek there are, at least, two
species that show the two sides of behaving logically and un-emotionally.
On the one side, we have the Vulcans. A race of people that have striven for
centuries to overcome the difficulties that uncontrolled emotion can cause by
following logical reasoning and controlling the emotions that they experience.
They behave according to logical reasoning, but they retain the usage of
compassion. Indeed, the trait of compassion is an integral part of their
philosophy. They will help others if it is within their power to do so because, in
their eyes, every life is precious and should be maintained. It is logical to help
others as having the power to help and not using it is an illogical waste of
ones abilities. However, they also believe that the needs of the many
outweigh the needs of the few, or the one, and that sacrificing many to help
one individual, regardless of that individuals supposed importance, would be
illogical. No one individual is irreplaceable. No one individual is so important
that another cannot, or could not, do what they can do. At the bottom of the
argument, the case for compassion is paramount. If all can be helped, or
saved, then all should be helped or saved. The Vulcans are what we, as
humans, should reflect when becoming a follower of the Way of CThia.
On the other side, we have the Borg. A race of beings that have augmented
themselves and others in an attempt to achieve perfection. Perfection, to the
Borg, means removing emotions as they are inefficient and are illogical. It
means taking those characteristics of individuals that are of use and adding
them to the Collective by subsuming the individual into the Collective. The
individuals biological and technological distinctiveness is added to the
Collective consciousness of the Borg. The Borg also believe that the needs of
the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one, but to the detriment of all
but the Borg. The Borg have no compassion and would sacrifice any number
of people, or even Borg drones, for the greater good of the Collective without
the slightest compunction. Life is unimportant compared to the continuation of
the Borg. If it was logical to allow all life in the universe, including all but one
Borg, to be destroyed they would do so in order that the Borg could continue
in even the depleted fashion of that one Borg. To the Borg, the ends always
justifies the means. No compassion, no empathy, no morals, no ethics. The
Borg are what we, as humans attempting to control our emotions and think
logically, could be if we lose our compassion, our empathy, our morals or our
ethics.

It is easy to see the dangers that controlling emotions and logical thinking can
bring. Without our compassion, we would not help others. There would be no
doctors, no nurses. The weak and the injured would be left behind as they
would be of no use to us. Without our empathy, we would not be able to see
when our help was needed. The pain and suffering of others would go
unnoticed, or just ignored. Without our morals, we would simply take
whatever we required or take anothers life if they stood in our way. Without
ethics, we would do anything to anyone to get the outcome we require,
perform any experiments, destroy whatever was needed to be destroyed
without a second thought.
Logical reasoning and emotional control is required in order that conflict and
chaos be removed from our lives, but, without compassion, without empathy,
morality and ethics, we would be monsters. Evil in its truest sense

Bigotry and intolerance.

In the Way of CThia, there is no place for bigotry or intolerance. The principle
of Infinite diversity in infinite combinations decries such thinking. A follower
of CThia must be careful not to fall into the trap of bigotry and intolerance. It
is easy to listen to the rhetoric of others, becoming someone who merely
parrots the words, phrases and thoughts of such hatred.
Hatred are all such thoughts are. Irrational, emotional, without real reason. All
the worse when the hatred is through ignorance.
We hate because we fear. We fear because we do not understand.
Believing that one person is less than you because of the colour of their skin
is inherently illogical. Believing that one person is less than you because of
their sex, or their sexuality, is illogical. Believing that one person is less than
you because they come from a different culture, or religion, is illogical. There
is no logical reason for this bigotry. No logical reason for this intolerance. No
logical reason for this hatred.
Bigots and intolerant people may well be intelligent, their arguments may
appear sound, their words and their rhetoric may be passionate and
persuasive, but it is hatred, nonetheless. Regardless of how persuasive, how
well argued, how intelligent their words may sound, they are not truly
reasoned arguments. Only through logic and an un-emotional mind can we
see through this kind of illusion of words. Only emotional control and
reasoned logic can overcome hatred such as this.
Emotional responses breed emotional responses. Hatred only breeds more
hatred. Meeting conflict with conflict only breeds more conflict. Allow this kind
of hatred to control you and the peace of Arie-Mnu, through the wisdom of the
Way of CThia, will never be yours.

Passing and transitory.

This too shall pass.

Originating, as far as we can tell, from the ancient Middle East, this phrase
has been seen in texts throughout history. From the Persian Sufi poets, to the
Bible and others. Variations have been found in cultures as diverse as
Chinese philosophies, aboriginal dream-time stories, native American stories,
etc, etc. All meaning, in its basic form, that everything has an end.
We all have times in our lives when things appear insurmountable. Where
tribulations appear to have no end. Where the trials of life appear to be
nothing but a continuous, ongoing conflict. It is easy to lose our resolve in the
face of such feelings.
However, the phrase This too shall pass is very true. Although the ending
may not be one which you wish for, there will come an end. Nothing lasts
forever. Not the troubles that we face in life, not ourselves, not the Earth, not
even the universe, will last forever. Everything has its time and everything
comes to an end. Such is the one insurmountable truth of existence. The only
absolute. Everything else is variable interactions.
Thus, reacting to these things emotionally is a waste of time. Time that can be
better put to use elsewhere, on other, more positive, things.
Why worry about the past? It is gone. It is done and what is done cannot be
undone.
Why worry about the future? It is not here. The future has many pathways,
none are set in stone. The future can only be prepared for, not dealt with.
Why worry about the now? We can only deal with the now to the best of our
abilities. It cannot be tried, it must be done. To try is to not use the best of our
abilities.
As Yoda, in the other fictional universe of Star Wars, said:

Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Everything we have to deal with in our lives is transitory and passing.
Reacting emotionally, failing to use reasoned logic, will not help.

Impartial.
Part of being a follower of the Way of CThia, part of being non-emotional and
thinking logically, is that we must look at every situation in a logical fashion.
We cannot let our relations with others, our sentimentality, our loyalty,
determine our responses and reactions to situations.
It is completely natural, for everyday humans, to back up those people,
institutions and groupings which we normally identify with. It is natural to
agree with family members against others, even when we believe them to be
wrong. It is the same for friends, colleagues, the business that we work for,
our country. We tend to agree with those closest to us. The problem being
that, as is often the case, we agree with them regardless of whether they are
right or wrong. We agree with them because we know them, or feel closer to
them, more than we do the people, organisation or group that they are in
disagreement with. Sentimentality. Loyalty.
A follower of CThia cannot, or should not, show this kind of favouritism. It is
founded on emotional bonds and it is not pursuant to logical, reasoned,
thinking. If we, as adherents of the Way of CThia, truly wish to control our
emotions and truly wish to think logically, then we must remain impartial. We
must look at all the variables, that we have knowledge of, in any given
situation and base our advice, our agreement or disagreement, on the logical
conclusions that we make and only those logical conclusions. To do otherwise
is only pandering to our emotions.
If we cannot come to a reasoned and logical conclusion, or if we know that
we simply do not have knowledge of all the variables in any given situation,
then the logical response is to say I dont know and abstain from the
discussion. Again, to do otherwise is either pandering to our emotions or, at
the very least, guessing what the logical conclusion is. If one does not have
knowledge of all the relevant variables and we make a guess based only on
those variables we do have knowledge of, we could be doing the other party
or parties involved a great disservice.
Impartiality will not help you to make friends, nor will it help in most business
situations, but that is a cost of being a follower of the Way of CThia. As has
been said before, we either follow the principles of CThia, or we do not. We
either control our emotions, or we do not. We either live our lives thinking in a
reasoned, logical fashion, or we do not. If we cannot be impartial, then we
cannot follow CThia.

By accepting things as they are, we become impartial.

By being impartial, we become one with logic.

Our importance.
To certain people, we are very important. Right? In one sense, yes we are. In
another sense, we are not that important at all. This will probably be a bitter
pill to swallow, but it is true.
To our family, especially if we are close, we are vitally important. To our
friends, dependent on how close a friend we are, we are of a similar
importance. To our work colleagues and employers, we are important.
Yes and no.
To our family, if we died, it would (usually) be a devastating event. There
would a great deal of sorrow and mourning and they would miss us
immensely. Except. Eventually their lives would move on. Every day their
sorrow would lessen. Eventually the mourning would come to an end. They
would still miss us, but the longer it is between our death and the times that
they think about us, the feelings of loss and missing us would become much
fainter, more abstract, nostalgic rather than aching. We arent that important
to them that, suddenly, their own lives have ended. Their lives will continue,
largely, unchanged. We do not leave a hole in their lives, except in their
emotional perceptions. Their everyday lives will see, almost, no difference.
They will still go to work. Still perform hobbies and interests. Still enjoy
themselves. We will just be gone.
In a very similar fashion to family, our friends lives will also see little
difference. They will also mourn us, miss us and suffer great sadness and
they will also see these feelings grow less and less every day. The difference
between friends and family is that family cannot find themselves a new family
member to, effectively, take your place. Friends can, and will, find other
friends who they will become close to. Perhaps they will always consider us
the best friend they ever had, but they will find new friends. They will laugh
with them just as much and hard as we used to laugh with them. They will
perform the same hobbies and interests that we performed with them. They
will call them when they need someone to talk to. They will care for them if
they are ill or injured. They will do everything that we do now with our friends
and they will do them just as much and, usually, just as well as we do now.
We will be replaced and no amount of shaking heads, counter arguments, or
justifications will change this. We are important to our friends, but their future
friends would be equally important.

As to work colleagues and employers, well, they will barely see a difference in
their lives at all. Our death would be a blip, a tiny, upsetting, event in their
lives that will register for a short while and will be, relatively, quickly forgotten.
Within mere days, a couple of weeks at the most, and the post we occupied
will be filled by someone else. The business will go on as if we were never
there. Even if you run your own business, it will change nothing. Someone will
either continue your business and, practically, nothing at all will change, or
the business will fold, all your employees will move to new jobs and your
customers will find somewhere else to go for what they need.
I know all this because of experience and observation. I understand all this so
much better because of CThia. It allows me to observe my past and its
effects on my present in a detached, unemotional way.
I lost my parents at relatively early points in my life, in my mid-twenties and
barely into my thirties, and, even though I still miss them, my life did not end.
Did not stop. Did not change that greatly. They were two of the most vitally
important people in my entire life and, after mourning them, my life continued
without them. As simple as that. I have lost friends, work colleagues and
employers and my life continued without them. Ive seen countless other
people suffer similar losses (and helped them to get through those losses)
and their lives continued without them.
As followers of the Way of CThia we must be truthful with ourselves. We
must observe ourselves and the world around us with complete honesty. In
order to be truly logical and non-emotional we must deconstruct every aspect
of our emotional spectrum, every emotional reaction, every emotional
response. This includes our perceived place in the world and the level of
importance we exert upon it. We must deconstruct our self-image, our ego,
our vanity. It doesnt mean that we are unimportant at all, it means we have to
honestly and truthfully understand just how important we are.
Each of us is just one among billions. If we died right now, we would only be a
memory, at best. Even the most well known, most celebrated, of people
become just memories. We are who we are, nothing more.

Emotional responses to 'things'.

One aspect of life that has always baffled me is the human condition of being
passionate about food. People take great care in preparing meals that look
good. They go out of their way to prepare meals that have nuances in taste.
They talk passionately about meals that they have eaten and where they
have eaten them. A number of people take their food so seriously that they
photograph every single meal and upload them, in order that they can share
the experience with others. I have never understood this. Even before I
began my journey in the Way of CThia, this emotional engagement of food
completely confused me.
Food, to me, is a means to an end. It is fuel for my body. That is all. I prefer
food that tastes good, but I dont require it to have nuances. It just has to not
taste bad. If I were able to survive without having to eat, I would. I have no
interest in cooking. No interest in what food looks like, as long as the food
does not resemble excrement or vomit. It is just food.
As with food, for me, as a follower of the Way of CThia, I should decry having
emotional attachments to inanimate objects. I have touched upon this subject
in a number of posts, but it always bears repetition.
Humans place emotional attachments upon so many different inanimate
objects. For some it is their car, a beloved vehicle that may even have been
given a name. For others, it could be their home, a house or apartment they
have lived in for many years, perhaps even their entire lives. It is seen as
another member of their family, an intimate part of their lives.
From lucky coins, to adornments (jewellery, or clothing). From cherished
books, to family heirlooms. Humans attach personalities and feelings to
things.
Ask an average human, Your home is burning down. Everybody is safe
outside, loved ones, pets, but you are only able to go back in and save one
thing. What is it and why? And they will describe an item that they would risk
their lives for. It will be an inanimate object that they hold dear. They will say
things like it is irreplaceable, it holds so many memories, or it means so
much to me, because . They would risk their lives for a thing!
Logically, this kind of emotional attachment is utterly ridiculous. No inanimate
object should be worth risking life for, but people would, and often do risk their
lives for things.

