MichelleBelanger's The Vampire codex (V)
05:55 Sep 06 2012
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The Vampire Codex
The Vampire Codex is a document written by occultist and psychic vampire MichelleBelanger for use as the instructional text of House Kheperu (www.kheperu.org).
The prototype of this work was first set to paper in late 1991. A specially printed version wasoffered to select students in conjunction with the International Society of Vampires beginning in 1995. Later revisions led to the Sanguinarium edition, published by theSanguiarium Press in October 2000. This version is derived from the Sanguinariumedition which also came to be circulated widely on the Internet.The Vampire Codex has had a significant impact on the worldwide community of psychic vampires, becoming the fundamental text used by numerous Houses, Orders,Covens, and Clans. It is hosted on www.quinotaur.org as well as numerous others and hasinfluenced the teachings of vampire groups throughout the US, Canada, and WesternEurope. It has also come to the attention of several noteworthy occult organizations,including the Temple of Set, the IOT and the Church of Satan. (Peter Gilmore, currenthead of the Church of Satan, expressed his disappointment at Michelle's absence at the New York City release of "V" as he wanted her autograph on the special edition of theCodex released with that work).
As the Kheprian Order has continued to expand and reveal deeper and more complicatedlevels of its teachings, the Codex has continued to grow since its first undergroundreleases. A special edition written for the Order of the Strigoi Vii was released as book two of "V" October 2003 by vampyrealmanac.com in conjunction with AangelPublishing. An expanded, revised edition will be published by Weiser Books in the fall of 2004. This will be the definitive edition, featuring 108 individual sections broken up intodivisions which address psychic vampirism, basic energy work, and advancedmetaphysical techniques. The version below has come to be known as the VampireCodex: Internet Edition and is freely and widely shared with any and all interested parties. It is derived mainly from the 2000 Sanguinarium edition, although it includes afew sections originally left out of that published edition.
I. The Kheprian Charge
We are the many-born. We are the immortal. We have been known by many namesthroughout the ages, though few have understood the truth of our existence.Endlessly, we die and are reborn, changed yet unchanging throughout the ages. We movefrom lifetime to lifetime, taking up bodies as garments.We are watchers and we are wanderers.We seek knowledge and understanding above all.Long ago we strove the sunder the life of our body from our roving minds, for itgrounded us. It held us back. It bound us to a single span of days. Through a ritual of death and rebirth, we severed our living ties and gained immortality. Now we are freed of the life of the body, but we are irrevocably tied to the life we cutaway. It sustains us and empowers us.We thirst for life and we feed upon it.It is our greatest weakness and our greatest prize.
II.Beginnings
Eternal, we wander the aeons, moving to the rhythm of our own inner tides.
Freed from the most fundamental of cycles, we are nevertheless beings bound by cycles.Our heightened awareness of ourselves and the world around us forces us to acknowledgenatural rhythms that others simply ignore.As the day waxes and wanes, we can feel it, and we know that the true realm of magick isthe night, for that is when we wax in power. As the moon grows gravid and slim, we feelit, and we know, too, that there are more complex rhythms of power tied to her phases.As the wheel of the year turns round, we feel the wild times, the apogees and nadirs of power.The dark time of the year is our time, as are the threshold times when we celebrateSamhain and Beltane. These days are our Im Kheperu, the Day of Transformation, andour Im Sekhemu, the Day of Double Power. As beings poised on the threshold of manythings, the energies of these holidays affect us profoundly. At these times we enjoy our greatest power, but in balance, we also pay a stronger price. Waves of energy rise and fallwithin us, and when in their grip, our hunger burns.Forever, we are active elements moving through passive worlds.Our rules are our own. We accept no others. We define who we are and what we shall become. There is nothing in our lives which we cannot control if we but choose to.Our memories are carried like gems within our souls. Over the lifetimes they build andcrystallize until we can take them out and gaze upon them as we choose.Life sustains us, but death defines us. We are the many-born. Our conception was indeath, and each death now brings us a new beginning, forever without end.
III. Catalysts of Change
Everything we touch, we change. We take in energy constantly, and although this is howwe feed, this energy is never destroyed. Through us, it is transformed. It changes states. Itresonates to a higher level.Yet every birth is accompanied by struggle and pain. Every rebirth is just as painful. Itmay seem that we bring destruction, chaos, and turmoil to all those around us. And in asense we do. But the changes are always for the better, even though the initial changemay seem terrible.Change is terrible. It tears away what we've grown comfortable with. It destroys what wefind familiar, stable, and simple, leaving uncertainty in its wake. But to face uncertaintyand to thrive is to become stronger. Everything must change or die. We are active participants in this universal mystery.
Every person that we come into contact with, no matter how casually, is altered.Wherever we go, change will follow. Our dynamic spirits stretch out all around us, andthe wake we leave in our passing is like ripples on the ocean. Only the ripples we causecan become tidal waves.As beings on a threshhold state, we are living embodiments of the dynamiccomplimentarity that keeps the universe in constant motion. This is our burden. Yet thisalso is our purpose. In the gray area between two polar opposites lies revelation. We feedupon all around us. Yet we can also harness that energy to heal. We tear away and bringdestruction, yet we also nurture new growth. This is our nature, the mystery of who weare.There is no rebirth without destruction. Light only blinds without shadow to throw it intorelief. Understanding comes from balancing all these things within the Self. We are thatBalance. We affect it, and it affects us. We are facilitators of the universal flow. We mustaccept this, and never fear to move with that flow.
IV. Awakenings
We are neither wholly born nor wholly made what we are. The choice for us to becomewas made long ago. From that time onward, we have been reborn again and again,carrying within us in every lifetime the seed of what we are.Sometimes we forget ourselves, and wander our lives like sleepwalkers, only half-awareof our true natures. Yet sleeping or awakened, we are born with the potential for transformation.Awakening is a process of expanded awareness. Anyone with gifts and talents of a subtlenature undergoes an awakening in their life. This is when they come into their own,finally accepting what has been latent within them since birth. For us, the process can betraumatic, as the existence we awaken to opens us up to a host of strange thoughts,sensations, and experiences which lie outside the limits accepted even by other Awakened.Awakening is the alchemical forge in which we are transformed from dross to spiritualgold. It is the recalling of a part of our Selves that has become clouded over time. It is becoming more than the little self of this lifetime, grasping the totality of who we wereand who we are to be -- our Essential Self.Some of us have greater potential than others. Some are born with an instinctiveunderstanding of their potential and they may gradually come to realize that potential ontheir own. They recall without prompting and their power is great.
The bulk of our number are born ignorant to what they are. As they grow and mature,there are subtle hints of the latent power, but fear and self-doubt generally keep thesefrom being acknowledged and accepted. Such as these must be awakened to their trueselves by another of our number already familiar to our ways.There are two rituals of initiation. The Lesser Initiation is an exchange of feeding whichoccurs between the teacher and the initiate. The initiate is drained deeply, often for thefirst time. This heightens his awareness of his energy body and will often catalyze himinto realizing his potential in the next few days. The sensations that this process inspiresare usually too intense to ignore or explain away. If fed from deeply enough, his instinctswill overcome him and he will feed from others in order to replenish his depleted system.The Greater Initiation involves a ritual death and rebirth which occurs on both the physical and spiritual levels for the initiate. It is visionary and shamanic in nature andforces the initiate to face himself and all that he has been within the boundaries of hisown soul. Like all deaths and rebirths, this ritual strips away old identities andassumptions. The little self of this lifetime is subsumed into the greater Self, and theinitiate is irrevocably changed. This rite is reserved for only the strongest minds, for anywho are weak or filled with fear may not survive the initiation. Their minds can be blownaway like dry autumn leaves in the face of the totality of who they are.
V. Potential
We often associate with the Awakened or with those who hover upon the threshold of Awakening. We prefer the company of those who can interact at least to some degreewith the level of reality that is our constant daily experience.By our very natures we Awaken those around us. Even those not of our kind can beaffected by the transformative effects of our presence. We draw out latent powers and provide a burden of proof for individuals who have otherwise rejected their own naturesdue to self-doubt. We can use this intentionally if we choose, though it will always occur to some degree, whether intentional or not.Sometimes we mistake a Potential of our own kind merely for one of the Awakened. If such an unrecognized Potential is fed from, the effect, though unintentional, is equivalentto the Lesser Initiation. The Potential feels himself undergo a change and is driven to feedfrom others. Such accidents cannot be abandoned. Confused as to their true nature,ignorant of their power, they wield that power nonetheless and can cause much damageto themselves and others if left to struggle on their own.Still others have Potential, but it is too weak to ever fully be realized in this lifetime.Others are too unstable to survive the initiation. They are best left to sleep so they willcome to maturity in their own time. If forced to awaken, they are merely shadows of us --
weak in power, unstable in mind, whose powers are likely to fade unless constantly put touse or manipulated by their mentor.Sometimes a feeding vessel may manifest the symptoms of vampirism, but this is merelya sympathetic state brought about through prolonged or obsessive contact with one of our own. Such a one's natural reserves are depleted to a point where they cannot recover their vitality on their own. Given time, however, and separated physically and / or emotionallyfrom the dominating personality, such a person will gradually recover and return to anormal, non-vampiric state. In some cases, the afflicted person does not wish to give upthe state of sympathetic vampirism. If the person understands even a little of what hashappened to him and wants the condition to continue, he can maintain this quasi-vampiricstate indefinitely and may even eventually come to be mistaken for one of our number ashe will accept that he is nothing else.
