Intention

“A gentleman never insults… accidentally.”

My father was fond of this piece of Victorian guidance. There was a time when this was a core aspect of proper behavior. Today I find it rare. It speaks to intention, knowing one’s own intentions, and how intentions are interpreted by others.

A Sith knows his heart, his desires, his ambitions. He is aware of that which stems from within, and is mindful of his subconscious betraying him. To act without intention is to merely pass the time. To speak without intention is to fill silence with noise. A Sith can do neither of these as it is expected and assumed that he does not. His enemies seek out the intention in every act and word. His friends come to expect it. To not realize this is a grave error.

Act with intention, since you will be credited with it anyway. When a Sith takes ownership of his intentions, he takes ownership of his life, for better or worse. But be aware of the failings.

The subconscious, the sleeping mind, holds the true intentions of the heart, and never betrays them. It slips that intention into our words when we do not watch for it, and is brilliant in this craft. Words that have little emotional meaning are imbued with them. The tone and inflection, even in the written word, comes through with crystal clarity. Frustration and bitterness drip from the letters and the sounds. Love radiates from the page and fills the voice with song.

So study this thoroughly, and learn your heart, your desires, your ambitions. Watch how your sleeping mind betrays your conscious intent, for I can think of no greater teacher of your own heart. Learn how others see and hear. Learn to find the intentions of others. Make the wielding of intention your craft. In this, no Sith can afford failure.