Of equal incredulity, these same people would, most likely, react with anger if
you told them that these things were just things. They would feel the need
to defend them, as one would wish to defend a living loved one.
As followers of CThia, we must be watchful of our feelings to inanimate
objects. As with all emotions, we must recognise them, acknowledge and
understand them and then let them go. If we cannot be rational and nonemotional about things, then how can we hope to rational and non-emotional
when dealing with other humans?

The limits of sexual intercourse.

We have to face it, sexual intercourse is considered by many to be one of the
most important aspects of their lives. It is a driving force for many. So much of
what people do is geared towards achieving some kind of sexual satisfaction.
People dress in certain ways to either attract the opposite sex or in order to
give off the impression that they are offering sex to get what they want. Sex is
used as a weapon, as an advertising hook, as recreation, as a job to perform,
as a reward. Sex is used for rebellion, as a chore, as a means to an end. It
can be an urge that can be hard to assuage.
Taken to extremes, it can be criminal. Someone who has no control over their
urges, or worse, someone who can control their urges but doesnt can take
sex without consent, seek sex outside the boundaries of the law and decency.
One of the worst kinds of crime.
The Way of CThia does not preclude having sexual intercourse, for
procreation or recreation. What CThia does preclude is allowing our
emotions, our urges, to control us. When sexual intercourse becomes an
obsession is when conflict, of one kind or another, appears. Chaos. When sex
becomes a purpose in our lives, that is when control is needed more than
ever. The urge for sexual gratification, in its many forms, is just an emotion.
One of the primal, powerful emotions, but just an emotion. Even if that urge
for sexual intercourse is in order to have children, it is still just an emotion. It
must still be us that control it.
We can have sex, we can want to have sex, but it must be controlled. It must
never be allowed to be an obsession, never allowed to be a purpose. It must
be kept within the confines of decency, morality and the law.

Vanity, ego, self-esteem.

Many of the more negative emotions that we feel are not truly caused by
outside influences. The outside influences are mostly catalysts for emotions
generated within ourselves. We cannot forget that it is we that feel these
emotions, others do not cause them. Others do not cause us to be sad,
unhappy, lonely, offended, upset, etc. The cause is within us. The reason we
feel these emotions can be found in our own minds, not completely through
the words and actions of others.
The reason for this is, commonly, through our vanity, our ego and our selfesteem. It is often noted by psychologists that we see ourselves differently
than others see us. Where we may see ourselves as either too overweight, or
too thin, others may tell us that they think we are of an average weight. Yet
we do not believe them, we believe our own views even when these views
are incorrect. This kind of thinking is seen often in those that suffer from
eating disorders, but to some degree many people have similar, if not so
extreme, thoughts and views of themselves. Eating disorders are a clinically
psychological problem that cannot be helped by following CThia alone, it
requires medical help. However, before it becomes a clinical disorder, it
begins with vanity. How we view ourselves and how we wish to be viewed.
The emotional need to be accepted. Except that it is a vain need, in more
ways than one. Vain in that how we look should not be important as long as
we are healthy and vain in that aspiring to an internal view of what is the
perfect image is something we are unlikely to achieve.
Our ego tells us that we are more important than we actually are. Our vanity
tells us that we need to be viewed as perfect and important. Our self-esteem
is dependant. It depends on which of the other two takes precedence in our
emotional spectrum at any given time.
If the ego is precedent in a positive sense, our self-esteem will be good. We
will view ourselves in a positive light, regardless of how others perceive us. If
our vanity is also positive, then this could cause an excess of self-esteem and
would make us egotistical and over-confident. If our vanity is negative, it
could cause us to be arrogant about our abilities and importance, but
aggressive, defensive and self-derogatory if anyone talks about us in a
positive or negative light.
If our vanity is precedent in a positive sense, our self-esteem will also be
good. We will view ourselves as attractive and confident, regardless of
whether we actually are or not. If our ego is also positive, it could, again,

cause an excess of self-esteem and make us egotistical and over-confident. If

our ego is negative, it could cause a morose feeling, one of not being
appreciated for our abilities. We could be introverted, or vacuous.
These are just examples of the possible responses we would feel while
allowing one or the other of these emotions to control us. If you need to go
deeper into the ego and vanity and how these affect us, there are many
psychological books and sites that can be found using simple searches.
It returns to the point about being honest with ourselves. Not critical! Honest!
Honest about how we look, how we think. Honest with ourselves about how
our emotions control us and where the causes of these emotions truly come
from. We must forget how others see us, forget how we wish others to see
us, forget what others think of us and forget how we wish others to think of
us. Outside perceptions of us are unimportant as long as we live according to
the law and in a morally and ethically correct fashion. As long as we follow the
Way of CThia.
Control our emotions, think logically and with reason. This is how we should
be. This is how we should perceive ourselves.

War
The current state of world affairs is compelling enough to write a new post for
this text.
At this moment (August 2014), war can be found in many parts of the globe.
Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine, several states in Africa and the one that appears to
excite the greatest attention, Israel and Gaza.
On all sides, blame is being targeted. On all sides, innocence is being
pleaded. On all sides, death, death and more death. Accusations. Differences
being cited. Historical precedence called upon.
Utter futility.
The reasons are many. Yet these "reasons" are not reasons at all, but merely
excuses. Excuses to ignite old rivalries, old hatreds, new hatreds. Hatred
breeding hatred. Death breeding death.
Lies.
As I have said in other posts, there can be no true peace until our emotions
are controlled. There can be no peace until we release the desires that lead
to war. The desire for land, for vengeance, for superiority, for things of all
kinds. Let them war upon each other. Let them heap death upon death, until
none are left. They will either stop killing, or they will not. Everything has it's
time and everything must end.
This too shall pass.
C'Thia could help these people.
C'Thia cannot be offered, but it can be given.
C'Thia cannot be sought, but it can be found.
C'Thia cannot be taught, but it can be learned.
One of the greatest of the teachings of Surak is "A spear in the heart of
another is a spear in your own."

Bring death and death will be brought to you. Perhaps not physical death.
Perhaps death of the soul, of the mind or of the heart. Causing suffering to
others will only ever bring suffering back to those who cause it.
Perhaps, one day, this lesson can be learned by the people of this world.
Perhaps, one day, there will truly be peace. But that is not this day.

War - Part 2
On the 4th of August 1914, World War I, the Great War, began. It was a
devastating conflict involving millions of men, from all over the world, fighting
and killing each other. It was supposed to be "The war to end all wars". In
this, it failed to live up to that belief.
Twenty-five years later, World War II began, with several 'minor' conflicts inbetween. The lesson wasn't learned. The lesson never gets learned. There
will never be an end to war as long as humans allow their emotions to control
them. There are those that would say that many people who direct these
conflicts, that start these wars, are cold, calculating and emotion-less, but
they are wrong. There is always a desire of some kind at the very beginning
of any conflict. A desire for something. Land, resources, information,
retribution, security, vengeance, superiority. Something is desired.
Logically, if nothing is desired, nothing is wanted, there would be no need for
conflict. Land is not anyones to take. It is just land. There is enough land on
this planet for everyone. Resources should be shared. Information should be
freely given. If you need to prove superiority, then you are not superior. You
are weak. There should be no borders. There is no need for security if no-one
desires. Logic dictates that we are all one people. One species. One race.
Surak said, "We have differences: May we, together, become greater than the
sum of both of us."
Someone of a different colour is just different, not more or less than you.
Someone of a different religion is just a follower of a different religion, not
insulting you or your own religion. Someone from a different country from you
is just someone born in a different part of the world from you. It's the same
world. Whether you believe in a creator or not, we all come from the same
source. From the first humans. We are all one people.
Surak also said, "There is no offence where none is taken."
Many forms of conflict can be stopped by understanding that one sentence.

Wise words.
Human beings have a talent for saying wise things, but also an equal talent
for ignoring the wisdom such things offer. The sayings attributed to Surak are,
after all, merely words written by a human. This does not make those words
any less wise. Sometimes wisdom can come from the most unexpected of
sources.
In this section I am leaving quotes, by humans, that are pertinent to C'Thia. It
is also worth noting that some quotes may be attributed to the wrong people
(if so, I apologize), but that doesn't stop the wisdom of the quotes being true.
There can be many more quotes found in many sources but it would be good
to remember: Many words can be thought wise, but do not necessarily impart
wisdom.

On peace:
An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind. Mahatma Gandhi
Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity. George Carlin
Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through
understanding. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not
himself find peace. Albert Schweitzer

On emotions:
I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy
them, and to dominate them. Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your
emotions.
Elizabeth Gilbert
How you react emotionally is a choice in any situation.
Judith Orloff
Rather than being your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind
them. Eckhart Tolle,

On logical thinking:
[...] you could claim that anything's real if the only basis for believing in it is
that nobody's proved it doesn't exist! J.K. Rowling
All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust,
sophisticated and well supported in logic and argument than others.
Douglas Adams
There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that
has clearly happened. Douglas Adams
Everything must be taken into account. If the fact will not fit the theory---let
the theory go.
Agatha Christie
Wisdom can come from many sources, from many times and many mouths.
Take that which is good for C'Thia, read the rest, but discard that which does
not further your attempts to achieve Arie-Mnu.

Influences.
We are influenced by many things. By marketing, by political agendas, by
seemingly intelligent articles and by many other things. Marketing and
politics, especially, have made influencing peoples' minds almost into an art
form. The reason we are influenced so easily is because any strategy that
attempts to influence people tends to use emotional ties. They play on our
vanities, our compassion, our empathy, our frustrations and our anger. Our
basic emotions (as well as more nuanced emotional levels) are used, abused
even, to allow others to influence our decisions, our loyalties, our purchasing
power. And, to a greater extent than lesser, we allow it to happen, even if we,
somehow, understand that our emotions are being used. Why? Because the
emotional reactions which we experience are trusted by us more than our
intellectual, rational, thoughts.
People trust their emotions far more than they trust their own logical
reasoning.
Of course, this is completely the wrong thing to do. Yet our emotions are far
more ingrained than our reasoning capabilities. Emotional reactions kept the
earliest humans alive for millennia before our ancestors began using their
intelligence to work through problems. Only when the first technologies came
about (fire, early tools, etc), did humans begin thinking of solutions rather
than emotionally reacting. Thus, for generations, humans relied completely
upon their emotions to stay alive and that emotional priority continues to this
day, despite our intellectual reasoning being far more developed and
trustworthy than our ancestors could ever hope to imagine.
To make correct choices in life, we must pursue rational, logical, intellectual,
reasoning. Our emotions must be held in complete control. If not, we will find
ourselves being influenced, even when we know better than what those, who
are trying to influence us, are telling us.
With emotional control and logical reasoning, we can not so easily be
influenced by those who spout propaganda, by marketing, by political dogma,
by well written articles or by arguments that utilize thesauric and labyrinthine
wording.
We can listen to the propaganda, the marketing, the political dogma and the
arguments, and we can read the articles, but we can use our own logical
reasoning to understand the veracity of their foundations. We can deduce,
study and research their arguments and make our own, informed decisions.

We can think. We can reason. We can choose.