VI. Other Awakened
There are many beyond ourselves who have the potential for power. They also undergo a process like our Becoming which consists primarily of a expanded awareness and anawakening to their greater Self. This commonly occurs with the onset of puberty,although it may happen later or earlier, depending on nature and circumstance. These arecommonly referred to as the Awakened. Their ways and their powers are diverse.Like us, many of the Awakened follow a particular archetype. They use this archetype asa symbol to define themselves and their powers. They have a fundamental connection tothe energy of this archetype, and although human in body, they are something more inspirit. Angels, witches, the Fey, Otherkin, Shifters, these are but a few of the archetypesthat may be followed. Like ourselves, it may be that such individuals are responsible for inspiring much of the folklore that gave rise to the archetype in the first place and now, ina less spiritually open time, they have only the buried grains of truth lingering in thefolklore to fall back upon to define themselves. Like us, they are human and Other. Theyare spiritual travelers who take up bodies as garments. We should always treat them withrespect, for ultimately, we serve common goals.You will be attracted to the Awakened in much the same manner that you are drawn toPotentials of our kind. Much is unspoken and unconscious. Trust that your greater Self isguiding you, for it knows and understands what may not always be accessible to your conscious mind.Like ourselves, the Awakened can perceive and manipulate the many layers of reality.They call themselves by many names and they follow many diverse paths. Most of theAwakened draw their power from the positive, generative forces of reality. Thus, theymay fear us when they first encounter us. This fear arises from ignorance. Though we are darkness and they are light, we all work toward the same goal. We each in our way bringawareness to the world, catalyzing those with potential toward Awakening.When we come upon one who is verging upon Awakening, it is our duty to guide andinstruct them. Do not mistake every Awakened being for a Potential of our kind. Nor should you attempt to push those not of our kind into accepting our ways and our arts.This way is not for everyone, and no one should ever be forced into following it. Beaware that some may resonate with more than one archetype, and these are the mostdifficult of all to identify and to educate. They may have much in common with us, butthere will be limits to what we can explain and help them understand. In all cases, serveyour function as a catalyst, helping them toward their path but not seeking to define that path for them. Ultimately, each person must walk their path alone.
VII. Fledglings
You are responsible for teaching and guiding those of our kind whom you have awakenedto their true natures. You must guide them through their transformation, helping to easethe transition from one level of awareness to the next.Those who you guide in this way will be as your children and will share a deep bond withyou like no other.You will know their very heart and soul. The mysteries of their Essential Self will beunveiled to you. No distance will separate your awareness of them.The link goes both ways, and they can communicate with you and know your feelingswhen they choose. You may use the link to feed from them at a distance, to borrow their strength as your own.Their thoughts will be yours to know; their actions will fall under your control if you sochoose -- but do not seek to abuse this power you wield over them for as dearly as theymay love you and revere you while under your control, they will just as thoroughly hateand revile you once that control has slipped away.
VIII. The Beacon
Our kind has ways of recognizing its own. Often this recognition occurs on an unspokenlevel and is very subtle, so you must learn to trust your impulses and allow your greater Self to guide you.Especially in the unawakened, this recognition manifests itself as a Beacon which calls usto them so that they may realize their Potential. The Beacon calls to us on a very basic level, and often speaks purely to our unconscious minds. Thus we find ourselvesinexplicably attracted to a Potential, stricken with a sudden fascination for him and aneed to draw him closer to us. If we listen to our perceptions and trust our instinctualreactions, we can refine this awareness of others until we can consciously pick out theBeacon in those around us. Sometimes, even after such a refinement has been achieved,the Beacon still slips past our conscious actions and we find ourselves simply respondingto its unspoken pull. The pull of the Beacon drives us to feed from the Potential, thusawakening him to the most basic aspect of his hidden nature.We must learn to recognize the Beacon in others, to judge its varying degrees of strengthso that we may go about the awakening in a deliberate manner. We must learn torecognize when it is appropriate to awaken a Potential and when that awakening will bring only grief to all involved.We must let our judgment rule us in this matter and we must sometimes resist the merelyinstinctual pull of the Beacon for awakenings that are not appropriate. Not all of thosewith Potential are fit for the awakening, and if we act rashly we may unwittingly loosethe beast of our destruction through a careless move.
IX.Characteristics
The Beacon is present to a limited degree in those who have already become. It is strongenough for us to recognize one of our number when we come into contact with him, evenif this recognition is the barest hint of perception.We may also be known by our distinct auras: deep purple sometimes shot through withred, surrounded by a nimbus of black or grey mist. The outer layer often stretches intotendrils that extend far beyond our physical forms, reaching out and feeding from thosearound us. To those who can perceive that level of reality, we often appear to be a nexusof such tendrils.The tendrils are varying shades of grey, with a smooth, rope-like appearance. They arenot perceptibly present in everyone; they can be filaments so fine even the mostexperienced seer will have difficulty perceiving them.We are often noted for our pallor, but more often it is the intensity of our eyes whichgives us away. We tend to be thin with a powerful and often intimidating presence whichwraps about us like a shroud.Our hands are often very cold. This is a cold which saps heat away, and lingers where ithas been touched. It is a symptom of our constant, low-level energy draw. If weconsciously channel energy through our hands, they grow very warm. It is not thetemperature which is important: it is the responsiveness of our physical bodies to subtleeffects that is distinctive.We are sensitive to strong odors and tastes, as our senses are often acute. Many of us canhear in a more than normal human range. Some of this is physical hearing, some may belimited clairaudience, as our subtle senses extend far beyond our physical selves. We arealmost always much stronger and quicker than we look, for the body is merely a vesselfor a much more powerful Will.We are sensitive to light and to the excessive heat of the sun. This is symptomatic of our acute sensitivity to energy. The radiation of the sun is an overwhelming form of energywhich our systems have trouble assimilating. Many of us burn very easily in the sun.Almost all of us are made sick by it. When required to be out in full daylight, we developheadaches, nausea, dizziness. The light saps us of our strength, leaving us exhausted anddrained. The night is our natural dominion, for in the mythic imagination, it is the realmof secrets, of magick, and all that the day-lit world rejects.We carry ourselves with a proud determination and can seem arrogant, detached, andcold. We are often of a predatory nature, and with difficulty avoid using those around us.To most we seem unapproachable. There is an air about us which seems somehow to setus apart. Even those ignorant to our true natures react to this, treating us with respect,attraction or fear.The unawakened stare then look away from us and are unable to meet our gaze. They aredisturbed by our presence but rarely will they understand what disturbed them or why.Instinctually, they fear us.The Awakened will know us for what we are, though they may hesitate to put a name toit. Still, on an unspoken level they will understand and attempt to define us through thefilters of their individual beliefs and symbol systems.Children will know us, though rarely do they fear. In their innocence, they have not yetlearned to doubt, and thus are open to a clear perception of the world around them.
X. Subtle Body Changes
To the Awakened who can perceive energy or the subtle body, we may appear flawed or incomplete. This difference in our energy bodies can be mistaken as illness or disease. Intruth, most of our kind partially or completely lack an energy center. This is most oftenthe one located in the belly, just below the navel. It is because we lack this center that weneed to feed, for our subtle bodies cannot sustain the energy necessary to maintain our physical forms. There is a schism between our body and our spirit, and while this schism places us in our threshold state, it creates weaknesses along with many benefits.Our physical connection to life is thin and weak. In those of our number who have not become, this may manifest itself in actual physical debility or illness. Severe allergies,immune system malfunctions, and other birth defects are not uncommon. If they gainawareness of their powers and at the very least learn how to feed, they may learn tocompensate for these weaknesses. However, once you have learned to compensate, if youare unable to feed enough to sustain yourself, this weakness will return with greater severity than before.Often well-meaning Awakened will offer to heal you so that you need not suffer thedrawbacks associated with this lacking. Their efforts should be discouraged for they donot understand our nature. The absence of this center defines us as what we are and iscarried over from lifetime to lifetime. It cannot and should not be "fixed." In this respect,vampirism is a condition of the spirit, and it is the spirit which predisposes the body to physically manifest the characteristics associated with vampirism.Occasionally damage can be done to the subtle body of another that will partially or completely destroy an energy center. Such damage may be more permanent than the physical flesh, and thus will be carried over from lifetime to lifetime. This damage ismost often the result of an accident, yet it produces much the same results as that whichwe embody.Those who have been damaged in this way will find that they need to feed. Their subtle bodies can no longer sustain their physical forms, and if life energy is not taken from anoutside source, they will suffer debilitating effects associated with the lost or damagedenergy center.Though these are not our children, they are technically of our number. It is our duty tohelp and guide them in understanding what has happened to them and what this mayentail. There is however hope that such individuals will eventually heal on a subtle level,and thus recover from their state of vampirism.
XI. Separateness
Our strength and our weakness is life. We depend upon the vital force, for lackingenough of it ourselves, we are forced to glean it from others.In this we are self-serving and self-preserving, though good and evil cannot be applied toour state. We know what we need, and we know we must take it, sometimes to thedetriment of others. This is an unavoidable fact of reality.We are predators at heart, even though we are physically indistinguishable from our prey.The spirit within us sets us apart. Our perceptions, our passions, and our powers make usstrangers among ordinary men. Even if we refuse to act upon our more destructiveimpulses, we keenly feel the difference between us and those who do not share what weare. No matter how hard we try to blend in, we can never truly belong.This is a blessing and a curse. The lives we live are fuller and more dynamic thananything most others might imagine. The levels of reality we are privy to make the worlda profound and wondrous place. Yet there are few who can share our insights. Thus, wetend to be solitary, feeding alone, rarely interacting with those who would not and couldnot understand. Our utter separateness drives us to seek out companionship among our own kind for it is here only that we find true acceptance and understanding.We may find friends and allies among the Awakened, but they can never truly understandwhat we are and what that means within the context of so many different lives. There aresome experiences they can neither accept nor share, and thus there is always somethinglacking when in their company.Thus we should always treasure those who are of our nature. They are our companionsthroughout the many, many long years. Time and again, we will find one another, for the bonds between us are never broken or worn thin.We can love and hate one another with great passion, yet we are forever loyal to our own.
