Shall we move on to the next statement of the Sith code? Through power, I gain victory.

We seek many things in life. We strive to solve our problems the best we can. Do any of our problems stay solved for very long, really?

Nope. When I solve a problem, usually someone else comes along and messes it up.

Like washing dishes, there are always more.

I guess I should also ask, what is victory to you friends?

Accomplishing a goal.

To my own understanding, victory is systemic change. You experience victory when your circumstances are fundamentally changed to the point that what allows the problem to arise no longer occurs. Sort of like Einstein’s observation about problem solving on how you can’t solve a problem in the same frame of mind that you first became aware of it. So really, this statement is the action statement of the Sith code. To fully understand it requires reflecting on the previous statements.

To recap:

1. Peace is a lie, there is only passion. We naturally seek peace. We prefer to be at rest. We don’t want to work or be locked into a struggle. The first statement requires that we acknowledge that and move beyond it as we will inevitably suffer no matter how we rationalize to ourselves why we don’t have to attack our troubles.

2. Through passion, I gain strength. Through the initial distress of our troubling experiences we can find the strength to confront them rather than retreat into avoidance. We can accept that the experience upsets and frightens us, and use that to keep us engaged in changing the circumstance that confronted us in the first place.

If you acknowledge that whatever it is is just going to keep hurting you, keep frightening you, can you really justify retreat?

3. Through strength, I gain power. You aren’t the only one with problems, not the only one with hurts and fears. Understanding this you can see how this truth shapes the world. Come to understand more clearly the patterns of exchange that keep the world turning so to speak, and learn to turn them to your advantage, and perhaps the advantage of others as you see fit.

And then back to the current statement.

4. Through power, I gain victory. Through the use of the insights mentioned earlier, that system of exchange itself can be changed, altered in ways that leave things changed for everyone, for better or worse.

So I have to ask, is there any other way to change the system?

Enduring against challenges is fundamental to overcoming them.

Can you relieve fear without changing the reasons why people experience fear?

No.

Any questions before we move on to the next statement of the Sith code? What do you think of Sith spirituality so far?

It makes more sense than I am comfortable with. I may be turning to the dark side.

I think they’re going to beat the Jedi.

Perhaps this is why they say the dark side is so seductive.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~