We can refuse to be influenced.
"A great hypnotist cannot make you do something against your natural
morality, but a great politician can."

C'Thia, depression and other problems.

Some things, while writing this work, I have touched upon but not expanded.
Due to not having any thing worthwhile to add, because I neglected to follow
up on them or because I simply don't have the required knowledge to add to
what has already been said. One of those issues is that of psychological/
mental disorders. Disorders such as depression, anxiety, addictions, eating
disorders, self-harm, etc are subjects that are beyond the scope of C'Thia.
They are very important subjects, however, and should be addressed,
especially as the subject of depression is of note today (August 12th 2014),
with the death by, apparent, suicide of Robin Williams.
Simply put, C'Thia cannot help in these situations!
I cannot say this strongly enough. C'Thia is for controlling our normal levels of
emotions. The everyday emotions the majority of people experience.
Psychological/mental disorders are not normal levels of emotional
experiences. They are extreme levels which only medical/psychological
expertise are able to have any hope of helping someone with. Following the
teachings of C'Thia is, in no way whatsoever, a viable alternative to
professional help with these problems and no-one should attempt to deal with
them on their own.
If you are reading this and you suffer from any of the problems stated above,
or, indeed, any psychological/mental problem/disorder, then, please, seek
help from your doctor.
With the sheer number of different nations represented by people reading this
work, I cannot give links or telephone numbers for organisations that give you
advice but these can be readily found by the internet or phone book.
Remember, there is no shame in having any of these problems. You
don't have to be alone and there is always somebody willing to listen
and help. Even in your most troubled of times, you CAN find help. All
you have to do is look for it and ask.

Disconnected in a connect world

The world we live in is far removed from the one we were born in. This is true
for people of any age. With the level of technological advancement that has
occurred relatively recently, we have, perhaps, grown into a world that has
changed more than at any other time in history.
We are able to connect and communicate instantly over distances and with a
demographic reach that would have been unheard of even 20 years ago. We
are connected in an almost permanent fashion. Instantly contactable.
Instantly in touch with the news and current events. Instantly able to check
our social network of choice. This is not a bad thing, per se. However, with
the good there is also the bad.
People will be in a social situation but, instead of communicating with the
people we are with, we will be taking pictures of our food to share with the
world, we will be checking our statuses on whichever social network we are
on, we will constantly check for text messages and e-mails. Even walking
down the street, we will check our phones to the detriment of paying attention
to where we are walking, who and what is around us. We are focussed, but
disconnected with real things occurring around us. Disconnected to the point
where people accompany each other while each of them have headphones/
earphones in, listening to music, instead of communicating with the people
they are with.
No-one sees the world around them. Since starting my studies in C'Thia, I
have begun leaving my phone at home. I pay attention to the people around
me and to the world at large. I listen to the sounds. I see the world and its
inhabitants. I often stop to watch the flight of birds, to listen to conversations.
Much can be learned about ourselves if we observe others.
It is not to say 'abandon all the technologies that connect us', but to see that
they are not the whole. They are there to enhance one's life, not to be one's
life. Once these technologies take you away from what is happening around
you, then they become a detriment. They disconnect you from the very things
and people you are using these technologies to connect with.
Studying C'Thia is to study ourselves. To see our emotions, to understand
them and to control them. Disconnecting from the world, and the people in it,
is not seeing, is not understanding and not controlling emotions. It's running
away, it's hiding and it's ignoring emotions. This is not the Way of C'Thia.

Inclined to fail?
Are we inclined to fail? Is the pursuit of achieving significant progress in ArieMnu likely to lead to disappointment?
In effect, yes it is.
I do not say this to diminish anyone's fervour in pursuing the goal of achieving
Arie-Mnu, but merely to acknowledge that we are human. We are attempting
something that is, in essence, anathema to our instinctual emotions.
I have failed to retain unemotional states. I have suffered extended periods of
being unable to control my emotional responses to stimuli. It is not something
to be ashamed of, but merely something to be recognized, acknowledged and
let go. It is just part of the process of Tan Sahat, part of the journey towards
Arie-Mnu.
Unlike the our fictional role models, the Vulcans, we are not born into a
society that embraces C'Thia. We are not born into a society that teaches us,
from the very beginning of our lives, how to recognize our emotions, how to
acknowledge them and how to let them go. We are not born into a society
that has relative mastery over their emotions.
We are born into a society where emotions are trusted more than reason,
more than fact, more than logic. We are born into a society where emotions
are celebrated and encouraged. We are born into a society that teaches us
that emotions are intrinsic to a normal life. This is the burden which we must
bear.
The fact is that emotions cause conflict. Emotions cause mistakes. Emotions
cause irrational conclusions to questions of morality, compassion and
humanity. Reason does not cause mistakes. Reason does not cause conflict.
Reason gives real answers to the questions of morality, compassion and
humanity. We have morals because they are necessary. Without morality,
there is only chaos and entropy. We have compassion, because without
compassion there is no order. Showing compassion is for the greater good of
all.
Yet it is true, that we will suffer failure. We will experience emotions.
Sometimes we will experience them for extended periods of time and we will
have no control over them. This must be accepted by us all. However, to feel

disappointment at our failure will only compound that failure. Suffering only
leads to more suffering.
It is easy to say "recognize your failure. Accept/acknowledge your failure. Let
your failure go.", but saying this and doing this are two very different things.
However, it must be done. We must go through the process and let it go, or
the emotions will continue to control you and not you control the emotions.
Of course we will fail, but we will continue on our course. We will continue
studying C'Thia. We will continue the process of Tan Sahat. We will continue
reaching for Arie-Mnu.
Failure is not the end, it is only part of the process.

Reasoned thinking - further reading.

I tend, in these articles, to focus on the control over our emotions, rather than
the requirement of logical thinking. This is, mainly, due to my own assertion
that logical reasoning comes easier to those that are not held at the behest of
their emotions. I regard logical reasoning as an effect of emotional control.
Rationality is intrinsic when emotional responses are held in check, or
removed entirely.
I also tend to point towards the lies we tell ourselves. Not lies, as in outright
telling untruths, but lies that our subconscious emotional minds tell us. Little
subconscious white lies, as it were. They are lies that our minds tell in the
best of intentions, but often end in circumstances that are far from the best.
Two books, that I have recently come across, focus on these kinds of
fallacies, that our minds tell us are truths, and give insights on how we can
recognize and counteract our more primal decision making processes.
The first is "Dance with chance", by Makridakis, Hogarth and Gaba (ISBN
978-1-85168-653-7). As its name suggests, this book focuses on the range of
logical fallacies revolving around 'luck' based scenarios. Even merely flicking
through this book, one can readily see many areas where our irrational
subconscious lies to us and how best we can counteract these lies.
The second, and, I feel, more rounded book is "The art of thinking clearly" by
Dobelli (ISBN 978-1-444-75956-3). This book looks at a very broad range of
subconscious lies, commonly known as 'cognitive biases', that humans
routinely fall for. While not a detailed exploration of the subject matter,
Dobelli's book informs us of a great many cognitive biases and gives us the
opportunity to identify the ones that affect us the most. It is left up to
ourselves to follow up, if we feel the need to, and find sources of greater
explorative depth.
These books are, by no means, the only books available. Nor are they
definitive, yet they are excellent beginnings for people (such as ourselves)
that are attempting to live life using reason and logic, rather than emotional
irrationality.
They aren't, even, treatises on logic. However, if you have read any of my
other posts, it is my belief that 'logic', in the terms of being a student of
C'Thia, is more about reasoned thinking, rather than the intricacies and
labyrinthine thinking of traditional logic.

I hope that these two books are of help to those who seek to think rationally
and, especially, to those who study C'Thia alongside me.
"A teacher is never a giver of truth; he is a guide, a pointer to the truth that
each student must find for himself." - Bruce Lee

C'Thia personally.
Following C'Thia, studying C'Thia, is a deeply personal experience. It is a
study of ourselves. Examining our own minds, our own experiences and our
own emotions in order to gain understanding and then control of our
emotions.
It is a solitary journey. A personal journey into the very depths of ourselves.
If we cannot show that we are moving in the right direction, then how can we
inspire others to make their own journeys?
So, we must show that we are doing the right thing by doing the right thing.
This may sound like a tautology, but it is really two different "right things". The
right thing of studying C'Thia and living to the ideals of C'Thia and the right
thing of following the law of the country we live in, the right thing of treating
people with respect, the right thing of being pacifist in the face of aggression,
the right thing of showing compassion and empathy to those around us and
so on and so on.
To show this to others, we have to show this to ourselves, first. In the times
when we are alone, we must control our emotions and our features as we
would in front of others. When we watch a comedy, we must remain passive
and unemotional while still appreciating the humour. When we hurt ourselves
(when, for example, performing DIY) we must control the emotional reactions
and cries of pain. It will still hurt, but there is no actual reason for expressing
our pain. Calling out, crying, all emotional reactions are merely a call for help,
learned from our infancy. When making decisions, we must use reason and
method instead of instinct and reaction.
Difficulty in learning is often helped by the process of writing our experiences
down. Actively writing about our studies in C'Thia can certainly help us in
those studies. Thus, I encourage all who have joined me on this journey of
study to write down your thoughts and experiences regarding C'Thia.
Whether this is in the form of a notebook, or in the form of a blog, it does not
matter, but I encourage the practice. If you write a C'Thia blog, I would
appreciate a link and perhaps your experiences may help me (and others
who follow my thoughts) in the study of C'Thia.
Also, remember that there is a Google+ community (link on the About page)
where you can discuss C'Thia. There are few there at the moment, but
perhaps, in time, there will be many.

Section 3
Path of Surak:
_____________________________________________________________
_________________
The Path of Surak
The following is a collection of material by James W. Meritt and does NOT
represent his final efforts and is not to be taken as canon
The Philosophy of Surak 4
Summary of Surak's teachings 7
Intuition 8
Patience 8
Vulcan Specialty Schools 9
T'an sahat 9
.Kalinahr 10
C'thia 10
Meditation 11
Logic 13
Lyras Lecture on Logic 15
Philosophy of Logic 17
Mathematical Logic 18
Motivation 19
Reason 20
Emotion 20
A voice out of the darkness spoke softly about improving the mind. This voice
was that of Surak, who gained numerous followers over the years. Surak's
philosophy was that of peace and disciplining the mind. However, while many
people were absorbed in Surak's teachings, others were unwilling to accept
this passive approach.
The essence of Surak's teaching is in arriving at the truth through logical
process. Emotion is illogical, thus making them impure, and deterrent to truth.
However, Vulcans are born with the same emotions that afflicted their violent
ancestors, but the continual mind conditioning, the t'an s'at, gives them the
impassivity sought after by almost all Vulcans. The t'an s'at is an intellectual
deconstruction of emotional patterns, a lifelong process that strives for
absolute detachment from all emotion. Though not all can arrive at the
penultimate pure logical state, the exacting process of mental control gives
Vulcans enough to conform to the ideals of Vulcan society. Vulcans of this
creed are impervious to greed, deception, anger, and all other vices that still
plague the Terran psyche well into the 24th century.