XII. BasicFeeding
We may gain what we need through feeding, drawing in life as we would breath.When we are the center of attention of a whole group, we may feed upon the emotions of those around us as they are directed toward us. Those involved in the group are unlikelyto notice the loss of energy, and oftentimes feeding in this way only increases their focusupon you.This is an activity many Potentials engage in, though they do not often consciouslyunderstand what it is they do. This is one of the main reasons many Potentials are drawntoward the stage. Many become actors, storytellers, musicians or other performers so thatthey may achieve the kind of focused attention they crave.For those who have Become, this is a pleasing activity, but rarely satisfies more than themost superficial of needs.Even when a group is not focused upon us, we may feed generally upon them. No physical contact is necessary: we simply expand our awareness to encompass the grouparound us as if throwing out a net, or visualize ourselves at the center of a whirlpool,drawing everything in. Thus our energy extends beyond ourselves and, like embracinggood friends, we pull bits of everyone about us into ourselves, breathing them deeply.This is less satisfying than a focused group draw but can sustain us in a time of desperateneed when no other option is available. Places with high energy and many emotions are preferable for this activity, and thus we are often drawn to dance halls and clubs. Onceagain, this manner of feeding is subtle and easily overlooked, and those being fed fromare unlikely to notice the loss. High energy places often have enough ambient energyfloating loosely in the atmosphere that you are truly taking little from any of theindividual people there.The two above techniques may be focused variably upon a single person for a slightlymore intense effect. The individual in question does not have to be aware of your activities, and they do not even have to be close for you to feed from them. Withconcentration and focus, you can easily reach out across a room and draw off energyfrom a specific individual. At most, this person will feel a little tired from what you havetaken, but most people are so desensitized to the subtle reality that they will pass this off as ordinary fatigue, stress, or too much drink.Taking from unawakened individuals has its drawbacks, however. Certainly there aremore of them, and they are far less likely to notice what you are doing than Awakenedindividuals. However, they are almost wholly ignorant to the energy that courses throughthem and they do little or nothing to cultivate this aspect of their spiritual selves, and sothe quality of their energy is very poor.Feeding from the Awakened is far more rewarding, as they cultivate their energy bodies,and so the quality of energy is purer and more intense. However, feeding without permission from the Awakened runs you the risk of getting caught. Many also perceivethis as a psychic attack, and your actions will rarely be responded to kindly.To this end, willing partners are the most advisable as they will not retaliate for anythingwhich they consider an infringement on their person.. Having a willing partner who isAwakened is more fulfilling anyway, since the more feedback you receive from your targets, the more satisfying the drain, especially if they have some awareness of what ishappening to them. It is like making love: the best partner is the one who responds toyour touch, whose reactions guide you in increasing their experience of the exchange.Single target, long-distance draws are convenient for establishing a connection tosomeone in order to draw them closer to you but before it is socially appropriate toengage in actual physical contact.In general, energy coupled with some strong emotion is more fulfilling than simpleenergy alone. One of the most intense emotions we can feed upon is fear, but the negativerepercussions associated with inspiring this emotion make it inadvisable to pursue. Thenext most intense emotion is passion or ecstasy, and this can be very fulfilling for bothyou and your partner. Any emotion that is transformative in its power and depth pleasantly satisfies our needs.We may also feed upon energy gathered for religious purposes. This will sustain us in atime of need when no other sources are available, though often it is meager fare.When people gather to worship, they generate a strong force of energy but few, if any of them, ever know how to properly direct it. Thus it curls up like smoke directionlesslythrough their place of worship or clings around those items which served as the foci for the group's attentions.Whether we sit in on the actual worship or appear shortly thereafter, we may affect ageneral draw using the net technique which pulls the undirected energy into ourselves.The objects which were focused upon by the crowd can also be drained of the energyendowed in them, either from a distant, general draw or from the more direct drain of physical contact.Many find such activities scandalous and unforgivable, but in truth the groups that can be preyed upon in this fashion have little awareness that they have been victimized andsuffer not from our predations. The energy of their worship was undirected anyway andwould dissipate eventually on its own, having served to benefit no one.
XIII. Breath and Life
We can adequately feed from a distance, extending our subtle bodies and our wills beyond the limits of our physical bodies in order to touch the energies of others. Suchtechniques can be satisfying in their own right, yet we are not solely beings of energy.We are a balance of spirit and matter, as are all things, and so contact with more than justenergy-bodies is necessary for us to feel truly satisfied.Physical contact coupled with that extension of our Selves that creates energy contact isthe main method used to feed.The primary centers for achieving such contact are our hands and our mouths. The handsmay tingle when used for this purpose. Our touch at this time is intense, often very cold but also shiveringly pleasant. As we draw forth more energy, the cold gives way towarmth which in turn gives way to heat. The heat is a byproduct of the energy exchange.In extreme cases, we may leave traces of our feeding, even when feeding solely with our hands. We can draw blood up through the very pores or leave barely discernible bruisesat our points of contact.We draw energy in like breath: this is a controlled breathing technique whichencompasses much more than our lungs. Even when the primary focus is our hands or if our target is far removed from us physically, this breathing helps focus our intake of energy. It is one slow, sustained inhalation, almost like smoking a cigarette or sucking air through a very small straw. If done correctly, it will seem that your are breathing in far beyond the capacity of your lungs. Like breath, energy is drawn in, filling us with life andvitality. You will feel it, like a rush, spread through you, tingling down to your fingersand toes. You will achieve an altered state of consciousness while doing this, where bodyand energy body are both clearly perceived. Time may seem drawn out and distance will be altered. Your perceptions can expand to encompass a whole room, seeing everythinginside and out all at once.Like breath, energy may also be expelled, exhaled into the person you choose to give itto. This secondary function of drawing energy is used in healing. It is the necessarycounterbalance to our function of taking energy. We are creatures of balance above allelse, and even as we can sap the energy of those around us, so too can we build it up inorder to help and heal.
XIV.AssimilatingEnergy
When we feed, we must take the life energy of others. It cannot be given. It can beoffered freely, but still we must do the taking. This is fundamental to the way in whichwe must process the energy for use ourselves.When we draw in energy from another, it is transformed through the feeding process intoenergy we can assimilate and use. If another, however well-meaning, seeks to forceenergy into us, it will do us little good. The energy must be assimilated to match our ownif we are to benefit from it.It is very difficult for us to assimilate any energy beyond that of life. Others may drawtheir strength from the earth, the elements, even the stars, but we are bound to life by our lack of it. Some of us are more disconnected from life than others, and this is reflected inwhat and how much we can feed from in order to sustain ourselves. Few of us can feedfrom alternate sources, but when we can, it is a blessing which should not be ignored.
XV. Bloodand Life
Do not mistake mere blood for life. We feed upon something far subtler.However, do not be surprised if, in feeding, you taste blood within your mouth, for blood and life are intricately interwoven.We are creatures of both matter and spirit, and thus we affect others on both of theselevels. Blood is the physical substance of life, and so we are bound ever so slightly to thismaterial expression of our spiritual need.Do not be misled by the juxtaposition of energy and blood. No cut or puncture isnecessary for the transfer to occur. Our ways are far subtler than that. As you draw outlife, you draw out a minute amount of blood with the life. Even when there is no physicalcontact between you and your partner, when the draw is deep enough, this will occur.For this reason, always take care in who you feed from, for a taint in their blood maycarry over to you. Never feed from the ill or diseased. Never feed from those who have drugs or alcohol intheir system unless you wish to partake of their intoxication for yourself. The taints intheir bodies will transfer over to you. You will know those who are tainted by thesensations you get when near them. You will have an instinctual aversion to touching or getting close to such people. Likewise, your senses will warn you if you attempt toinitiate a draw. Much of your awareness of the taint will occur on an unspoken level, so be attentive to your impressions and intuitions.Given time and careful observation, you will learn to discern these sensations in order toidentify the taint. This knowledge, however, may bring you great grief, for there are fewleft in this world who are not tainted in one manner or another.
XVI.Geographyof the EnergyBody
On the body, there are certain centers where energy is concentrated. These have come to be known generally as chakras. We can easily make a connection to a person at any of these centers, bridging the gap between body and energy-body, physical and spiritual.Indeed, these centers are like junctions between the two bodies and one can affect the body on either or both levels simultaneously through the skilled manipulation of thesecenters.The function of the chakras are like subtle body organs. Each has a different purpose andaffect on the subtle and physical form, but for the most part, they all gather, process, andcirculate energy. They have been described as "wheels of light", which is indeed theliteral translation of the word chakra, and each one has a distinct frequency at which itresonates energy, keeping it constantly spinning, pulsing, and in motion.These centers and their usage has been known to cultures from ancient Egypt and before.The energy flowing through these centers is known as prana in Sanskrit. It is chi to theChinese, ki to the Japanese, the ba or "breath of life" to the Egyptians. The energy has been described as a fluid and has been equated with breath, blood and life by varyingcultures. It is the essential stuff of life and it is etheric yet fluid, mutable, and in a constant state of motion. It is the spiritual mercury of the ancient alchemists, the elementmost crucial to transformation and the creation of the Philosopher's Stone.Different systems depict these centers at varying points in the body. The Hindu system of Chakras has been most widely accepted by the West, and it depicts a set of seven "wheelsof light" which occur in a centralized line throughout the body. The Tibetan system,which may have more purely inherited the ancient wisdom that went before, recognizesonly five. These five correspond to five aspects the Egyptians attributed to the humansoul. As our heritage is Egyptian and pre-Egyptian, we have chosen their words todescribe these centers.Different systems depict these centers at varying points in the body. The Hindu system of chakras has been most widely accepted by the West, and it depicts a set of seven "wheelsof light" which occur in a centralized line throughout the body. The Tibetan systemrecognizes only five, so it is important to be aware that not all systems agree. Werecognize major six centers within the body, and their location and characteristics are asfollows:The first energy center is located at the crown of the head, and is accessible from either crown or forehead. This is often depicted as two different centers, but due to their proximity, these are affected as one. To the Egyptians and those that preceded them, thiscenter was known as the Akh. The Akh is the immortal body, that which contains our undying, Essential Selves. This energy center is the point at which the immortal bodycrosses over with the physical form.The next center is located at the throat, and is accessible from the mouth or the sides of the throat over the veins. This is known as the Khu. The Khu is the voice and will of anindividual. It is the seat of individual determination and magickal power for it is throughthe word that our Wills are enacted.The next center is located above the heart. This is the Ab. It is accessible directly abovethe heart, between the breasts. The Ab is the center of the physical being, where the physical stuff of life is circulated throughout the organism. It is a very powerful center of raw life energy. The Ab is the dynamic opposite of the Ba. Where the Ab is the center of the physical life-force, with the heart and all its pumping blood, the Ba is the center of thespiritual life-force and serves much the same function as the heart with circulating anddirecting the subtle life energies.When doing energy work or doing visualizations, it will seem that the center of power islocated in the chest, just beneath the very base of the sternum. This is the Ka. It is thedynamic opposite of the Akh, so that where the Akh is the immortal, higher soul, the Kais the body-soul, tied to the needs and hungers of the physical form. It is here that astrong sensation can be felt during feeding. The Ka is interlinked with the very capacityto feed. It is the seat of the spiritual hunger, as well as the bridge between the subtleenergy and the point in the body where this is drawn in and made useful.The Ba is located in the belly, just beneath the navel. The Ba is the center of the spirituallife force. By its action, it sustains the life of the subtle body and connects the subtle bodyto the physical, transitory form. It is further the tie which connects us to the wheel of death and rebirth. Altering or severing this center completely will affect the way in whichthe soul travels through the wheel. Most other energy traditions such as Yoga describethis center as the seat of the subtle power. It is this area just beneath the navel that a Yogiis trained to focus on when gathering power. For us, this center is significantly altered.Many of us are disconnected from it partially or entirely. Our center, as a result, is higher,and lies in the Ka.Finally, there is a center at the root. This is the Min, the sexual force. This center is mostcompletely tied to the body and is the dynamic opposite of the Khu. Where the Khu is theword and will, this is the instinct, that which has the power to rob us of our wills andtransform us into beasts. This center is accessible through the genitals or just inside the joint of the thigh.Minor centers exist at the wrists, the insides of the elbows and the backs of the knees.The palms of the hands and the soles of the feet also contain minor chakras. Any of thesecan be used to create a connection, although we are hardly bound to reach out to another'senergy body through these sites. Any physical contact will do, and as mentioned before,even physical contact is not necessary to feed.
