(Flashback) Meditation at The Travertine Hotsprings (solo)

[Imass]

Winter 70, 499

Imass woke up two hours earlier than everyone else he trained with. Sleep was relaxing and stress relieving, but it was not as good as meditation.

Before all his peers were awake, Imass would be heading to the bath houses. There, submerged in the waters of life, the young akalak would wash his sins away. He did this every morning to cleanse his body for the day. Imass studied his mind in order to quell the evil force inside of him; his dark side.

[Imass]

As he washed his body with ivory soap, Imass meditated.

Deep breathe through nostrils, square face, slow breathe out.

This was his ritual. Sometimes he closed his eyes, other times he stared out towards the moon and stars; sometimes deep in thought, other times seeking out endless possibilities in his life. This was all subconscience anxiety produced in result of his dark side. He dared not think! He did not like to bring out his darkside; so he refused to let doubt enter his brain.

He achieved this “enlightened” state of mind by meditation. Breathe in deep. Breathe out slowly.

He washed every inch of his body with great care. Every toe, every nail. He popped any blisters (though they were all callosses now). He poured hot water over his legs, hips, and pelvic area to open the pours. He scrubbed. He soaked his skin with soap and harshly scratched. He cared little for the quality of his skin, but more about the symbolic gesture of wiping away his sin. His upper body was different. There he lathered his muscular frame thick with soap. He massaged his shoulders, arms, and chest. He washed his long hair with hot water only. Afterwards he wrapped the long shaggy hair with a wet towel.

He meditated.

Breathe in deep. Breathe out slow. Breathe in deep. Breathe out slow.

[Imass]

Now his body was rid of all the sin staining his skin. Imass would meditate on the day ahead of him.

First, he would weaponize his standard armament of a Lakan. He would do simple drills in the yard with his peers. These drills would be instilled into his young head forever. Basics were just as important as anything else in life. Second, he would then train endurance and strength to promote full body stamina. It was important in the Akalak society to maintain optimum physical fitness. Thirdly, he would eat, rest, study, and sleep. These last parts did not interest him as much as the martial arts, but he complied none-the-less. Imass never prayed though. His father, a strange craftsman, encouraged a strong meditation routine, but he did not ask his son to worship any gods. Imass would have to figure out the pantheon himself.

This short time of meditation about the day’s chores really put the Akalak’s mind at rest. For a brief fleeting moment Imass would feel true peace of will. Thinking about specifics in the daily routine allowed him to forget his inner thoughts, his doubts. It was as absolute as nirvana was going to get with Imass. True bliss maybe? Regardless, this was what fueled his light side. It was what repelled the darkness.

…or at least that was what his father told him…

[Imass]

Sometimes his meditation went array. There were instances when Imass’s dark side leaked through his mind. This time was no joke though. Doubt entered his mind to the extreme. Imass suddenly seriously doubted his life path as a warrior-smithy. Should he follow in his father’s footsteps or should he seek out his own path? The answers were his alone, for the boy’s father did not pressure his career choice. Nevertheless Imass felt the intense pressure to perform anyways.

Slowly his dark side began to take over. He saw images of himself pounding metal day after day for the rest of his life. He wondered how long he would be able to hold back his dark side. Vivid thoughts of future remorse plagued him too. What if he turned out to regret his decisions? What if he failed? The pressure began to build up. Imass needed to stop it.

The solution for this situation was clear: more meditation. Breathe in. Breathe out. Clear the mind. Breathe in. Breathe out. Think of nothing but what you must do for the day.

Meditate.

“I must live my life day by day,” Imass said to himself breaking the cold monotony. He let the words sink in.

Breathe in deep. Breathe out slowly. He searched quickly for that serene state of mind. He found the key, locked his soul tightly, then hid from the feelings deep in his subconscious mind.

Ignorant bliss was reestablished. Imass was ready for the day.

[Imass]

Imass emerged from the cleansing waters. He was born anew. He was ready for the day. He would no longer be plagued by his dark side for the duration of the work day.

The meditation was successful.

[Gossamer]

. Character: Imass Experience: Meditation +3 Lore: Meditation: Clearing Ones Mind, Ritual Bathing, Cleaning Ones Body To Represent Cleaning Ones Spirit, Balancing Ones Light Side and Dark Side Additional Note: Hi there. Nice little meditation thread. I would have liked to have seen more detail about what your PC saw in terms of sights, sounds, smell sand the details of the hotsprings. You could have talked about clearing your mind and what that actually felt like in a very elaborate descriptive way instead of just saying you are doing so. I think you have the makings of a good writer, but the biggest thing I’d urge you to do is to actually SHOW the reader what you are doing by description, rather than TELLING them what your PC is doing. I’d have awarded you two more meditation XP if you’d have had more details about muscles relaxing, how it felt to start rhythmically breathing etc. But I think it was a great effort and your going to go far with your PC.  .