Vulcans believe knowledge to be the only defence against unknown dangers,

and pursue them with the intellect and logic that makes them some of the
finest scholars in the Federation. Their pursuit of knowledge and impassivity
of emotion are the driving forces in a Vulcan's life.
Logic is the cement of our civilisation with which we ascend from chaos using
reason as our guide.
~T'Plana'hath
The Philosophy of Surak
A movement toward a lasting peace on this planet will not magically appear,
nor will its goal be achieved by those who cease reading this now, but it will
be achieved, and for those who put forth the effort, there will be a greater
reward than we have ever lead ourselves to believe exists.
The solution is, simply stated, to keep our passions in check so that they will
not cause entropy. Use logic so that you will know what causes entropy and
how to stop it. You may say, That is not simple Indeed the trip we must take
as a civilised people is not a simple one, but it will be a fulfilling one.
It is much like a trek across the desert, where the terrain is inhospitable, the
creatures unfriendly, and the journey seemingly endless. But like the sight of
the occasional oasis or green edges of the fertile land, the value of what
destination is reached is tantamount to any suffering along the way. It is a joy
that cannot be taken away from ones katra.
The essential ingredient is that of the abhorrence of violence. This is the
permissible passion; the one that leads to its mastery. This is not innate in
many of us, and must be taught. One does not learn this from another
person, or from ones teacher, but rather from an event one sees that
encourages the opening of eyes, and the acceptance of diversity.
Once this rebirth occurs, it changes a person for good, and for the good.
The planet has never been free of war. We have seen how nations send
armed forces to keep peace instead of letting tyrants and terrorists fight
amongst themselves, but the end result is the same. War. Fighting war with
war is humanity's biggest mistake. We seem to be creatures of great intellect
and the ability to learn from our mistakes, and certainly the mistakes of others
(if history is taught to every generation), so why, then, do we continue to fight
war with more war? The problem is that we are using the word fight . If we
fight, so that we do not need to fight, we are still fighting, aren't we? It is an
endless cycle that cannot be broken...unless...we don't fight at all. Now there

is a novel idea When someone approaches you with hate, give him peace,
and there will be no fight. After all, it takes two people to have a fight. If one is
unwilling, then the other will not have his way.
Their devotion to logical thinking came as a result of near self-extermination
in ancient times when the Vulcans were a hostile, warrior race whose lives
were ruled by strong passions. Surak, the father of Vulcan logical thought
lived during the planet's last great war. After both sides were devastated,
Surak met with emissaries from both sides to establish a workable peace.
The philosophy of logic eventually prevailed. In the ensuing years since
Surak, there has been little to disrupt the peaceful and logical existence of the
Vulcans.
The sayings, wisdom and teachings of Surak, and those attributed to him
after his death, play an extremely important part in Vulcan culture and society.
Although all Vulcans do not follow his teachings in the same manner and
some have even rejected his teachings, the vast majority of Vulcans revere
Surak above all other Vulcans past or present. It is unlikely this will ever
change as long as an advanced culture lives on T'Khasi. Recent information
has shown that selected items from Surak's teachings, approved by the
government, are even taught in Romulan society.
Surak quietly began to convert those around him to his philosophy of logic
and control of emotions. He developed rigorous disciplines. As more and
more Vulcans accepted his way, the situation on Vulcan began to change.
People discarded their weapons and destructive emotions. One myth is that
the Vulcan discards all emotions. This is not true. The emotions remain but
under tight control. The key is controlling external display of these emotions.
As in all revolutions, groups of Vulcans rose up against Surak's changes.
There were many attempts on Surak's life and ultimately he lost his life on a
peace mission. Much of the history of this time is a mystery. The point is that
Surak, against all odds, succeeded in saving the Vulcan race from its path of
self-destruction and forever changed Vulcan society. It is now known that a
large group of those who opposed Surak gathered a fleet of spaceships and
left Vulcan to find a world of their own. These pilgrims were all thought to
have perished while attempting this journey. But some did survive and the
Romulans are living proof of this. The Romulans are a living reminder (and
embarrassment) of the way many Vulcans were before Surak.
Surak maintained that the root cause of all the problems on Vulcan lay in the
uncontrolled outpouring of the peoples emotions. His followers swore to live
their lives by an ethical system devised by Surak and based purely on logical

principles. All expression of emotions, negative or positive, was completely

forbidden. Although this new philosophy spread rapidly across Vulcan, a
minority rejected Surak's ideals.
Surak's philosophy entails IDIC, logic, control of emotions and peace, but
even these are not truly fleshed out well, though they can be discerned with
an eye toward the language developed by Vulcan philosophers and
expositors and possible human philosophies which parallel or from which they
could be derived.
A cult, by definition, is a religious sect lead by a charismatic leader who often
enforces an authoritarian form of power. The Vulcan philosophy does not
require a leader. (Even the Roman Catholic Church has a leader, and
furthermore, an army) The Vulcan philosophy does not promote, and does
usually not permit suicide of any kind or demand money for membership.
Vulcans promote peace and neutrality, not war and violence. Vulcans do not
desire power (or anything); thus Vulcanism is not considered to be a cult.
Consider that, as it says in the Bible, that smoke comes before flame, and
insults come before violence. If this is true, then in theory, we could virtually
stop all war by simply using our words in a more respectful manner. We
secretly fear each other. This causes us to hate each other. You see, war and
violence stems from hate, which itself stems from fear. So I say to you, cast
out fear. The question asked concerning why we have not seen that war is
not prudent, can be answered by saying that, because of our passions, we
are blinded to see logic. We must put logic first, and then allow our emotions
to live out their lives, but always under complete control.
There are biblical precedents to these claims.
Sirach 18;30 Don't be controlled by your lust; keep your passions in check.
Sirach 21;21 An intelligent person will smile quietly while a fool roars with
laughter.
Sirach 22;16-18 A wooden beam can be put into a building so firmly that an
earthquake cannot shake it loose; a person can be trained to use reason and
sense so well that he keeps his head when a crisis comes. A mind that thinks
things through intelligently is like a firm wall, finely decorated. Small stones on
top of a wall will not stay put when the wind blows, and a person whose
stupid ideas have made him timid will not be able to stand up to frightening
situations.
Sirach 23;16 ...sexual passion is a hot, blazing fire that cannot be put out at
will; it can only burn itself out. A man who lives for nothing but sexual
enjoyment will keep on until the fire destroys him.

Sirach 28;5 If you cannot get rid of your anger, you have no hope of
forgiveness.
Sirach 28;6-7 So give up hate and live by the Lord's commands... Instead of
getting upset over your neighbours faults, overlook them.
Sirach 28;11-12 An argument that blazes out suddenly can lead to violence.
You can blow on a spark to make it glow, or you can spit on it to put it out.
Either way, you do it with your mouth.
Sirach 33;22 Keep control over all that you do.
Psalm 46;9-10 He stops wars all around the world. He breaks spears, and
destroys
swords. Stop fighting, he says, and know that I am God.
Vulcanism, by definition, is the intense study of logic to the point of
impassivity. The philosophy that stresses that emotion is illogical and thus
impure. It stresses that peace is essential and that violence should be
avoided at all costs if possible. Even though Vulcans typically believe in a
separation of philosophy and religion, outsiders may consider Vulcanism to
be a monotheistic religion because it insists that the universe has a creator.
Arie'mnu - This is the mastery of emotion -- controlling it to fit your needs.
Instead of passion controlling you, you control it. Logic stresses that it must
be controlled in order for one to keep a clear mind and to attain all peace
sought after.
Impassivity- The state of not feeling or expressing emotions, or being
dispassionate. Also, this state should complement a state of logic.
The difference between feeling happy and feeling impassive is the difference
between winning a war and never fighting one. Vulcans are advocates of
peace, or pacifists.
There are different degrees of Arie'mnu involved in Vulcanism. The following
degrees are numbered in order of difficulty (which is directly related to the
amount of control necessary for attainment).
1.) A control level of one implies that a person is capable of controlling the
facial expressions normally exhibited due to an emotion the majority of the
time, but still feels the emotion.
2.) Level two implies a person can control all expressions of emotion the
majority of the time, but still feels the emotion.

3.) Level three is where emotion is there, but not expressed, or even felt. It
has no influence, the majority of the time.
4.) Mastery level four is complete mastery. In this state, the emotion is
completely cast out, and is no longer a part of you. This state is also referred
to as Kolinahr.
As there are different levels of mastery, there are naturally going to be
different degrees of liberalism when applying this philosophy. This is good,
but potentially harmful if not closely monitored. The most liberal of Vulcans
should still fall within mnu level two, or a radical could even fall under level
one, but this will be looked at with distaste (but never prejudice).
Summary of Surak's teachings
Cast out Fear. There is no room for anything else until you cast out fear - this
does not imply rejection of fear, by pretending not to be afraid. To cast it out
you must first ACCEPT it; you must admit it is there. Say: I am afraid. and
through this be reduced to total helplessness, this point is potentially the most
powerful. Just past it is the great leap to true power: The move through fear,
to beyond fear. Especially go past the fear of the Other, the Unknown. Cast
out hate and rage. Cast out greed and envy. Cast out all emotion that speeds
entropy, whether it be love or hate. Cast out these emotions by using reason
to accept them, and then move past them. Use in moderation emotions that
do not speed up entropy (e.g. compassion).
Ideally, do not harm. Harm speeds up the entropy of the universe, and
indirectly, your own. More practically, do as little harm as possible. Harm no
one's internal, invisible integrities. Leave others the privacies of their minds
and lives.
Intimacy remains precious only insofar as it is inviolate; invading it turns it to
torment. Reach out to others courteously: accept their reaching in the same
way, with careful hands. Do not murder. All action has equal reaction: what
force you inflict, inevitably returns.
As far as possible, do not kill. Can you return life to what you kill? Then be
slow to take life. Master your passions so that they are used to slow entropy.
Do no harm to those that harm you - offer them peace: then you will have
peace.

Learn reason above all. Learn clear thought. Learn to discern that which
seems to be, and that what you wish it to be, from what truly is. Learn the
truth of reality, the reality of truth C'Thia. What is - is. This will set you free.
We have differences. May we, together, become greater than the sum of both
of us.
There is no offence where none is taken.
Nobility lies in action not in name.
The spear in the other's heart is the spear in your own.
He talks peace if it is the only way to live.
Do no harm to those that harm you. Offer them peace, then you will have
peace.
There is no other wisdom and no other hope for us but that we grow wise.
Reach out to others courteously. Accept their reaching in the same way, with
careful hands.
Time is a path from the past to the future and back again. The present is the
crossroads of both.
Wide experience increases wisdom, provided the
experience is not sought purely for the stimulation of sensation.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one.
Intuition
...doesn't the concept carry over with Spock in Unification, when he tells
Picard he had gifts his father never understood, namely intuition and the faith
to follow that instinct? I think he adds that he had found it a source of great
strength.
Surely 'reason-truth' is only a part of the character of the mature individual.
intuition and faith may be somewhat alien to Vulcan philosophy, depending on
who is constructing it at the time ;)

Patience
Patience - The universe is not perfect, and many things may take quite a bit
of time to work, especially dealings with others who do not necessarily share
ones beliefs.
Patience is a virtue of many more quietist philosophies and cultures. This
does not always derive from a presumption of the imperfection of the all,
however. Indeed, Impatience may speak to our immaturity given the
perfection of c'thia (the way (things are))
A Vulcan ordered to sit and wait would do so only if it was logical so to do. If it
was logical to act when inaction was required, the Vulcan would have no
compunction in disobeying the order, even if it subsequently got her into
trouble. The Vulcan would maintain that her actions were entirely logical, you
see, as if that gave her justification.
At this point it becomes clear that c'thia/logic begins to have a faulty
significance to it if we are not careful. it is not that an action is deducible to
the intellectual mind but almost begins to take on an ethical character. there
may be presumed to be a 'Way' which may be discerned, and if this Way
leads one to violate reigning authority, then we may also presume that this
Way is elemental to the individual's being, a kind of barometer against which
acts are judged however, quickly we enter into a Thelemic (cf. Rabelais/
Crowley) dilemma. if at any moment the Vulcan (or indeed any individual)
may discern that an action is against c'thia (Terran 'illogical'), then how an any
sort or reliability be maintained? it is a Thelemic dilemma because in the
philosophy of Thelema the individual is presumed to have a 'true will' by
which she regulates and discerns her most perfect activity, and thus it
compares directly with this example of disobedience as I say above it
appears to enter into a type of 'ethics' in that it cannot be completely
presumed that what the individual establishes as c'thia is necessarily to be so
in the overview of the action taken. the authority will probably review the
action and determine itself whether it was 'right' (cf. officers ordered to
perform heinous acts of violence in situations like WWII Germany; this exact
ethical dilemma is resolved by the courts in support of disobedience even by
Terran standards within the film 'Nuts')
Vulcans are extremely capable of waiting. One of the best descriptions of
patience is having something to do while you wait. The Vulcans are capable
of high order calculation and thought inside the mind. If you can work on your
projects while you wait there is no reason to be in a hurry.