XVII. More on Feeding
Our energy actually pierces the subtle body of our partner and penetrates it, drawingenergy out as if through a straw. Afterward, a wound is left in the aura of the partner,though this will close on its own in a few days. It can sometimes be echoed in the flesh inthe form of a small rounded bruise. In the case of long-standing partners, the wound can become a permanent weak spot in the aura through which we can easily penetrate andgain access to their energy.Generally speaking, feeding is not harmful to the partner. They have a connection to theuniversal force; this will replenish them in time, usually overnight. Most partners will justfeel a little tired and fuzzy-headed after being fed from. Many have described it like amild drug, something that is pleasantly mellowing. Some experience euphoria duringfeeding and feel they are riding intense waves of pleasure. Others can achieve an alteredstate of consciousness with intense dream-like visions.Feeding partners may be a little hypersensitive to bright light afterwards and they mayexperience a sudden feeling of cold. They may be a little more tired than usual the nextmorning, and they may have a headache that is much like a hangover. However, under ordinary circumstances, these are the most severe side affects feeding will produce in a partner.Some caution should be used when feeding from those who are not accustomed to it,however. If fed from too quickly or too deeply, the partner may experience difficulty in breathing. Irregularities in the heartbeat may follow. The partner's body will tingle allover, though this may quickly give way to feelings of numbness and cold. Some find this pleasant. To others, it is alarming. It may become very difficult for the person to moveand the limbs will feel heavy and uncoordinated. In very extreme cases, the partner willexperience a general depression of the entire sympathetic nervous system. This includeslowered body temperature, lowered blood pressure, slowed heart-rate, and a generallassitude which may manifest itself in extreme cases as an all-over muscular weaknessand trembling or partial paralysis.When feed from extremely deeply, it is almost guaranteed that a partner will partially or completely lose consciousness. Do not panic if this occurs. Make certain that they are inno immediate danger, and if they seem to be breathing all right, just let them sleep it off.With their connection to the universal life force, there is very little permanent damageyou can do to someone by overfeeding, so long as you do not make it a habit to do so.Consistent overfeeding will evoke in the partner symptoms similar to those which weexperience during periods of starvation. The continual shortage of energy will begin totax the immune system. They will be tired all the time, sickly and weak. They may sleepa great deal, or they may find themselves unable to actually sleep despite their overwhelming lethargy. Putting constant demands upon one partner will eventually putthem in a position where their system can no longer compensate for the loss of energyfast enough to meet your needs. This is why it is always wise to have at least one other reliable source which you can feed from. The best strategy to keep you and all those closeto you healthy is to have two or three partners which you feed from, rotating throughthem so that no single one of them must bear the full weight of your needs.A draw can be enacted in conjunction with tantric magick. Your primary contact is madeat the mouth or the throat, and a tendril is inserted into the subtle body of your partner.Through intense visualization, this tendril is guided down through your partner's subtle body to the root chakra. Here the Kundalini energy that is so crucial to Tantra lies coiled.You can grasp onto the Kundalini energy and manually pull it up through each successivechakra. Draw in only a little during this process until the drawing up of the energy iscomplete. Once you have brought the Kundalini through all the chakras to your primary point of contact, you will have generated an immense amount of energy from which bothyourself and your partner can benefit. You and your partner will sense something like anexplosion of light and energy within yourselves, followed immediately by a burstingsensation as if you had just been pushed through some barrier. This will consummate in a powerful sense of climax on the subtle level.Feeding in this manner is very productive, as it serves to energize both yourself and your partner. Your partner will almost invariably experience a prolonged and impressiveorgasm, and one may feed upon the torrent of energy that results from the climax toincrease mutual stimulation. It is almost impossible to exhaust a partner when feedingfrom the root: whereas prolonged or deep feeding from any of the other major energycenters can cause trembling, weakness, dizziness, and an overall depression of thesystem, feeding from the root seems to only increase that which you feed upon. The partner, after recovering from the intensity of the drain is almost always energized andwhile they still feel the effects of physical exhaustion, they are driven by a fevered desirethat can sustain them for hours. The process is very difficult to master, however, and if the coil of Kundalini energy slips from your grasp, you will simply end up initiating adeep feed from all the chakras in succession.
XIX. Dreamwalking
Remember, we can feed through a touch, but our spirits extend far beyond the limits of our body. Long-distance draws that are just as intimate and intense as feeding flesh toflesh can be achieved.When you are starved for energy and no opportunity to adequately sate your needs hasarrived, you may find that you will send yourself out in dreams. This is much like astraltravel, although it is largely an unconscious activity. You will dream of someone close toyou. This can be a family member, a good friend, a current or a former lover. This personneed not be located physically close to you, as the subtle reality does not know distanceas we know it in the physical world. Your body may be confined to your bedroom, yetyour dream-self may wander hundreds and even thousands of miles away.The dream will seem unusually vivid. It is very likely that the dream will also be lucid,and you will realize at least in part that you are dreaming, but that this other person issomehow actually present in the dream. In the course of the dream, you will have anexchange with the target person. The exchange can be overtly vampiric, or it maymanifest itself in an erotic context. The person who you have visited this way will wakeup tired and worn just as if you had fed directly from them that night. Often, they willrecall the dream as well, and if it is possible to compare experiences, you will find thatcertain elements of the dreamscape were shared by both people involved in the dream.With practice, you will come to be able to distinguish between your ordinary dreams andthese dream-walking experiences. The process does not always have to be unconscious.You may gain mastery over this ability and dream-walk at will. However it remains asurvival technique inherent in the vampiric nature. Therefore, especially in periods of direneed, you may find your soul wandering regardless of your personal control.
XX. Choosing Donors
In crowds or when performing a general, long-distance drain, it is nearly impossible toassure that your victims are willing. When physical contact is not involved or when thedrain is weak enough, such consent is unnecessary.However, when you feed deeply upon someone, especially through physical contact, it isadvisable that you make certain your partner understands what is being done to them sothat they know the risks and cannot blame you for invading their person. Lying anddissembling to someone you must be so close to will only make their reaction to you allthe more violent when and if they discover your true nature.This requires us to choose our long-term feeding partners with great care. Casual feedingis discouraged as too many partners may gossip and eventually learn what you have doneto them by comparing notes. Two or three regular partners are suggested, so you mayestablish strong links with them and rotate them as the need arises, so no single one isexhausted by your demands.Our partners ideally must be awake enough to understand and accept what we are or elseour explanation of what we do to them will be met only with scorn and incredulity. Youmust carefully build a relationship up with a prospective partner, sounding out their beliefs until you feel comfortable in entrusting them with the truth of what you are. If youcannot feel comfortable in telling them what you do to them, you should not use them asa regular feeding partner.We must select partners who are emotionally strong and mentally stable. Those who areversed in the arts of the subtle reality are preferable. The bond that we must share withsomeone in order to feed deeply from them is profound indeed. It encompasses all levelsof being, physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional, and it can be more than mostordinary folk can safely handle. Our lovemaking and often even our casual contacttouches them profoundly on a more than physical level. Even for those who have hadsome experience with the subtle reality, this is something they have probably never experienced before and will never experience with any partner save ourselves.For some, this is too much. It ruins them for everything else. They can easily becomeobsessed with us, and especially they will become obsessed with what we can do to them.Such an obsession is unhealthy for them as well as for us. Thus, we must give our lovecarefully and diligently watch those whom we are close to for signs of instability so wemay protect them from the destruction our nature inevitably wreaks.
XXI. TheKiss and theCurse
We do not bring only pain and loss to those we feed upon. The experience of our touchon levels far deeper than the physical can be transformative to those strong enough to bear up under it.Let others condemn us, call us evil or perverse, but let them never speak of love or anunderstanding of it. For we love and share with one another in way so profound that thosenot of our number have never imagined it before. Ours is the kissing ofsouls, unburdened by the limitations of physical flesh. Ours is the deepest knowing of another soul. Ours isthe truest communion.Those we feed upon experience waves of ecstasy, like riding the crest of a prolongedorgasm, though one which is not located specifically in the flesh.Our draw is like a drug. Our partners are overcome with a soothing sensation, until theyrelax to their very core. They feel they are drifting in an ocean of pleasure. They are filledwith a golden, melting sensation that is almost narcotic in its intensity. Our draw can bring visions and it can bring rest and sleep even to the most restless of souls. The pleasure we give is not wholly physical but occurs upon all levels, and serves to bridgethe space between these levels of existence in our partners, raising them up into anapotheosis of Self. Our touch is mystical, and it changes our partners profoundly onlevels they may only have imagined.Like a drug, however, our draw can be addictive. We understand too well theoverpowering desire our need inspires in us, but our partners can also come to be reliantupon the pleasure that we give to them. They can become trained to be responsive to our touch, and their physical and subtle bodies can grow so accustomed to our drain that theyoverproduce vitality in anticipation of having it drained away. Thus we must always takecare in how often we feed from our partners, and try to guard against obsessing them withthe pleasure that we give to the exclusion of all else.
