Asked the student: "Wise man, I hear other people talk about seeing ghosts and elves, and about objects and animals being taken over by demons, and I read about angels and dragons. I haven't seen any working in our path directing its energy towards any of them, nor using any of them as an aid. Does our path acknowledge those beings?"
Answered the teacher: "We call them 'ethereal': having energy for substance, thus primarily emanating in the mind's eye. We do have some workings pertaining to deflecting demons and other evil influences, but generally see no cause for worship."
Continued the student: "Energy for substance? Then how can we see them? Our senses aren't equipped to detect energy. What do you mean by 'emanating in the mind's eye'?"
Asked the teacher: "How is it you think we cannot detect energy? Though some animals are better at it, for instance sharks find us in the water by detecting our energy emissions, don't we too sense basic shapes of energy, like electricity, light, sound, and matter?"
Said the student: "Still you made an exception for ethereal beings."
Explained the teacher: "Yes I did. We believe their substance so fleeting, that we have a hard time detecting them with any other sense than our mind. The physical senses will help minutiously, though none of them by themselves will paint the full picture. For that, we need our mind. It's a skill for which most of us will also need training and practice, though some do it naturally."
Asked the student: "So where do those beings come from? Do they procreate like animals and people?"
Answered the teacher: "We don't know. Some might, some might not procreate. We believe that all beings follow a pattern of reincarnation, alternating between soul and bodily existence, and these ethereal beings are merely another form of incarnation."
Continued the student: "And as such they are no more and no less then us, meaning worship isn't necessary. Still we believe they can hurt us and help us, if they choose so or are persuaded."
Said the teacher: "That is correct. Unlike animals and humans, which can be deflected by physical means, if ethereal beings have to be deflected, the best means will probably prove non-physical."
Pursued the student: "And by non-physical means, you indicate energy shields and spells and such?"
Retorted the teacher: "You could try ignoring them...", and left the student to ponder.
Continued the student: "Energy for substance? Then how can we see them? Our senses aren't equipped to detect energy. What do you mean by 'emanating in the mind's eye'?"
Asked the teacher: "How is it you think we cannot detect energy? Though some animals are better at it, for instance sharks find us in the water by detecting our energy emissions, don't we too sense basic shapes of energy, like electricity, light, sound, and matter?"
Said the student: "Still you made an exception for ethereal beings."
Explained the teacher: "Yes I did. We believe their substance so fleeting, that we have a hard time detecting them with any other sense than our mind. The physical senses will help minutiously, though none of them by themselves will paint the full picture. For that, we need our mind. It's a skill for which most of us will also need training and practice, though some do it naturally."
Asked the student: "So where do those beings come from? Do they procreate like animals and people?"
Answered the teacher: "We don't know. Some might, some might not procreate. We believe that all beings follow a pattern of reincarnation, alternating between soul and bodily existence, and these ethereal beings are merely another form of incarnation."
Continued the student: "And as such they are no more and no less then us, meaning worship isn't necessary. Still we believe they can hurt us and help us, if they choose so or are persuaded."
Said the teacher: "That is correct. Unlike animals and humans, which can be deflected by physical means, if ethereal beings have to be deflected, the best means will probably prove non-physical."
Pursued the student: "And by non-physical means, you indicate energy shields and spells and such?"
Retorted the teacher: "You could try ignoring them...", and left the student to ponder.