Perhaps so, and yet again perhaps it is a cultural difference in a similar

manner that, given the endless rebirths and focus on the present moment that
is often emphasised within Buddhism, perhaps such practices as sitting has
enabled the Vulcan to remain absorbed even without a lot of stimuli (this may
be the essence of 'nirvana' or 'zazen' despite their mystical and practical
descriptors (the first an extinguishment of craving the objects of desire, the
second a static absorption in the present moment)
Vulcan Specialty Schools
T'an sahat
The t'an sahat is the intellectual deconstruction of emotional patterns. It is to
be understood that the t'an sahat is a lifelong process, and that one will only
very slowly attain the mental control they strive for, which is why a daily
regimen of the following steps for the rest of one's life is necessary.
Acceptance: You must know that you are a freethinking individual, who can
make a choice for yourself. If you understand logic, then you will see that it is
logical to adopt the Vulcan way of life. Others will surely tell you that you
should not, but give you no logical reason. They will insist that you are
violating their rights by not laughing at their jokes, and jumping into a fight
with them, but you must realise that, as I said, you have the right to do what is
logical, and no one can take that away from you. You will find that it is difficult
to make friends, and that certain people may no longer wish to be your friend,
or vice versa. This is due to the fact that you are different. You should explain
to people that you have chosen a new way of life, and ask them to accept and
respect your choice, if they do not, then they are not truly your friends. Those
who stick with you and encourage your individuality will be worth more to you
than any other of life's riches, for they are true friends who do not wish to
discourage you. You will find that it is more difficult to make friends, but that is
only because your definition of a friend has changed. Instead of finding
someone who acts the same, and dresses the same and looks the same, you
will have a more meaningful relationship with someone who can understand
who you are.
Seclusion: It is important not to be influenced by the emotions of others. It is
possible, with Vulcan mental control, to be exposed to emotional stimuli and
not be influenced. However, in the first stages of the t'an sahat, where there is
a lack of control, the individual must prevent themselves from being
influenced. DO NOT watch television that is considered to be emotionally

moving. That will only complicate the situation. Use time carefully, and ask
yourself whether emotion or logic motivates a particular action. If your answer
is that you are acting on emotion, then stop immediately to reexamine the
situation.
It is not implied that all friendships and associations must cease, only that
there should be a period of solitude (a week or two) to attain mental control.
Emotions should be avoided to an extreme in this first stage. Later on, after
more control has been established, one will be able to reintegrate oneself into
their normal social life with the mental control needed to act logically despite
the irrational behaviour of others. Please note that the presence of fellow
Vulcans is encouraged in this and all stages in order to influence one in a
positive way.
The Study of Logic- During your periods of solitude it is essential that you
truly understand the nature of the principle that you have devoted your life to.
Therefore, you must study logic by reading encyclopaedias and various other
materials on logic and the science of reasoning. If you have not been taught
that certain things are right or wrong, then you must decide for yourself.
Through your newly found logical reasoning, ask yourself whether certain
actions are logical or not. However, logic is not about convenience. What is
logical to do may not be what you want to do. That's a good sign that you are
having a conflict within your mind, but don't let your wants overtake your
needs. Force yourself to do the logical thing instead of the emotional thing.
This will quicken your progress toward becoming dispassionate. You will
come to realise which actions are moral and which are corrupt through means
of logic. Hopefully, once you have a respectable knowledge of logic you will
be absolutely certain that logic is the key to knowledge, and that emotion
must be mastered in order to reach that state of knowledge that we as
Vulcans strive for.
Kolinahr
Kolinahr is the equanimity of the way is not simply a kind of emotional control,
though I know it may have been portrayed this way at times by Terran media.
Instead, look to the measured perspective of the Masters of taoism, their
acceptance of the twists and turns even of exciting times (a story relates a
sage nodding and saying 'so it is' each time a new twist of 'fate' render an
inversion of the circumstance) focus and attention would seem to be a very
important part of the more rational species or culture, and I presume the
Vulcan no exception to this (cf. Japan and some Chinese). Meditation (by its

various forms) would probably be essential to early training in any disciplined

system of education if these qualities were considered 'standard'

C'thia
Respect: This may actually be a subset of logic. Respect for others would
seem to be necessary in order to achieve peace and is of course the
foundation of IDIC. Respect for oneself is necessary before respect for others
can be achieved. Plus, we have seen examples of how Vulcans respect
elders in the clan and their parents.
Compassion: To me this is summed up in The spear in the other's heart is a
spear in your own . Is that not an ultimate statement of compassion for
others? We also see that Vulcan's have great compassion from their
reluctance to take life - sentient or not.
Desire for knowledge: This is actually just a Vulcan trait, and not necessary
for Surak's philosophy. However, how can one have logic if there is no
knowledge on which to base it? We see this in almost every Vulcan. They see
it as a waste not to learn as much as they can.
Discipline: Practicing the emotional control of c'thia or the rigours of Kolinahr
requires a considerable amount of self-control and meditation.
Meditation
Meditation encompasses an extremely broad array of practices connected to
many of the world's religious and philosophical traditions.
Meditation generally includes avoiding (though not harshly) random thought
processes and fantasies, and a calming and focusing of the mind. It is not
effortful, and can be experienced as just happening. Different practices
involve focusing one's attention differently, and a variety of positions and
postures including sitting cross-legged, standing, laying down, and walking
(sometimes along designated floor patterns).
The stated purpose of meditation varies almost as much as the practices. It
has been seen as a means of gaining experiential insight into the nature of
reality (religious/spiritual or not), or communing with the Deity/Ultimate
Reality. Even without the spiritual aspects, many have gained concentration,
awareness, self-discipline and equanimity.

Meditation is one of the most important tools in the process of mastering

emotions. Mental control is essential, and that control can be achieved
through meditation. One must customise a routine and engage in it daily to
have the desired effect. Later on, after more control has been established,
modifications can be made to this routine. These modifications will be
discusses later.
The following are some meditation exercises. Always go through step one to
attain a meditative state, then move on to other steps.
1) When attempting meditation one must be relaxed and in a comfortable
position. It is advised to only meditate when you are not very tired so that
the fatigue of your body will not cause you mind to be distracted. First,
fold your hands so that your index fingers are steepled together. With
eyes closed, imagine all the energy in your body flowing to the focal point
of your fingers. Feel all the physical space around you disappear. Your
exist only in your mind. Your mind is all that exists. Remain in this state for
a few minutes to help your mind achieve a meditative state. Observe
yourself in this meditative state, and try to move further into your mind
where logic is centralised. Try to focus on nothingness. Focus on the
focusing. There is no room in meditation for the things of the real world,
so file them away to clear your mind.
2) Picture yourself on an island such as Manhattan, and place yourself atop
a tall, sky scraping building. This building is the only one around though.
You are now meditating atop this building. You see the many clouds of
emotion surrounding the structure that is your logical mind. Notice the
peace that is being disturbed by these emotions. You realise that you
have the power to push them away with your mind. A strong wind coming
from your building appears. It blows the clouds away from your structure.
Concentrate on your emotional control. If there is little of it, you must
establish more. That is what we are attempting. Watch as your emotions
grow further away as you are being detached from them. They no longer
control you.
3) Picture yourself on an old sailing ship such as those used by early
explorers. The ship is in danger of sinking because strong waves of
emotion have breached the hull of the ship. Before you can make repairs
you must calm the waves of emotion. You start to meditate on the stern of
the ship. You simply use your mental control to imagine that you waves
are being calmed, and they are. The ship starts to regain attitude control,
and you can now repair the damage done to your logic from this storm of
illogic.

4) While in a meditative state, focus on a simple geometric shape such as a

circle or a triangle (whichever is preferred). Because of the immensely
powerful and undisciplined imagination, it is difficult to hold that shape for
any period of time. The imagination tries to distort the shape in order to
keep the mind occupied. The imagination, as well as the entire human
mind has logical and illogical (emotional) tendencies. However, you can
train you mind to use logic as means of entertainment, or occupation if
you will. When logic is the means of entertainment there is no longer a
possibility of feeling bored. Observe the illogical emotions trying to distort
the image that you have consciously created within you mind and use
logic to hold the image despite the tendencies that the imagination may
be going through. If it is successful, you can move on to straight lines and
quadrilaterals.

Modifications to your meditation routine:

1.) After you have established a reasonable amount of mental control through
meditation, usually after a month of daily meditation, you may find that the
techniques previously mentioned are no longer of any help in your quest to
become more logical. Here is what you should do. Instead of using a powerful
wind to push away your emotions, picture yourself installing lasers to the top
of the building by soldering them to several places on the top of the building.
You can now use them to push away each cloud of emotion. Just simply
picture the lasers pushing away the clouds, and you will attain mental control.
As you continue to gain mental control you can make the lasers bigger and
more powerful in order to illustrate how you can push them away easier.
Note; as you continually attain a meditative state, you may not need as much
time to do so, and you will be able to jump right onto your logical structure
instead of waiting for your mind to do so. You now have a lot more control, so
you can do things faster within your mind.
2.) While in a meditative state, go to the centre of your mind where the
Structure (logic) resides. Inevitably in step #2, you will see that the emotions
will resist being push away and controlled. Changing the nature of the
attraction can stop this. Since logic and emotion are essentially opposite
poles, you may find yourself imagining the emotions trying to cling to your
structure. You try and try to push them away but this is futile. I have already
stated that felling nothing is like never fighting the war, so if one does not fight
the emotion constantly, it is increasingly more likely that he/she will overcome
it, for emotion is war. You must imagine yourself pushing the clouds that are
emotion toward your structure. Since emotion will resist being controlled,
once you let go of the emotion it's inertia will carry it away from you. Try to

apply this to every emotional reaction in your daily life to keep control all day,
and not just in meditation. When you do this, you will change the nature of the
emotion itself, and you will be applying logic to a situation where emotion
wants power, which is always a good thing.
Endurance testing- after a reasonable amount of control has been
established within your mind, you can start to watch television that is
considered to be humorous to see if you can keep yourself from laughing. If
you cannot, it is a clear sign that you lack the control that is necessary for
daily life as a Vulcan and that you must work harder at it. Do not be
discouraged however, this will only make things worse. Try again if at first you
fail. Giving up is not a Vulcan virtue. It is now necessary to forewarn the
reader that even though some emotional stimuli is good at this point, there is
still the danger of the phenomenon known as pon farr. The pon farr is the
result of prolonged emotionlessness. You see, when one feels no emotion the
body does not release adrenaline, but continues to produce it, and when
there is an over abundance on adrenaline it can be very easy for it to be
released. When it is released it allows emotion to flow and disrupt logic. This
is the most psychologically difficult part of the t'an sahat, and may be
damaging, so it is advised that one avoid sexual stimuli at this point.
Samadhi - In the samadhi or shamatha, or concentrative, techniques of
meditation, the mind is kept closely focused on a particular word, image,
sound, person, or idea. This form of meditation is found in Buddhist and
Hindu traditions including Yoga, in Medieval Christianity, Jewish Kabbalah,
and in some modern metaphysical schools. Related to this method is the
method developed by Eknath Easwaran. He called it passage meditation -silent repetition in the mind of memorised inspirational passages from the
world's great religions. As Easwaran says, The slow, sustained concentration
on these passages drives them deep into our minds; and whatever we drive
deep into consciousness, that we become.
In Vipassana (insight, or seeing things as they are) meditation the mind is
trained to notice each perception or thought that passes, but without stopping
on any one. This is a characteristic form of meditation in Buddhism, especially
in some Theravada traditions, and is also a component of zazen, the term for
meditation practice in Zen. In at least some forms of vipassana, you do not
attend to whatever perceptions arise, but purposely move your attention over
your body part by part, checking for perceptions, being aware and
equanimous with them, and moving on. This form of meditation has some
resemblance with choice-less awareness the kind of meditation that Jiddu
Krishnamurti talked about.