XXII. Subtle Links
Each time you feed from someone, you forge a subtle link with them. This link is like anastral tentacle or a silver cord. It connects your subtle body to their subtle body. Everytime you feed from this person after forging the initial link, you make this link stronger and deeper. The link can also be strengthened simply through casual contact with the person, so whenever you come together socially the link is reinforced bit by bit.This link serves as a constant connection to the person. Through it, you can sense wherethey are, what their emotional state is, and if they are in any physical danger or distress.The deeper and stronger the link, the easier it is to travel down it in order to sense the person on the other end.Through a strong link, you will be able to pick up stray thoughts in addition to emotions.You will also be able to implant suggestions and emotions. By tugging gently on the link with the person, you can make them think of you and draw them to you.With concentration, an especially strong link will enable you to extend your awarenesscompletely enough so your are able to perceive through the other person's senses. XXIII. Feeding Through Links
Once a link is forged with someone, you may use the link to feed from them at a distance.The deeper and stronger the link, the more efficiently you can draw energy through it.With most such connections, you do not even have to concentrate to draw forth from the person. To a certain extent, you are in constant contact with that person, and while theenergy you gain from them passively is only minimal, a number of such connections withvarious people will help sustain you in times of need as well as prolong the time you cango between more active feedings.If you choose to actively drain through a link, there are two good ways of doing so.First, you can simply concentrate on pulling some of that person's energy to you throughthe link. Center yourself. Focus on your connection to that person, then visualize the person clearly. Visualize yourself reaching out and touching them to feed then breathe in,drawing in energy as well as breath.You may also extend yourself down through the link, initiating a deeper contact withtheir energy body as you do so. This is a more direct way of feeding from those you havesubtle connections to, and it is also much more obvious to the person on the other end. As before, concentrate upon the person and get a clear image of them in your head. Thenfocus on extending your subtle senses to that person, much as you would if you chose tosee through their eyes or perceive their emotional state.When you are successfully focused on them, it will seem you are in two places at once.Part of you will be sitting or standing wherever your body is, and you will retain someawareness of these surroundings. Part of you will be focused entirely upon the other person and will feel as if it occupies the same space that they do, or is somehowenveloped around them. Once this has occurred, you may initiate a drain, pulling their energy in through your breath as you had done before.The target of such a drain is likely to become aware of it at least on a semi-consciouslevel. They may suddenly find themselves thinking of you for no reason they can explain.They may smell your perfume or catch sight of you out of the corner of their eye. If theyare asleep, they may see you enter their dreams. This is a lot like conscious dream-walking. The technique behind it is largely the same. Sensitive targets may actually perceive your presence, seeing you, ghost-like, hovering somewhere nearby.Of all the things we can do, this has historically frightened people the most. It serves asthe basis for all the myths and legends of demonic and vampiric nightly visitations. Assuch, it is the most revealing of our nature and it will quickly expose you to those ithappens to. For this reason, this skill should be exercised cautiously and with greatdiscretion. XXIV. Manipulating Links
Links can also be used to control the people on the other end. Just as you can receiveemotions and scraps of thoughts through a strong link, so too can you send these thingsdown the link to your target. Thus you can influence your target's emotional state andeven implant suggestions for certain attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in his unconsciousmind.You can also use the link to focus an attack upon your target. Instead of sending benignthoughts and emotions down the link, you may send negatively charged energy, such asimpressions of pain, despair, or depression. You may also use your ability to feed througha link as an attack, mercilessly draining energy until your target's reserves are seriouslydepleted.You can also picture the link as a tendril of yourself that enters them somewhere at their core. Extending the visualization, you can reach out and yank on this tendril, as if tryingto uproot it. The connection is often too deep for anything to actually tear or sever it, sothe force you visualize is transferred to them. They will feel something in the center of their being pulling and tearing down to their core. The severity of this sensation and thedamage it does depends upon the force with which it is done as well as how deep theconnection goes.You may also tug upon a link in order to draw a person to you. Visualize the personclearly and send them images of you. Pull them toward you and at the same time, sendthe distinct impression that they should contact you soon. If they are too far to comedirectly to you, they are likely to email or call. If they are able to come directly to you,they probably will within the course of a few days.
XXV. Cautionary Notes
When you forge a connection with someone, always keep in mind that the link goes bothways. A target, if aware of their link to you, can trace it in much the same way you cantrace it to them.If the person you have forged a connection with is awakened, they can do many of thesame things through the link that you can. If they become aware of the connection, theycan use it to contact you, send emotions or thoughts to you, or even to attack you.The link can thus be used to find you and to harm you, so it is best to manipulate suchconnections with caution and discretion so that those on the other end either remainignorant to their existence or have no cause to resent your connection to them. Once forged, however, a link can never be completely severed. They can be worn downto a bare filament, but even these threads can be used with effort. Once you have aconnection to someone, it will always be there. For this reason if no other, always choosewho you will feed deeply from with great caution, for you will always carry a part of them with you, and it can be used to bring you harm.
XXVI. The Caste System
All of us exist upon a threshold. This is what makes us what we are, and what allows usthe command over energy and the subtle reality that comprises the bulk of our powers.We walk in two worlds at once, and although the bodies we have are but mortal, the spiritwithin is vast and eternal.Each of us differs in the quality and quantity of energy we require to sustain us. Thedepth of our need is influenced by the strength of the connection between our bodies andour souls. Those of us who are more connected to our bodies need to take in less energyfrom those around us unless we are engaged in very draining spiritual work. Those whoare balanced more on the spirit side of the threshold tend to enjoy greater powers andsensitivities, but their need for vital spirit is also increased.Where on the threshold one falls affects not only the quantity and quality of energyrequired, but also what skills may be learned, what talents will be inborn, and how onesnature will manifest itself. It is crucial to understand these matters and how they affectthe individual, especially in a Potential or in one who is verging upon awakening.The caste system is an attempt to simplify the various threshold states. The castes areguidelines for understanding ourselves, our basic natures, and the role we play in our community. Although loosely based upon an ancient social system, the castes are notintended to become a hierarchy or social structure in this day and age. That time has longgone by. Instead, use the castes as what they are intended to be: guidelines for personalunderstanding which will hopefully explain some of the mysteries of why one person processes energy one way, and someone else has a very different experience andapproach.Keep in mind that the caste system is very limited. There are but three archetypes offeredhere, and not everyone will fit neatly into any of them. It is far more likely that each person will find within themselves qualities of two or more. We have been through manylifetimes, and our souls have grown and changed. We have learned much, and most of ushave come a long way from what we once were. Discovering the caste that describes youthe best may hold the key for understanding your basic nature and how to proceed inawakening to it, but use the caste solely as a tool. Do not try to become something you are not, and do not allow yourself to chafe beneath an archetype that does not suit you. In the end, you are you, with all your complexities and contradictions, and no simple word will ever be found to encompass all of these.
XXVII. Priests
Those of our number who are most disconnected from the physical side of the thresholdhave the greatest range of sensitivity and power at their disposal, but they suffer thegreatest weaknesses. They are few in number and many have not survived the passingmillennia as their disconnectedness from the flesh can often lead them to reside purely inspirit. The demands of the balance they struggle to maintain while in the flesh areextreme, and over the years, it has taken its toll. These individuals are our priests, andthey often command the greatest respect for the level of awareness they can attain.The priest's physical body is inextricably linked to his psychical well-being. If his power begins to wane and he approaches need, his health will suffer, for he can no longer compensate for the lost energy center in his subtle body. Need, especially deep need, can be physically debilitating for one of this caste, and if left to go too long without feeding,they can be reduced to invalids, hollow shells of what they could be.Priests are very sensitive to the changing cycles. Much of their power wanes during theday, then waxes full with the approach of night. They suffer the most under direct lightand must take pains to avoid sunstroke. Their systems are sensitive to most complexfoods, especially when in deep need. Of all our kind, their physical bodies are the mostconcretely affected by their spiritual state. Thus, they are the most likely of our number to be recognized for what they are for their nature manifests itself in very physical ways.The priest requires a greater quantity and a finer quality of energy than any other of our number. He, more so than any other, is constantly pulling energy into himself. Thisoccurs on an unconscious, instinctive level, and though it can be consciously dampened,it cannot be shut off completely. However, even this constant draw will not sustain the priest unless coupled with conscious feeding.Priests are the only of our number that must feed deeply on a regular basis. This entailsfeeding from the energy at the very core of another rather than simply skimming energyfrom their surface. This is a draw which encompasses all of the energy centers at once,and can leave the partner burned (suffering extreme effects of energy loss) the next day.Because they stand upon the threshold between matter and spirit, the priests have accessto the greatest range of powers inherent in our kind. However, priests run the risk of being mentally or emotionally unstable because of the strain such power puts on their systems. They must develop strong egos and indomitable wills in order to bear up under the burden of their power, but this may lead them to become domineering, arrogant, andobsessed with control.Moderation as well as control are the two rules a priest must live by. With great power comes great responsibility, and those of the priestly caste who do not understand or respect this doctrine will end up bringing harm to both themselves and others. A priestmust feed carefully, always drawing away before feeling completely satisfied. He mustnever give in to the urge to pull all of his partner into himself, to devour for the sake of XXVIII. Counselors
The counselors, of all our kind, retain the strongest connection to life. Though they haveaccess to most of the powers inherent in our kind, they suffer only mildly from our traditional drawbacks. They are less sensitive to light and the natural cycles as are the priests, and their flesh only rarely seems abnormally cold. They are also less likely to berecognized for what they are. Their subtle natures may influence their physical bodies, but such manifestations are often far subtler than those of a priest.Counselors do not have to feed unless regularly fed upon, though they often growaccustomed to feeding upon others for the pleasure it gives. If they are ill or over-extending themselves on a subtle level, counselors will also deplete their energy enoughto make feeding a necessity. Even so, they suffer only mild symptoms of withdrawalwhen forced to go without energy for an extended period of time. Ceasing to feedaltogether is rarely debilitating to them. Once they overcome the mental and physicaladdiction, they can lead a relatively ordinary life, if that is their choice.A counselor can go his entire life without awakening to his true nature. There may behints of it and he may have access to a few subtle powers, but unless he is fed upon, he isunlikely to ever need to feed in an overt fashion. If an unawakened counselor feeds at all,it is only superficially, usually through intimate contact with friends and lovers. They canget all they need through touching or even through general non-contact draws. Even oncethey have been fed upon, counselors rarely, if ever, experience deep need, tending toskim energy from the surface of their partners.Counselors are often very sensual people, as their need for energy is answered throughclose personal contact with others. The sensual nature of their spirit is often reflected intheir physical form, so that counselors tend to be attractive in body, lithe and fine-boned.Male or female, there is a compelling, seductive quality about them that transcendsgender. Many find themselves attracted to vocations of entertainment, and are gifted inmusic, the arts, and dance.Counselors find it extremely pleasurable to be fed upon. Their systems adapt readily tothe demands of feeding, producing energy to match the needs of their partner. Once acounselor has adapted to a regular routine of being fed from, he will grow uncomfortable when that routine is broken. Physical discomfort, mental distraction, irritability, andhyperkineticism may result from an over-abundance of energy if such a counselor is notfed from regularly.Counselors, like priests, tend to be mentally or emotionally unstable, especially whentheir energy is out of balance. They also tend toward obsessiveness, especially when itcomes to feeding, sensation, and pleasure.