In annapuna meditation attention is focused on the breath.

Logic
The word logic in Terran English may be only a poor translation from the
corresponding Vulcan text. Vulcan dictionaries provide 'reason-truth' and 'the
way (things are)'.
Logic is exact and valid reasoning. It is the belief of Vulcans (as well as other
followers of Surak) that everything in life should revolve around logic, and that
logic itself is the fundamental constant in the universe.
A Vulcan philosopher by the name of TPlana'hath once said, Logic is the
cement of our civilisation with which we ascend from chaos using reason as
our guide.
The fundamental philosophical difference between Vulcans and traditional
Humans is that Vulcans only use emotion when it is logical, and Humans only
use logic to suit an emotional need.
Roughly speaking, logic is the study of prescriptive systems of reasoning, that
is, systems proposed as guides for how people (as well, perhaps, as other
intelligent beings/machines/ systems) ought to reason. Logic says which
forms of inference are valid and which are not.
Traditionally, logic is studied as a branch of philosophy, but it can also be
considered a branch of mathematics. How people actually reason is usually
studied under other headings, including cognitive psychology. Logic is
traditionally divided into deductive reasoning, concerned with what follows
logically from given premises, and inductive reasoning, concerned with how
we can go from some number of observed events to a reliable generalisation.
As a science, logic defines the structure of statement and argument and
devises formulae by which these are codified. Implicit in a study of logic is the
understanding of what makes a good argument and what arguments are
fallacious.
Philosophical logic deals with formal descriptions of natural language. Most
philosophers assume that the bulk of normal proper reasoning can be
captured by logic, if one can find the right method for translating ordinary
language into that logic.

There are many different kinds of even Terran logic beyond the Aristotelian
(cf. Nagarjuna, whose ideas may prove more closely related to those
examined by writers on Vulcan philosophy)
Here are some examples of logical equations and instances.
1. Argument I Form I
2. No one putting profits first is putting Vulcan rights first. No P is V
3. This person is putting profits first. This H is P
4. Therefore: Therefore:
5. This person is not putting Vulcan rights first. This H is not V
In this case a person putting profits first cannot also put Vulcan rights first. It
is an impossibility for an H that is P to be V.
Below, only the facts are given and conclusions are made only by the facts.
A implies B
If A implies B, then B does not necessarily imply A. This is like saying that just
because all Tigers are cats, that all cats are Tigers.
All As have Bs, and all As are Cs. Therefore, all Cs have Bs. This is an
illogical way of thinking.
It is like saying that just because all Tigers have stripes and that all Tigers are
cats, that all cats have stripes. It is obviously illogical.
All As have Bs, and all As have Cs, are the premises of the equation.
Therefore, all Cs have Bs is the conclusion drawn from the premises.
If A cannot be B, and C is A, then C also cannot be B.
If A cannot be B, and C is B, then C cannot be A.
Does logic necessarily negate faith?There is no need for faith where the Way
is known. intellectual logic only succeeds in making faith unnecessary, yet it
has its limitations of value. Faith might be likened to a forward declaration in a
programming language, giving just enough information for the following
declaration to make sense. There is a book describing the problem solution
style of these kinds of things ( Wicked Problems, Righteous Solutions , ISBN

0-13-590126-X). It is the kind of problem where a solution is known only after

the fact. Classic a priori logic tends to break down in these cases.
...didn't Spock talk to Valeris about faith in ST6, referring back to their
discussion that logic is only the beginning of wisdom, and the very thing he
realises he didn't have in regards to Kirk?
Within that series, Mr. Spock may not be the most eloquent exponent, at that
point, of Vulcan philosophy, even in such intimate conversations.
nevertheless, it is possible that he understood that there is a difference
between the Vulcan c'thia and logic by strict standards, and was intending to
mean it in a more rational, intellectual sense (as it is sometimes called
'reason-truth')

Lyras Lecture on Logic

Robert L Zook presents a translation of a lecture given by Lyras in ShiKahr
shortly after the death of Surak. The contents later formed a basis for his
monumental volume, Logic and Definition.
Lyras'at C'thia ang Kh'sparkeyralatha
DEFINITION AND MEANING
Consider the word 'staff', and what this word means to: a farmer, a priest, and
a warrior. The farmer may use that word to refer to an object used to prop
oneself up when lame, or hurt. To the priest 'staff' may refer to an object used
to represent his divine authority. A warrior would doubtless think a 'staff'
referred to an object one uses as a weapon against one's enemies.
When we consider how this word, refers to different existential experiences
for each person, to say that 'staff' or any other word has one definite or one
'true' meaning shows a certain lack of understanding about the purposes of
words.
A word does not have any inherent meaning in itself, but rather finds definition
in it's use. One makes clear what one means when using a word by indicating
the experiences associated with it. How does one do this? By using other
words, of course. Does it seem we have encountered an recursive system?
Perhaps, but this one will endeavour to show a way out.

When someone asks the question, what do you mean? , the asker of the
question shows that they did not understand your use of the word and asks
for a definition. We shall examine several ways of defining words, and
evaluate their usefulness in relating experiences accurately.
One can define a word in a most basic way by providing a synonym. By
saying, in effect, it is like this other experience set . Our dictionaries contain
many such definitions. For example, a staff resembles a rod.
Classification of experience can provide another way of defining a word. One
says that, this word represents an instance of this category . The word
leh'matya refers to a type of animal, one with poisonous claws , for example.
One can define a word by enumerating a group of words to which it refers to
collectively. For example: animal includes leh'matya, selaht, and teresh-kah.
A fourth way would involve defining by example. For instance, One calls that
animal over there a selaht.
Lastly, you may define a word by describing how one would going about
experiencing for oneself that event which the word refers to. I could say,
When you combine these ingredients in these proportions and cook them in
this manner, you will have cooked plomeek soup.
This one will refer to these five types of definitions as definition by synonym,
definition by classification, definition by enumeration, definition by example
and definition by operation, respectively.
Now let us examine the actual usefulness of these methods of defining
words. Firstly, a definition by synonym has usefulness only if the synonym
seems closer to our experiences than the word defined. To those who can
only regard sodium chloride as a noise, may certainly understand what salt
refers to. The reverse situation is rarely true [Translator's Note: I substituted
my own analogy here; the one Lyras used did not translate into English very
well].
Definitions by classification usually have more use than definitions by
synonym. I can make it more clear to someone who has never seen a
leh'matya, what one seems like by saying, A leh'matya refers to a omnivorous
animal having poisonous claws, and diamond shaped markings , than by
saying a leh'matya seems like a big cat (definition by synonym).

However, definitions by classification do not necessarily bring us closer to

experience. One can define a rhikbat as an animal with jaws that bite, and
claws that slice. However that definition does not bring us closer to an
experience of a rhikbat [Translator's note: rhikbat refers to a non-existent
animal from ancient Vulcan legend, used by ancient Vulcan mothers to
frighten their children into obeying]. One can string any words together in this
manner and make it seem one has clarified one's meaning. For example, The
Good is what all things aim at. That phrase definitely does not bring us closer
to any particular experience.
Definitions by enumeration have usefulness if the members of a class will
seem closer to experience than the class itself. For example, one may have
familiarity with a leh'matya but not know that a biologist refers to it and others
like it as felines [Translator's note: 'felines' = my best guess; the word on the
original manuscript had blurred unrecognisably].
Of course definitions by enumeration have their drawbacks as well. Some
words do not refer to classes, like 'the sun', and other may refer to classes
who's members one could not practically enumerate, like 'Vulcan'. To define
'Vulcan' by enumeration, one would have to refer to some several billion
beings now in existence. Fortunately, however, usually only a few cases
would make one's meaning clear.
A great advantage to definitions by example lies in that one cannot define
fictional entities in this manner. As we all know, Surak's presence no longer
resides among us, so no event can we point to define the word 'Surak'. The
greatest value one can gain from defining by example lies in that such
definitions _do_ bridge the gap between words and experience. The only
difficulty lies in words which do exist but one cannot point to them, as such.
For example, electric current, or atoms.
An operational definition succeeds quite well in cases involving such abstract
words. One can define an atom by describing the experiments one would
have to make in order to experience or detect an atom. In a similar manner
one can describe an experiment which would demonstrate the existence of
the phenomena one calls 'electric current'.
Operational definitions also have the advantage that one cannot describe the
steps to be taken to demonstrate some event that does not exist. They also
directly bridge the gap from words to experience. Some Velarian definitions
(like definition by synonym and definition by classification) [Translator's Note:
by which Lyras means the work of the ancient Vulcan philosopher Velar, who

coincidently has a direct earth corollary in Aristotle], seemed formed very

closely to operational definition and one can translate these to the operational
equivalent, without changing the meaning.
For example, The followers of Surak, believe in non- violence , which on the
surface seems like a Velarian definition. However, one can also call this an
operational definition, since it implies the procedure to follow to demonstrate
the experience that the definition refers to; one can go and ask a great
number of those called the followers of Surak, and indeed, they will
acknowledge that they follow the path of non-violence.
In modern Vulcan one calls Velarian definitions, 'intentional definitions', and
definitions by enumeration, example and operation; 'extensional definitions'.
For the purposes of sharing experience, of bridging the gap between words
and experience, one prefers extensional definitions. One will find that when
one bridges the gap between language and experience, the bridge has
formed itself of an enumerative, example or operational definition.
Translated by Robert L. Zook II Vulcan by choice Vulcan Science Academy,
ShiKahr
Philosophy of Logic
Philosophy is traditionally defined as the love of wisdom, the ability to think
well about the foundations of human action, the nature of reality, and the
purposes and priorities of life. The enterprise of philosophy requires
sharpening the skills necessary for clarifying premises, uncovering
presuppositions (one's own and those of others), weighing the pros and cons
of conflicting values, and analysing concepts and issues.
A principal reason for the study of philosophy and/or religion is the enrichment
of one's own life and understanding. However, the study of philosophy is an
excellent preparation for a variety of post-baccalaureate professional studies.
These range from law and policy planning through the helping professions to
computer science. Philosophy and religion offers preparation for the helping
professions, the ministry, and advanced studies in theology. In addition, the
broader outlook and the ability to think critically about larger issues that are
fostered by the systematic study of philosophy and religion are often highly
valued by commercial firms in their management level personnel.
The relationship between evidence and hypothesis is fundamental to the
advancement of science. It is this relationship--referred to as the relationship

between premises and conclusion--which lies at the heart of logic. Logic, in

this traditional sense, is the study of correct inference. It is the study of formal
structures and non-formula relations that hold between evidence and
hypothesis, reasons and belief, or premises and conclusion. It is the study of
both conclusive (or monotonic) and inconclusive (no monotonic or ampliative)
inferences or, as it is also commonly described, the study of both entailments
and inductions. Specifically, logic involves the detailed study of formal
systems designed to exhibit such entailments and inductions. More generally,
though, it is the study of those conditions under which evidence rightly can be
said to justify, entail, imply, support, corroborate, confirm, or falsify a
conclusion.
In this broad sense, logic in the twentieth century has come to include, not
only theories of formal entailment, but informal logic, probability theory,
confirmation theory, decision theory, game theory, and theories of
computability and epistemic modelling as well. As a result, over the course of
the century the study of logic has benefited, not only from advances in
traditional fields such as philosophy and mathematics, but also from
advances in other fields as diverse as computer science and economics.
Through Frege and others late in the nineteenth century, mathematics helped
transform logic from a merely formal discipline to a mathematical one as well,
making available to it all the resources of contemporary mathematics. In turn,
logic opened up new avenues of investigation concerning reasoning in
mathematics, thereby helping to develop new branches of mathematical
research -- including set theory and category theory -- relevant to the
foundations of mathematics itself. Similarly, much of twentieth-century
philosophy -- including advances in metaphysics, epistemology, the
philosophy of mathematics, and the philosophy of science, the philosophy of
language, and formal semantics -- closely parallels this century's logical
developments. These advances have led in turn to a broadening of logic and
to a deeper appreciation of its application and extent. Finally, logic has
provided many of the underlying theoretical results that have motivated the
advent of the computing era, learning as much from the systematic
application of these ideas as it has from any other source.
Mathematical Logic
Arithmetic and/or algebraic equations are simply the basic principals of logical
thinking put into written sentences. There is no debating a mathematical
equation. An answer is either correct or incorrect, never in between. In fact,
even the most complex mathematical equations that we can identify with are

much less complex, and have much less variables than the seemingly
unpredictable and endless equation of life. The truth is, that the many
variables of life can be put into a logical, or mathematical equation by which
valid predictions can be made.
The relatively primitive nature of most arithmetic equations allows us to look
at them in a logical manner despite our illogical emotions. Unfortunately, the
vast equation of life does not make such exceptions, and for those who lack
Vulcan mental control, it seems as though the equation is not very predictable
or reliable when in fact, it is. Life itself can be described as an extremely
complex example of a mathematical equation. Ideally, there must be a logical
way to approach and solve the equation that will always produce an accurate
result. The problem is that our emotions impede, or obstruct our view of the
correct answer to the equation of life and existence, which we all ponder
constantly.
Motivation
The emotional reaction to this proposal is that one should not be able to
predict the outcome of an event because the individual would not have any
reason to live. In other words, emotional people see life as only being
interesting if there is illogical, emotional unpredictability, and that life is not
worth living otherwise.
Actually, it is very naive of us to assume that there is only one such motive in
the universe. Emotions are not the only source of motivation. The Vulcan
philosophy insists that life should not be approached in an emotional manner.
The motive of a Vulcan would be to strive for knowledge, not to live life for its
unpredictability. Another motive for Vulcans is to reach the desired state of
unemotional, impassivity, which is the main drive for Vulcans through life. It is
also the belief of Vulcans that knowledge is the only defence against harmful
things, and that
Logic is the key to knowledge . For example, the only way you can solve an
arithmetic equation is by having knowledge of the appropriate operations.
Likewise, knowledge of the universe will help humanity surpass intellectual
barrier after another.
Hopefully, it is understood that logic is the generally accepted form of
reasoning in the universe.

Why? You may ask, Because it is the only constant in the field of philosophy .
Everything in the universe (other than emotion) seems to act in a logical
manner. All evidence suggests that the mind is built on logical reasoning and
that emotion is the only thing preventing us from seeing logic 100% of the
time.
Normally I would have to argue that things are relative to the observer, but
this is not the case when dealing with forms of reasoning. I would claim that
logic is absolute. It cannot be rebutted. You see, logic is the method of
scrutinising logic. It doesn't work. Emotion is the only way to disprove logic.
The reason disproving logic doesn't work is, as stated, you would have to use
logic to logically disprove it, but the specifics behind this concept are that a
thing can be analysed so much that no more can be said about it. So, I say
that logic is absolute, and innate in everyone. But emotions are as well, so
there is a conflict. Our minds are built upon both. So you may say, How can I
be told to deny half of who I am? I would reply by saying, We have seen far
too much chaos due to emotion. History shows us as much, so we must learn
to... not deny, but master our emotions, so that they do not control us. When
one is engulfed in passion, they cannot see logic, or perhaps they choose to
ignore it, but when one is in a logical state of mind, they cannot easily be
made violent.
Reason
In philosophy, reason (from Latin ratio, by way of French raison) is the faculty
by means of which or the process through which human beings perform
thought, especially abstract thought. Many thinkers have pondered reason,
and the various views on the nature of reason may not be compatible with
one another.
Reason is sometimes narrowly defined as the faculty or process of drawing
logical inferences. From Aristotle onwards, such reasoning has been
classified as either deductive reasoning, meaning from the general to the
particular , or inductive reasoning, meaning from the particular to the general .
In the 19th century, Charles Pierce, an American philosopher, added a third
classification, abductive reasoning, by which he meant from the best available
information to the best explanation , which has become an important
component of the scientific method. In modern usage, inductive reasoning
sometimes includes almost all non-deductive reasoning, including what
Pierce would call abductive . (See also logic, term logic.)

Reason has also been conceived more broadly. George Lakoff and Mark
Johnson explicate reason and its scope in this manner:
Reason includes not only our capacity for logical inference, but also our ability
to conduct inquiry, to solve problems, to evaluate, to criticise, to deliberate
about how we should act, and to reach an understanding of ourselves, other
people, and the world.
Reason is often opposed to sensation, perception, feeling, and desire.
Rationalists see reason as the faculty by which fundamental truths are
intuitively apprehended. These fundamental truths are the causes or reasons
that things exist or happen. Empiricists, of course, deny the existence of such
a faculty.
For Immanuel Kant, reason (Vernunft in Kant's German language) is the
power of synthesising into unity, by means of comprehensive principles, the
concepts provided by the intellect. The reason which gives a priori principles
Kant calls Pure Reason (as in his The Critique of Pure Reason), as
distinguished from the Practical Reason which is specially concerned with the
performance of particular actions.
In theology, reason, as distinguished from faith, is the human intelligence
exercised upon religious truth whether by way of discovery or by way of
explanation. The limits within which reason may be used have been laid down
differently in different churches and periods of thought: on the whole, modern
Christianity, especially in the Protestant churches, tends to allow to reason a
wide field, reserving, however, as the sphere of faith the ultimate
(supernatural) truths of theology.
Regardless of how it is conceived, reason has often been seen as a uniquely
human trait, which separates us from the other animals.
These days, the idea of reason as an independent faculty of the mind,
separate from emotions, and unique to humanity, is under attack from a
number of sources.
Emotion
Emotion is a subjective, internal experience correlated with a group of
physiological reactions arising in response to some situation. It is usually held
that an emotion cannot be consciously willed to occur at any particular time,

although accounts differ on the extent to which one can train oneself (or be
trained) over time to experience a particular emotion. In an experience of
emotion there is a feeling, or affective, response (e.g., sadness, anger, joy), a
physiological response (changes in internal bodily functioning), a cognitive
response (an interpretation of the situation), and possibly also a behavioural
response (an outward expression).
Questions concerning the mystery of human emotion were the territory of a
number of disciplines until the development of modern psychology. Over the
last century, psychologically based theories have provided influential, if
incomplete explanations of how emotional experience is produced.
The James-Lange theory proposes that conscious conclusions about what we
are feeling form in reaction to physiological changes occurring in the body.
The Cannon-Bard Approach proposes that the lower brain initially receives
emotion-producing information and then relays it simultaneously to the higher
cortex for interpretation and to the nervous system to trigger physiological
responses.
The Schacher-Singer Approach gives highest importance to the cognitive
skills that create an interpretation of the situation and so provide a framework
for the individual's behavioural response.
The Opponent-Process Approach views emotions as sets of pairs, one
positive and one negative. When an emotion-producing stimulus is present,
one of the pair is suppressed so that the more situationally appropriate
emotion is felt intensely.
The feeling component of emotion encompasses a vast spectrum of possible
responses. Psychologists have attempted to offer general classifications of
these responses, and as with the colour spectrum, systematically
distinguishing between them largely depends on the level of precision
desired. One of the most influential classification approaches is Robert
Plutchik's eight primary emotions - anger, fear, sadness, disgust, surprise,
curiosity, acceptance and joy. Plutchik argues for the primacy of these
emotions by showing each to be the trigger of behaviour with high survival
value (i.e. fear: fight or flight).
Principally involved in the physiological component of emotion are: the
autonomic nervous system (ANS), the limbic system, and the hypothalamus.

There is considerable debate as to whether emotions and emotional

experiences are universal or culturally determined.
In his book Descartes' Error, the neurologist Antonio Damasio has developed
a universal model for human emotions. This model is based on a rejection of
the Cartesian body-mind dualism that he believes has crippled scientific
attempts to understand human behaviour, and draws on psychological case
histories and his own neuropsychological experiments. He began with the
assumption that human knowledge consists of dispositional representations
stored in the brain. He thus defines thought as the process by which these
representations are manipulated and ordered.
One of these representations, however, is of the body as a whole, based on
information from the endocrine and peripheral nervous systems. Damasio
thus defines emotion as: the combination of a mental evaluative process,
simple or complex, with dispositional responses to that process, mostly
toward the body proper, resulting in an emotional body state, but also toward
the brain itself (neurotransmitter nuclei in the brain stem), resulting from
additional mental changes.
Damasio distinguishes emotions from feelings, which he takes to be a more
inclusive category. He argues that the brain is continually monitoring changes
in the body, and that one feels an emotion when one experiences such
changes in juxtaposition to the mental images that initiated the cycle.
Damasio thus further distinguishes between primary emotions, which he
takes to be innate, and secondary emotions, in which feelings allow people to
form systematic connections between categories of objects and situations, on
the one hand, and primary emotions, on the other.
Damasio has suggested that the neurological mechanisms of emotion and
feeling evolved in humans because they create strong biases to situationally
appropriate behaviours that do not require conscious thought. He argued that
the time-consuming process of rational thought often decreases one's
chances of survival in situations that require instant decisions.
A person's mood is the emotion a human feels at a particular time.
A person's way of an ardent demonstrative heart-felt expression dictated by
the intellectual judgment at and for a particular moment.

Emotion is a result of the mind reacting or responding on prompted situation.

A person's greatest emotional source is the brain. It is the core of all activity in
human function. The actions taken could be physical or psychological.
Emotions are from the psychological results of varied experiences, past and
present. Prompting a person to react in many different ways. Emotion is
never controlled. For even if you have controlled your supposed reaction, it
remains an emotional stress. Usually, our reactions comes from peoples
actions towards us. Even when we are alone, we will arrive at a certain
reaction towards ourselves like boredom or sadness making us emotional
without noticing it. Without show of emotion.. a person is considered dead.
Insensitive people are the least to show emotion but that it doesn't mean they
are without it.
Philosophers have considered the problem of emotions from a number of
different angles, and in recent years have attempted to integrate, or at least
relate, accounts of emotion found in literature, psychoanalysis, behavioural
psychology, neurobiology and in the philosophical literature itself. Martha
Nussbaum, to take one example, has issued a recent challenge to theorists of
emotion who understand emotions to be irrational states grafted onto a
rational, emotionless thought process. This understanding of emotions may
be considered the epiphenomenal account; emotions may be the end product
of cognitive processes -- such as a feeling of anger upon realising that one's
been cheated -- but they can never take their place among other mental
states, such as believing, as equals. In this account, one may, for example,
reason perfectly well about an ethical quandary without experiencing emotion.
In Nussbaum's account, emotions are essentially cognitive states of a
subject; what distinguishes emotions from other thoughts is that they refer to
events or states in the world that directly relate to what she terms the
individual's own self-flourishing. Here, self-flourishing refers to a constellation
of concepts taken from the Aristotelian notion of Eudaimonia.
Nussbaum's primary goal in her recent work on emotion is to support this
cognitive account of emotions against the epiphenomenal account by
showing how emotions both have a logic -- can be considered to follow
coherently or not upon one another -- and are directly responsive to external
facts. For Nussbaum, the fact that the emotion of jealousy can coexist with
that of love, but not with that of, say, friendly feeling is a consequence of their
cognitive properties. Accounts of psychoanalysis and of the sequence of
emotions experienced when listening to music are also, in Nussbaum's view,
supportive of the cognitivist account.