XXIX. Warriors
The warrior caste in some ways may seem less powerful than even the counselors, butone of their benefits is that their true strengths are hidden. Their powers tend to manifestthemselves in a very physical nature, allowing them to consciously augment their naturalstrength, stamina, and speed. In body, they tend to be broad-shouldered and rugged, witha natural propensity for various martial arts. They can also consciously enhance their healing so they recover almost completely from the most grievous of wounds.Warriors are typically less sensitive to the subtle reality than either priests or counselors,although they can achieve sensitivity with effort. Mainly, this desensitized state is brought about by a thick "wall" which protects them from the energy of others. It is akind of psychic armor that is kept in place instinctually and without any thought or effort.It may be hard to recognize the Potential in a warrior because of this armor, as it tends tokeep their energy in as well as keeping other energies out. Do not mistake the wall for spiritual thick-headedness, however. Like the rocky crust of a volcano, the warrior'sarmor hides a volatile and immensely powerful force within. Once a warrior has learnedto tap this force, they are a power to be reckoned with.Warriors almost always excel at warcraft, having an instinctive knowledge of weaponsand their handling. They are often remarkable strategists and tacticians. This results fromthe sum of their memories and skills gained in previous lives. This remembering can becalled forth consciously, but is always present and ready to be drawn upon on anunspoken level. A warrior's inherent physical prowess tends to make him restless in thisworld. He can easily feel caged and oppressed by the edicts of society, and his wastedtalents have a danger of spilling out into undirected aggression.In terms of feeding, the needs of a warrior are much like those of a counselor. Casual physical contact or even long-distance draws are all they ordinarily require to fill their needs. Unlike counselors, warriors tend not to get lost in feeding for its own sake, andthey are very resistant to being fed from.An unawakened warrior tends to instinctively make use of his physical powers.Especially in times of trauma and distress, these abilities will come to him without aconscious effort. Extensive use of his latent powers will drive an unawakened warrior tofeed. This process can occur unconsciously, often in a group draw, but it may serve toawaken the warrior to his true nature. Warriors suffer from the traditional drawbacks of our kind. They are bound more stronglyto the cycles than are the counselors, though they are not as limited by these cycles as the priests. They are sensitive to bright light and their reaction to food will wax and waneaccording to their energy levels. When their energies are very low and they do not feed toreplenish them, warriors will require a greater quantity of food to sustain themselves, butthis will rarely satisfy. It may even make them sick.Of all the castes, the warriors store the greatest portion of energy. This is energy notmeant to be fed from, but energy which can be directed through their Will and their rage.Although it takes a good deal to delve deep enough into the warrior to reach his hiddenreserves, once this well-spring is tapped, the power and intensity of the output isimmense.
XXX. Subtle Reality Basics
Our greatest power, that which sustains us and defines us as what we are, is our ability tomanipulate energy. By extending our energy beyond ourselves, we are able to manipulatethe energies of others even over great distances.First we must become aware of our own energies. We must know our subtle body, itsstrengths and limitations. We must have a clear picture of our subtle being in our mindsso that we are better able to manipulate that subtle body to affect the world around us.We must remember that thought is energy, and what we imagine and consciouslyvisualize will have an effect upon the world around us. We manipulate our own energy bodies through visualization, directing our energies according to our will.The main foci for the manipulation of energy are our mouths and our hands. The mouthand the hands are our tools. The way we manipulate these tools is through breath,visualization, and will. Our breath combines our physical and subtle bodies in a unifiedstream of life / air.By inhaling in such a way as to breathe with more than just our lungs, we take energy in.By exhaling in such a way as to utilize both our physical and subtle bodies, we expelenergy. Visualize the energy as light which rides upon the breath. It is a softly glowingliquid that flows around and through all things. When we breathe, we drink this in. Itgathers in our center, below the heart in our Ka.With the touch of our hands, with the kiss of our lips, or with the concentrated intent totouch over a distance, all coupled with breath, we can pull energy out of others or breatheit into them in a healing stream.In order to more efficiently take energy out of another or to put it in, we must extend beyond breath. Using the stream of the breath as a focus, visualize a tendril of the subtle body moving toward and inserting itself into the target. Once a connection is made, the sense of it is unmistakable. Do not let doubt or worry distract you, but retain your focuson the visualization and the breath.It is best to think of this tendril not as something which moves through ordinary space or ordinary physicality. It is powered by the breath and the breath focuses and directs it, yetit cannot be found physically in the stream of the breath. It is an extension of our willsand our imaginations, and thus exists on a level of pure energy.Think of the world as a double-exposure. The clearest part of the photograph is the physical, material world. This is what the majority of humanity mistakes for the sum totalof reality. But there is a translucent ghost-image that is layered on top of and throughoutthe other. In truth, they are inextricably woven together. It is this quasi-reality throughwhich our subtle bodies move, and it is the other objects and forces in this quasi-realitythat our subtle bodies interact with and influence.Think of yourself as existing in both of these realities at once. Be aware of the materialuniverse around you but at the same time be aware of the shadow reality that is woventhroughout it. Know that you can affect and be affected by both.In the subtle reality, the physical boundaries of things and people are not necessarilyfixed. By moving parts or all of your subtle body in this aspect of reality, you can passover great distances as if they were nothing, for in truth, here all points exist as one point.You can move inside a living body, perceiving the organs and internal functions as if theywere laid open before you, down to a microscopic level.In the subtle reality, you can see past the ordinary boundaries of things with a sense thatis more impression coupled with insight. Actual physical sight is only an analogy here, ametaphor for perceiving on a deeper level. However, as you are more accustomed to physical sight, you are most likely to interpret your impressions of this aspect of reality interms of images and vision.You cannot only perceive things in the subtle reality, but you can influence them as well.You can take things out of a living body and you can put things in, provided the objectsand forces you are manipulating have their origin in the subtle reality through which youmove. These things will not be "real" in the physical or material sense, for they exist onthe level of pure energy. However, if they are strong enough, they can ultimately have atangible affect on the physical reality, for the two are merely different aspects of the samething.
XXXI. Augmentation
All of the abilities and powers inherent to our kind are almost solely fueled by energy.Mastery of these powers requires an understanding of one's own energy as well as theability to visualize that energy on the subtle level. The more advanced powers require the ability to manipulate the subtle body in order to perceive and interact with the subtlereality.With determination and practice, all of our kind regardless of caste have the potential tolearn and master any of the following skills.The first and most basic thing we can do is physical augmentation. Augmentation usesour energy to influence our physical bodies. Augmentation allows us to push beyond our physical limitations through a concentrated act of will.To augment, you must extend your awareness only slightly to the energy coursingthrough your body. Focus is essential. Gather the energy into your center, just under your heart chakra, then force it throughout yourself with a specific intent. In this way you maywill a burst of strength or a burst of speed, you may increase your endurance, your paintolerance, and even the rate at which you heal.Through concentration of your will and your energy, you can heightened your senses of touch, taste, hearing, and so forth. A limited amount of increased sensual acuity comeswithout thought. All senses are affected in this way, though scent, taste, and touch are themost noticeably keener.With practice, augmentation will come naturally, without a conscious effort, and may bekept up for extended periods of time. However, augmenting for extended periods tends to burn the system out very quickly so that one must feed more heavily and more often inorder to compensate.The same concept can be applied to pushing yourself beyond the limits of physicalinfirmity or disease. Many of us are sickly, because the connection between the physicaland the spiritual bodies is disjointed or incomplete. Yet we can overcome whatever our physical limitations may be with a concentrated effort of will. As with augmentation,focus is essential, and compensating for extended periods of time will deplete you so thatyou will have to feed heavily more often. Yet with practice and diligence, one cancompensate for the most debilitating conditions without hardly a thought, so that eventhose with serious heart conditions can achieve a level of physical activity and endurancethat would astonish physicians.
XXXII. Subtle Perception
Sight of the subtle which lies within and throughout all physical things comes with practice and concentration. Most of us can, to one degree or another, perceive the energywe manipulate, the life which courses through those around us. This is not so muchsomething that is seen with the eyes as it is something which gives the impression of sight. It is a perception, an intuition, easily ignored or discounted. It may manifest to youas light or color as that is the easiest way your mind can interpret it. Whenever you attempt to see on this level, remember not to take the idea of sight too literally andinstead trust your instincts and impressions.Another sensual impression we gain is the sense of others' physical and emotional states.This involves our ability to pick up on their energy and latent thoughts. Though this can be done simply by focusing our attention briefly on the person in question, the strongestsensations are gained through physical contact. It is by gauging our impressions to our target's energy that we can determine whether he is sick or well, drugged, diseased, or intoxicated. We can further perceive his general emotional state, energy level, and levelof power (if any).Again, these impressions can be very vague and it will take time and practice to evenrealize that you can sense these things, let alone learn how to differentiate sick from well,energized from drained, and the diverse states in between. Learn through trial and error,as everyone's impressions tend to differ, and trust your instincts at all times.