The Vulcan freedom from emotion sometimes made it difficult to get along
with; they never got jokes, for instance, and were fascinated by what went on
around him, but never amused. Because he had no emotions, he made all his
decisions with cool rationality, and because he wasted no mental energy on
emotions, had had a superhuman degree of intelligence, insight, and logic.
It is taught to Vulcan children from birth that any show of emotion or illogic is
frowned upon and must be controlled. Children are schooled in the art of logic
from a young age, as well as the mind discipline needed to retain that control.
This is mainly achieved through the use of meditation and mental techniques.
Emotions are complex anti-logical subroutines within the Human mind.
Emotions are always illogical. They cloud our view of right and wrong, or what
is logical and what is not by causing the logical neuro-pathways in our
thought processes to skew and fork away from the correct solution, logic.
Do not misunderstand me when I say that emotions are always illogical. True,
it is always illogical to have an emotional response, or to act emotionally, but
at times emotion and logic agree. For instance, I do not wish to kill my friend
because I love him, but it is not logical to kill him either, because I respect him
as a living being. And there are other times, where relying on deterministic
methods is not logical, and thus a random choice must be made.
The good news is that those emotions can be deconstructed or at least
controlled. One key to impassivity is mental control. This can be achieved
through extensive meditation and other techniques that are discussed below.
One thing that must be noted here is that the Vulcans are taught to control
their emotions, that does not mean that they do not experience them. They
just do not allow them to enter into their thoughts, decision-making, or day-today life. Why would they need to meditate or learn the control techniques at
all if this were not so? A human being can experience great anger, but be able
to rationally control such anger, to even reject it so as to not have it disrupt
things. It does not mean the anger was not present only that they did not
allow it to get in the way.
Examining a Vulcans emotionless state is one of the themes in Emotion: The
Science of Sentiment (Oxford University Press) by Dylan Evans, a short, witty
review of the current scientific and evolutionary views on emotion. It is easy to
find in western philosophy a trend to regard emotions as a drain on the
intellect. Certainly people can act on emotions and do themselves harm. But
emotions are there for a reason. A creature who lacks emotion wouldn't just

not get jokes, he wouldn't act as intelligently as emotion-feeling humans in

other ways as well. Emotions are complicated things, and species do not
evolve complicated things unless there is a real benefit to them. For instance,
fear is a beneficial emotion.
Perhaps Vulcans evolved in a place where there was no reason to fear
anything (truly an alien environment, we would say), but for our world, fear
helps animals react swiftly to danger, marshalling hormones and shifts in
muscle activity. Disgust is another emotion thought of as unpleasant, but
disgust enables us to avoid yucky substances that could be infectious or
poisonous to us.
Most researchers would include fear, disgust, joy, distress, anger, and
surprise in a list of basic emotions. Darwin himself thought that there was a
universality of human emotions shared by all cultures, and that this was
evidence that humans had evolved together and then the races and cultures
had separated. However, this view was not generally held until fairly recently;
it was supposed that just as your culture teaches you language, it also
teaches you what emotions are part of your world and how to display them.
Not true; experiments in the 1960's showed that a remote tribe that had never
seen western media could match pictures of faces to the proper emotion, and
in reverse, Americans could recognise the emotions being shown by tribal
members who were asked to display fear, anger, etc. Emotions, at least some
of the basic ones, are indeed universal and part of our genetic rather than
cultural heritage.
Darwin also thought that although emotions are universal, their expressions
were no longer of value; they were vestiges of an ancient time, when baring
teeth, say, was a good way to intimidate competitors. It is quite possible that
he was following the disdain in which scientists and philosophers had held the
emotions. Actually, neurological research is showing that not only is making
expressions automatic and hard-wired, but reading the expressions of others
is deeply and universally ingrained, too. There are deep-seated structures
within the limbic area of the brain that do the recognition, and as you would
suspect, a person with brain damage in the area cannot pick up the clues
about what other people are going through. We evolved with the capacity for
such recognition because we can learn from the emotions of others. Because
emotions are hard to fake, we get some idea of whom we should trust.
Some cultures do have emotions that others don't. The Gurumbha people of
New Guinea get into an emotional state called being a wild pig, in which they,
well, behave like wild pigs. It is a state understood and sympathised with by

onlookers. Some maintain that romantic love is a product of western

upbringing, and C. S. Lewis wrote that it was invented in Europe in the twelfth
century. He certainly should have known better; the Song of Songs predates
courtly love by a millennium or so, and expresses love quite beautifully.
Something similar to romantic love has been found with confidence in 90% of
cultures studied.
Hobbes thought that emotions encouraged selfishness, and Kant taught that
although emotions might lead us to do the right thing, when they did so, doing
the right thing was not truly virtuous. Virtuous behaviour was to obey moral
laws without emotion. Emotional response to a moral choice, however, helps
us make decisions that would be considered virtuous, generally beneficial for
those involved rather than only looking out for number one.
All in all, emotions have gotten a bad press for centuries. Emotion, a valuable
small primer, helps set the record straight, with amusing examples and
fascinating explanations of the experiments that have helped make the role of
emotions plain. The lesson is driven home repeatedly: emotions are good for
us, they help (not hinder) rationality, and they are there because natural
selection has used them to get us around a dangerous, unpredictable world.
It has often been said that our emotions are what make us human that they
separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom. But what, really, is an
emotion? Hasnt everybody seen animals that appear to display happiness or
sadness, anger or fear? What then, makes human emotions different?
This point, among others, is addressed by researcher Dylan Evans in his new
book, Emotion: The Science of Sentiment (Oxford University Press, $15.95).
Indeed, Evans covers quite a lot of ground in this fairly small volume. Much of
it is devoted to the discussion of how our emotions can actually make us
more rational, rather than as is often supposed less.
Along the way, he does a good job of discussing research indicating that
emotions do indeed play a part in our rational decision-making and illustrating
how this is so. Though, he notes, people need to have the right amount of
emotion or else it does indeed interfere. So, could the use of emotions in the
human thought process be part of what separates us from other animals?
Evans notes that many animals do indeed show some types of emotions
similar to our own. This indicates that these emotions must have evolved
quite a while ago, while those not shown by other animals are more recent
advances.

Basic emotions, Evans says, are universal and innate they are not
learned. These include joy, distress, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust. Other
universal emotions, which he calls higher cognitive emotions, involve more
use of the human brain. These include love, guilt, shame, pride, and jealousy.
Some culture-specific emotions are learned as a person grows up in that
culture, but these are the exceptions to most human emotions.
But why would something like love or guilt evolve in humans? Evans
discusses some of the reasons these types of emotions would appear and
how they have helped people to succeed in the gene pool.
So if it is higher emotions that separate us from animals, what about future
dreams for artificial intelligence will computers ever gain emotions, or will
they forever remain complex adding machines? Evans details the points on
both sides of this debate, noting that some experts think emotional computers
will be in operation within the next fifty years.
He also addresses the issue of whether this is such a good idea, especially
since when most people think of emotional computers, they think along the
lines of science fiction movies, which often focus on evil computers like HAL
of 2001 or the computer armies of Terminator. But referring back to his earlier
discussion of how emotions can actually help in the reasoning process,
Evans says it may be quite useful to give them to computers.
Also in the area of science fiction, fans of Star Trek will find that they have a
bone to pick with Evans. The author uses Spock, a half-Vulcan from that
series, as an example of a human-like being with no emotions. He then goes
on to explain why intelligent beings could never evolve in such a way.
Unfortunately, he misses the point that any Trek fan would know Vulcans do
indeed have emotions, they just use mental exercises to keep them buried. A
small point, perhaps, but if a person is going to write a book that includes
such references especially when mentioned multiple times he should
have made sure they were correct.
Whether or not science fiction ever becomes science fact and we end up
interacting with sentimental computers (probably not Vulcans, though),
humans still have plenty of work to do in looking at how our own emotions
work. Anybody who is interested in such an overview will find Emotions an
enjoyable and informative read.

(N.B. Meritt continues on, collecting articles on various subjects related to

C'Thia, but they are not strictly about C'Thia, per se. A link to the full text can
be found at the beginning of the Kir'Shara.)

Section 4
Further Teachings.
1.
We are enslaved. Emotion is our Master. As all good slaves do, we perform
our duty without thought. Without question.
2.
Emancipation is within our grasp. The way to freedom is through thought. The
way to freedom is through questions.
3.
To turn the table is our goal. To be Master of our emotions and they our
slaves.
4.
It is not enough to coexist. For they will fight for control of our minds and
actions. This cannot be allowed.
5.
Through logic, we can make emotions work for us. Reason before emotion.
Logic before irrationality.
6.
Allow even one emotion freedom and others will follow its lead. Hold tightly to
the leash and force emotion to follow your logic.
7.
Be impassive in nature, outlook and action. Remain calm against all odds.
Hatred only breeds hatred. Fear only breeds fear.

8.
Accept your failings. Let them go. To dwell on a failure only compounds it.
Gain knowledge from it and understand it. It is past.
9.
I do not speak, for there is nothing to say. I speak, for it must be spoken.
10.
How do you pass through water without causing ripples? Passing through life
is like passing through water. Ripples will be made. How large or small those
ripples are must be governed by reason, logic, empathy and compassion.
11.
Is it better to prepare for the inevitable, or to attempt the improbable. Reason
and logic will show the way.
12.
Be fair, just and reasoned in your dealings with others. Give no greater weight
to one as you would with another. Let reason, logic, empathy and compassion
be your only guides in this.
13.
Live within your means. Neither lend to or borrow from others. If you have
more than you need and others require it, do not lend. Give.
14.
The world/Universe is beautiful and ugly. Observe, appreciate and
understand both with equal measure.
15.
"Where there is no emotion, there is no motive for violence." - Spock.

16.
"Insults are only effective where emotion is present." - Spock.
17.
"Insufficient facts always invite danger." - Spock.
18.
"To make sense from two mentalities of such extreme viewpoint is not
logical." - Spock.
19.
"Humans find it easier to understand the death of one than the death of a
million." - Spock.
20.
"The demands on a [C'thian's] character are extraordinary. Do not mistake
composure for ease." - Tuvok.
21.
"We often fear what we do not understand. Our best defence is knowledge." Tuvok.

This is the Kir'Shara. It begins and ends with the Rules of Surak. All else is
discussion, interpretation and exploration of these rules.
They are the basis, the rock and the foundation. Any deviation is not C'Thia
and, thus, without foundation.
The journey begins and ends with these rules, but the journey will take your
entire life.
Surak's rules:
"1. Do nothing to speed up entropy. Cast out fear, cast out hate and rage for
these emotions shall speed up the universe's movement into chaos. Use
compassion to slow our continuous entropic movement.
"2. Do not harm nor kill. Harm shall speed up entropy in the universe, and
oneself. All actions have equal reactions. The Spear in the other's heart is a
spear in your own: you are he. Violence breeds Violence. Death brings death,
and Hate places hate upon oneself. Can you return to life what you take from
it? Then be slow to take a life.
"3. Do not violate one's own intimacy. For it remain precious if one does not
violate it. Privacy is unique and solemn, to violate a secret place shall turn
that place to torment. Reach out with courtesy, accept other's reaching with
careful hands.
"4. Use Reason above all else. What is -- is. Accept the things one cannot
change, change the things one can. Learn to discern what was, what will be,
and what one envisions from the reality of the now. "Learn the truth of reality
-- the truth of reality. Learn Clear thought. Cast out fear. This will set our world
free."

There are things one should do, if one want to be logical:

*Cast out fear, rage, hate, and cast out passion, love, and joy.
*Continuously learn new things.

*Improve ones ability to learn; to store memories and to access stored

knowledge from the memory.
*Do the logical thing -- not what ones emotions are suggesting.
*Find out which errors one have and eliminate them.
*Make sure that one is in good physical form -- it is the logical thing to do -because a situation that demands it might become a reality any time.
*Be creative, because that is necessary for a good physical health, and
because it helps one to find new ideas, and new solutions to a problem.
*Meditate, and keep one's self-control.
*Train and keep the mind trimmed with mathematics and science.
*Be patient.
*Remember that the spear in the others heart is the spear in one's own heart
-- be polite and compassionate, and don't do things against others that you
do not want others to do against you.
*Improve ones minds capacity and abilities with memory techniques, logical
thinking, meditation, techniques that helps one do calculations in ones head,
and techniques.
*Take control of ones emotions.
*Be precise and avoid misunderstandings -- many quarrels and wars have
been caused by misunderstandings.
*Imagine oneself in other peoples situation -- be understanding.
*Find new and better ways to meditate, to do calculations, and to improve
ones memory.

Live long and in peace.