XXXIII. Manifesting
We all possess a certain presence which hangs about us at all times. Whether we wishthis or not, it will still be present to a limited degree, even when an effort is made todamp the effect down.Our presence tends to be dark and intimidating, and it inspires fear and uncertainty inmost who are exposed to it. Some, however, find our presence darkly fascinating, and for these it manifests as an irresistible and almost sexual attraction.Manifesting is the art of taking this presence and manipulating it to our advantage.Manifesting requires much the same technique as augmentation, however in the case of manifestation, the energy gathered is not directed within ourselves, to our physical bodies. Instead, it is extended outward so that it spreads around us like a cloak.Center yourself, gather your energies, then expand them out around yourself. Visualize animbus of energy surrounding you, and focus on a particular image or emotion which youdesire to project with this energy.A great deal of manifesting relies upon the people around you. You are extending your energy to influence their minds on a semi-conscious level. Because you are speakingdirectly to their unconscious minds, their individual perceptions of your intent willultimately influence what they perceive and how they react to you.The most basic form of manifesting is manifesting the vampire. This draws upon thearchetype that has developed around our kind over the years and can have a very potent psychological affect on those around you. Gather to your core all that makes you whatyou are: all the darkness, the alienation, the predatory need. Then shoot this concentratedenergy throughout your being, extending it a few feet in front of you so that all those around you will be affected by this projection. By experimenting, you can extend thisinimical aura around yourself for many feet, and what with satisfaction at it clears your way through a pressing crowd.Using essentially the same technique, you can project fear, respect, intimidation,attraction, awe, and virtually anything else into the minds of those around you. Most willreact to this projection on an unconscious level, moving toward you or hastily out of your way as you desire. Manifesting will especially draw the attention of those who areawakened or even semi-awake.This effect may also be used to obscure yourself from others. The technique is the same, but instead of projecting fear or attraction, you should simply influence those around youto ignore you. Project obscurity and the sense that you are unremarkable and blend intoyour surroundings. When done properly, this will allow you to lose yourself in a crowd or even help you to hide unnoticed in an empty room.
XXXIV. Nature of the Aura
We all share a distinctive aura which others may perceive and use to identify us. Our vampiric signature is most obviously expressed in the auras of priests and least obvious inthe auras of concubines. We may also perceive this aura as well as the auras of others.This perception occurs on the subtle level and enables us to gain information about thosearound us.Essentially, the aura is the subtle body where it extends beyond the limits of the physical body. As we constantly tread upon the threshold of spirit and matter, our subtle bodiesare much larger than those of ordinary folk, and they extend far around us, dependingupon our self-mastery, energy level, and level of power.The aura can be perceived in several relatively thin layers of almost-light which extend just beyond the skin. If you look for actual, physical light extending around the body likea halo, you will miss the subtle nuances of the actual aura.The aura can be perceived as light or color, though it is really neither of these things. Intruth, light and color are merely the best metaphors was can devise in order to describeand interpret something which layers over physical reality from the subtle like a double-exposure.The aura may appear textured, most often like a liquid -- oily, rippling, misty. It is notstatic but fluid and is constantly though subtly changing. It can be perceived throughtouch as warmth or as a subtle tension or pressure that is almost there beneath your fingers. Its essence is subtle and thus our experience of it is subtle. Perception of the aura isultimately something which must be intuited, perceived by insight more than with our ordinary senses.
XXXV. Perceiving the Aura
The best place to first look for a glimpse of the aura is on the hand around the fingers.Look closely at the area just above the flesh. A very small layer, perhaps only millimetersthick, should be perceptible. It will differ in texture and quality from the air around it, andafter a time, colors may suggest themselves to you. At all times you should trust your instincts and impressions and allow them to guide you to your conclusions. Do not doubtyour perceptions until after you have explored them fully. Once you are finished, you canstep back and analyze your experience all you wish.After you have focused on the first layer, another layer, like a misty ring above the first,may become perceptible. This is the outer shell of the aura. It varies in thickness from person to person. The layer of the aura can actually vary from day to day or hour to hour on any given person according to mood, energy level, and so forth. In general, this layer is colorless but may appear lighter or darker in varying shades of grey. When particularlythick and opaque, this usually suggests shields.The inner layer of the aura can vary in brightness and color according to health,emotional state, and energy level. There is no standard interpretation chart for any of these qualities, as perception is strongly influenced by the subjective expectations of theindividual.We filter all of our perceptions, to one degree or another, through our individual symbolsystem. Thus, intuition has proven to be the only set rule for aura interpretation. What areyour emotional reactions and instinctual responses to a particular color or quality in theaura? If you see a particular color, analyze what that color means to you. The aura, like somany other psychic impressions, speaks to you in the language of symbol. As your symbol system is uniquely your own, you must come to understand the meaning of your individual symbols if you are to accurately interpret your perceptions of the aura.
XXXVI. Energy Manipulation
It is part of our essential nature to manipulate energy, and we are not limited to onlytaking energy away from others into ourselves. Because we can sense energy, grasp it,influence it, and channel it, we may also give energy to others. Most often, we do this tohelp and to heal, though like all things, this skill can also be used to hurt and harm.For most energy manipulations, our best focus is our hands. We can easily gather energyinto our hands and manipulate it. If the energy comes from within ourselves, we need butto draw the energy into our center, then channel the energy down to either or both hands If you are successful in focusing energy into your hands, they will begin to grow warmand tingle. The capillaries will expand, causing a splotchy pinkening of the skin as, on asubtler level, the energy channels also expand to increase circulation on both levels.A thrumming sensation may encompass your arms all the way up to the elbows and insome cases may even be perceptible to those around you. If someone touches your handsat this point, he will not only notice the increased heat (a by-product of the coalescingenergy) but he will also feel an electrical vibration coursing through your flesh.Once you have gathered such a charge to your hands, you may direct the energy toward aspecific goal. To do this, you must visualize what you wish to do, accompanying thevisualization with actual physical contact and motions to help maintain focus.
XXXVII. The Energy Ball
Once you have learned how to focus and direct energy through your body, the most basicform of external energy manipulation is the energy ball. Cup your hands slightly untilyou feel a build-up of energy gather in your palm. It will have a barely perceptible heft toit, and if you press your fingers around it, you will feel a subtle tension before it begins togive.This energy is malleable, like a very viscous fluid, and may be handled and shaped as youwould clay.Bring your hands together, palms still cupped and slightly parted, and form the energyinto a ball. Feel its weight and the tension it creates between your fingers. Mold it andshape it with your hands. In this state, it can be thrown at a target or passed from personto person. In general, anyone struck with such a neutral ball of energy will feelsomething, though they may be hard pressed to define what.If you look at this collected energy as you would the aura, you will find that it is perceptible as something misty or oily in the space between your hands.You may charge this energy with a specific emotion or sensation. Simply concentrate onthe energy in your hands and concentrate on that emotion or sensation. Recall it socompletely that you actually experience it while focusing on the energy ball. Direct thesensation to the energy in your hands. The energy will then become infused with theemotion or sensation which you generated. Now, when you throw this energy ball at someone, they will experience the sensation or emotion as you did. They may ignore it or they may act upon what they suddenly feel.Sometimes, if the sensation is strong enough, they may jump and instinctively look over at you. XXXVIII. Augmented Healing
Energy gathered into your hands, if allowed to remain neutral and uncharged by anyextraneous emotions, can be used to heal yourself or another.Cup the energy in your hand and hold this around the affected area. Channel the energythrough your hands to the wound. As you send the energy through your hands, extendsyour awareness to include all that the energy comes into contact with. Focus on graduallysmaller and smaller levels until you sense the source of the problem.Your perception of the problem and how you seek to deal with it will depend upon your knowledge of anatomy and your technique of visualization. In general, you can speed thehealing of any wound by vitalizing the area with energy and stimulating both circulationand cell growth.If there are broken bones, visualize the ends of the bone knitting back together. If thereare tears in muscles or tendons, will the fibers to reknit themselves. Visualize the bloodgathering to carry away the fluids which cause swelling or any clotted matter left over from bruises or other ruptures. Visualize cell growth and mitosis occurring on anincreased level.Flood the area with as much energy as you can spare, then gradually cease the flow. Keepyour hands over the area, holding the heat you've generated in place for a bit longer, then pull away.
XXXIX. Advanced Healing Techniques
Sometimes a wound or illness may not have a physical cause. In such a case, lay your hands upon the area where the problem is focused and extend your awareness to theinternal level. Probe out with your subtle sense and locate the intrusion which is thesource of the problem. This may be a dark spot or a dense "object." It may merely be afeeling, such as a sensation of cold or pain. Find it, then, taking one hand, close both your physical and subtle self around it. Draw it out and throw it away. Do not take it intoyourself as this can cause complications, not the least of which is the possibility of havingthe infection attack you.Sometimes a wound or illness may exist on both the physical and subtle levels. In such acase, place your hands over the affected area and extend your awareness to the internallevel. Draw out the subtle intrusion first. Heal the problem on the physical level onlyafter this has been done. The physical and the subtle levels of existence are so interlinkedthat if you heal the physical but leave the subtle aspect untouched, the subtle intrusionwill eventually cause the physical problem to recur.You may use these techniques on yourself or others as the need arises. If your visualization is strong, you may not need to touch the affected area when healingyourself. Simply center, build up some energy, then focus inward and become aware of your internal processes. Focus your perception on the affected area and proceed with thehealing visualizations discussed above. Cease when you feel you have done all the goodthat you can.
XLI. Shielding Techniques
Because of what we are, we have little need for shields ourselves. Shields are, bydefinition, antithetical to our nature. We are constantly taking energy into ourselves. Toclose ourselves off from this would be to close ourselves off from what sustains us.Selective shields, or filters, which allow only certain things through, are more useful to us by far.Our best defense against energy intended to do us harm is simply to fall back upon our essential nature. It is our nature to devour, and so we merely take it all in, good energy, bad energy, tendrils, missiles, all of it. While we rarely gain any actual benefit fromtaking such energies in, neither are we harmed by them.If you are attacked by something, grab onto it on the subtle level and pull it into yourself.Break it down into neutral energy as you would process anything else. Though in generalthe assimilation of energy is an unconscious process, in cases of attack, you may actuallyhave to concentrate on the process. Just will the energy to break down. Purge it of anyspecific charges or intents and make it a part of you. You may also purge it, process it,then throw it back in the direction it came as a response to whoever attacked you.If such an attack is clearly being directed by another, trace the attack to its source as youwould travel down one of your own tendrils. Then reverse the attack and drain throughyour enemy's connection to you. The attacker will usually be so surprised by thisresponse as to cut the attack off immediately.Most of the awakened consciously or unconsciously set up shields in order to guardagainst a myriad of psychic attacks. Shields, as they are constructed of energy, can bedrained into non-existence by those of our kind. The energy may not be something whichwe can process or make use of, but it is energy nonetheless and therefore not proof against our manipulations.
XLIII. Creating Filters
We are constantly pulling energy into ourselves. This function is unconscious and oftenundiscerning. When you are among a group of people, you will draw upon the ambientenergy that is generated by that group. Occasionally, there is a quality to the energy of agroup that you may not wish to take into yourself. This is especially true if many of theindividuals in the group are tainted in some way, as with illness, intoxication, or drug-use.Rather than shielding yourself and thus blocking yourself off from all the energy in theroom, you may set up a filter. Less rigid and opaque than a true shield, a filter allows you to sort through all that you take in and block certain elements of that energy out. A filter may target certain emotions which you do not wish to vicariously experience or they mayfilter out the taint of alcohol, drugs, or disease so you do not draw these things intoyourself during a general crowd feed.Target the specific energy that you do not wish to take in. Visualize a filter, like a porousshield, that will allow everything to pass through except this particular energy. If you areactively drawing from the crowd around you, simply be selective in what you pull intoyourself through nets or tendrils. Isolate the unwanted energy from everything else anddiscard it before you actively pull the rest through. All this requires is an awareness of yourself and your surroundings on the subtle level.A filter can also be used to take only a specific sort of energy in. Simply isolate thatelement among the ambient energy, focus on it, then draw upon it to the exclusion of allelse. As the subtle and the physical are intricately interwoven, this can work on chemicals present in your target's system. Though physical contact facilitates this technique, it can be done with effort from a distance. In this way, you can focus on the drugs in someone'ssystem and pull them away, thus robbing them of their high. Treat the drugs as you wouldany intrusion on the subtle level, grabbing onto them with your subtle body but not pulling them into yourself.If you grab onto the drugs or alcohol present in another's system in this way and pullthem into yourself, you will experience the effects of the drugs vicariously. Sometimesthis is desirable. Simply focus on someone who is suitably intoxicated, focus on theelement present in their systems that is responsible for the intoxication, and draw it intoyourself. Once again, this is most efficiently done with person to person physical contact, but can be effected in a group or long-distance draw.Because you have the ability to manipulate energy on such a level, you can alsoconsciously burn the resulting intoxication out of your system whenever you choose.Simply extend your awareness within yourself, focus on the intoxicant, gather it up andcast it away. This works to a certain degree even it you have physically imbibed theintoxicant.
XLIV. Spiritual Cleansings
Energy is our greatest resource. It sustains us, it makes us strong. It is both our weaponand our tool. It is our nature to tread the very threshold between spirit and matter. For thisreason, we have a greater sensitivity to the subtle than any other physical being.However, our sensitivities are both a power and a bane. Just as we can easily affect theenergies of the subtle reality, so too are we easily affected by them.We are very sensitive to the energy of the places we live. Discarded energy and emotionsflake off of people much like dust, and over time they inevitably build up in a place. A build-up of negative emotions can begin to affect us by altering our health and our mood.This is true to a certain extent of every living being, but for us the sensitivity level is excruciatingly high. We should take care in our living spaces to encourage a good flow of energy through the rooms, and to make certain that the psychic space of our houses iscleaned out once in a while.To effect such a cleaning, simply go through the house from room to room, reaching outon the subtle level with your energy and scraping things down. Visualize extensions of your energy body literally scraping down the walls and gathering the crud out of thecorners. Take care to gather this detritus together and hold it -- do not draw it into your self. When you have gone through the entire house, work toward the front or back door and throw the stuff out. Shake it off your hands, scraping it off if it seems to clingaggressively. Outside, energy flows more freely than indoors, and this negative buildupwill be carried away and dissipate naturally once expelled.Often we will unconsciously react to the subtle nature of a place, responding to theimpressions we get from it without even really thinking about it. In order to promote thehealthiest atmosphere for ourselves, we must take care that our living space is arranged insuch a way that we respond to it positively on the subtle level as well as on the physical.Techniques like Feng Shui are crucial to our kind as even the slightest upset in the energyof a place can affect us. In the most ideal case, the space in which we live should beattuned to us, charged much like the sacred space in a temple or Wiccan circle. Many of us build our sacred space around us naturally and without thinking about it, so that thedifference between our space and that of others can be distinctly felt when we visit othersand when we travel.
XLV. Otherside Beings
The subtle reality is immense. Because our concepts of distance and physical boundariesdo not exist there, any single space may be populated by hundreds of subtle beings,resonances, and impressions. Even the most desolate, empty space here in the physicalworld is crawling with things on the subtle level. Some can perceive and interact with us, but most are largely too out of phase to notice anything but their own small sliver of therealm.Most ordinary people are like the out of phase beings. They are too intent on their onesmall aspect of reality to respond to anything else. Yet because of our sensitive natures,we cannot help but perceive and respond to at least some of these other things, and because we exist more completely in both the physical and the subtle realities, many of these things are likely to notice and respond to us. Some of our kind find it intenselydisturbing to feel and be felt by such otherworldly things.Rarely are subtle beings interested enough in our realm to attempt to do malicious harmto anyone. Yet, all things which exist in the subtle reality feed as we do, and many of them seek out humanity as their main source of food. Just as our long-distance drains donot really harm our targets and are rarely even felt by them, so too are these preyingentities rarely felt by anyone they seek out. Yet it can be very inconvenient for us to become a source of energy for another being as we do not really produce enough energyto sustain ourselves.We should be aware of this aspect of the subtle reality, and we should hone our perceptions so that we can sense when a subtle being is present in our home. Since wecan interact with the subtle as well as the physical realm, we have the ability to forciblyeject such beings from our home. Much as one would clean the house of spent energy andemotions, simply isolate the entity, reach out on the subtle level and gather it up. As asubtle being, it has little definitive form, so you will have to judge by your impressionswhether you have gotten hold of it or not. Once you have hold of the thing, carry it out tothe front or back door and essentially give it the boot. Toss it out of your living space and project the definite impression that you do not want it coming back. Most subtle beingsseem somewhat intimidated by our kind, as we can just as easily feed upon them as theycan from us, and this seems to cause them discomfort or harm.Many subtle entities are not harmful at all, and discretion should be used when aninvading being is punished by being thrown out. A certain amount of subtle traffic isalways to be expected in our homes. First of all, there is the simple fact that subtle beingsare all over the place. It is the nature of the subtle reality that such things occupy allspaces and no space at the same time. Yet there is also the fact that many subtle entitiesseem attracted to our kind. They may sense our unique energy signature, and they may beattracted out of simple curiosity. To a certain extent, we have a good deal in commonwith these beings, especially in the manner in which we interact with the subtle realityand feed upon energy. We certainly have a more real and palpable presence in the subtlereality than most incarnated beings.As it is difficult to communicate with such beings except in the vaguest terms, their reasons will probably remain known only to them. Whatever the case, we should not besurprised or alarmed by their presence unless they take an active role in disturbing thesanctity of our home.
XLVI. Creating Change
Because of the way we interact with energy and the subtle reality, we are activelyconnected to the collective unconscious. We naturally respond to the eddies and tides of beliefs and ideas in that vast, psychic realm. With effort, we can also naturally affectthose eddies and tides.The collective unconscious exists on the level of pure energy. It has a subtle reality all itsown and is a part of the greater Spiritus Mundi, the spirit of the world. All humanityinfluences and is influenced by the collective unconscious. It is the sum total of all their thoughts, dreams, emotions, myths, and nightmares. It is the well of inspiration and thesource of creative thought.The unawakened are unaware of the affect they have upon the collective unconscious. Nor are they aware of how it in turn affects them. It defines their beliefs, their dreams,their very perception and experience of reality.As vampires, we are already living embodiments of a very potent archetype which liesdeep in the darker regions of the collective unconscious. The nature of our vampirism isin part defined by this archetype in the collective. Our strengths, our weaknesses, and theimage which we project to others is strongly influenced by the collective archetype.Paradoxically, what we are and what we have been in the past has also in part defined theshape which the archetype takes. In this we are both the creators and the creations of thearchetype. Such paradox is woven throughout reality.We can become consciously aware of our connection to the collective. Thus we canconsciously choose what elements will affect us and what will not. In this way, we canshape our individual perceptions of reality.On a more profound level, we can also consciously influence the collective. We caninsert thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and set them adrift on its currents. They will circulateamong the masses of humanity, occasionally surfacing in an individual's thoughts, ofteninfluencing the behavior, perceptions, and beliefs of the unawakened on a profound yetunspoken level.In this way, we can shape the reality of others. We can subtly influence thoughts andattitudes on a world-wide scale. Such subtle manipulation is very difficult to master, andit requires an extensive awareness of the collective.Those who seek to influence the world in this way must also be willing to be influencedin turn on an equally profound level. As an active element in a passive world, thecollective will surge up and manifest through you. You will become a tool of the SpiritusMundi. It will guide your actions so that you may bring change, destruction, andregeneration where it is needed most.
XLVII. Cycles
We are the many-born. We are the immortal. Eternal, we wander the aeons, moving tothe rhythm of our own inner tides. We are active elements moving through passiveworlds.We insure that energy is in constant motion. That which is static, we cause to move. Thatwhich has grown stagnant, we tear away.We separate the subtle from the dense, spirit from matter. We are agents of the dynamic balance which keeps the universe in constant motion. We separate the dual aspects of reality in order to reunite them. We seek the union of opposites which transforms allthings.Ours is a journey toward understanding, and our charge is knowledge and wisdom. Weare the catalysts, and we must serve to awaken the slumbering world to its deepest levelsof reality.
A Few Notes in Closing the Codex
Our culture teaches us that we cannot stand on our own. We cannot know something just because we know it; we need authentic degrees and certificates in order to prove our knowledge and understanding to others. If we are to amount to anything, we needapproval. And from youth upwards, it is ingrained in us to seek this approval -- from parents, from teachers, from friends, from our bosses at work -- from everywhere.Regardless of our own self-worth, regardless of how satisfied we are with our own lives,unless these other people approve of us, we are taught to feel worthless. Even the mostindependent and rebellious among us feels a little twinge at being called "crazy" or "freak" or told that we're deluded or sick or hopelessly lost in a fantasy world.It's very hard not to let this universal disapproval of our ideals and our ways make usdoubt ourselves from time to time. But it is the doubt and the fear of disapproval thatkeeps so many of us from discovering ourselves and opening ourselves up to the vastlifetimes of knowledge we already carry within.Before you doubt yourself any further, ask yourself -- who is the real authority on your life? Is it someone outside of you, who has never experienced the things you'veexperienced or felt the things that you've felt? The only authority on your life is you -- soseek approval there first. Trust those little whispers of guidance offered by your inner Self. If you are satisfied with what it tells you, what does it matter what anyone else hasto say?
Seek Your Own Truth
COMMENTS
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