Disclaimer: This entry was written while still associated with r/SithOrder

Disclaimer: This entry was written while still associated with r/SithOrder

The force is a very difficult topic to discuss, and yet in many ways it is the very bedrock upon which our entire order is founded. "Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion I gain strength. Through strength I gain power. Through power I gain victory. Through victory my chains are broken. The force shall set me free" This is the Sith code, many among us choose to flaunt this around as if it means something, it does not. Words are wind, under the right circumstances words and phrases can be bent to have any number of meanings. The most literal interpretation of the Sith code, however, is based upon the foundation of the "dark side of the force" and the philosophy most often associated with it. The largest problem with our order that I have noticed is the disconnect that exists between how our members choose to view the Sith, and what the philosophy of the dark side actually means. The dark side is an inherently conservative philosophy, it preaches survival of the strongest, freedom from the regressive ideologies of the mediocre, and most importantly, the freedom to achieve whatever heights you can imagine, so long as you are willing to put in the effort and work for it. But how is the dark side itself related to the Sith? Many are unable to tell the two apart, but they would be wrong in the assumption that the Sith and the dark side are one and the same, they are not. To be Sith one must have goals, a relentless devotion to completing those goals, and the moral flexibility to achieve them. The other major trait of a Sith is the need for perfection. A Sith will stop at nothing to improve themselves, and recognizes that nothing is ever good enough, you must always push yourself further, in both mind and body, if you ever wish to have the strength and power to make sure that your goals are seen through to the end. The dark side, on the other hand, is about passion. The dark side preaches the use of one's emotions, it is about using things like anger, fear, love, pain, and hate to push yourself further. The dark side is about accepting your emotions and knowing how to use them as fuel to become stronger, faster, and more alert. The light side is the polar opposite of the dark side. Where the dark side preaches passion and tells its followers to embrace their own emotions, the light side is about peace, calm, and the complete lack of emotions. One who uses the light side is able to clear their mind of all thought and emotion, to use the silent calm that results to hone their focus and concentration. The Sith most often follow the teachings of the dark side because, in their pursuit to constantly improve themselves, they believe that it is stronger, that it offers more advantages than the light side. And depending on the individual, this can be true. But to ignore the light side as somehow inferior would be foolish. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, both have their own specific uses. To be a true master of the Sith, and to have a complete understanding of the force, one must also be able to understand the light side as well. Do not confuse my message, the dark side is stronger than the light, it offers more potential to grow where the light side limits you. But as a Sith you are not limited to only learning about the dark side. The path of additional knowledge is always the one a Sith should want to follow.

- Darth Neauar

Entry #8, "The Force II"                                         2017/04/01
In the last entry surrounding the topic of the Force, I discussed the differences between the dark and light sides of the force as well as their relationship with the philosophy of the Sith. This time, however, I will be discussing the Force itself, and how myself and others have come to understand it. Over my various years of study I have determined that the Force exists in two separate, yet sometimes connected, states of being. These are the living force, which is what living beings are able to tap into to strengthen ourselves or our senses, and the cosmic force, which is what some might describe as "the universe" or some kind of higher power. As far as I can tell, the cosmic force has no formal connection with the living force, instead, they are both able to directly interact with individuals or living beings. When one uses the dark side of the force they draw upon their passion, hatred, and fear to strengthen themselves and their abilities, both mental and physical. When using the light side one seeks to strengthen these same things, though through the use of peace, calm, and serenity. This is all part of the living force and its relationship with us, living beings. The cosmic force, however, functions very differently. Those who believe in a higher power might consider the cosmic force to be some kind of all-knowing entity with a will of its own, and as foolish as that may seem, in truth I have nothing even close to an understanding of what the cosmic force really is. In all my years of practicing the ways of the Sith, I have only ever once had direct contact with the cosmic force, and even then, that's more than most of my colleagues can say.

Although little is known about the cosmic force itself, I believe I have been able to piece together a basic understanding of what it might be. From my brief experience with it, I have been able to determine that the major difference the cosmic force has with the living force is in how they are controlled. The living force is activated, manipulated, and directed by living beings. We are able to bend it to suit whatever our needs may be at the time. The cosmic force, however, cannot be controlled by us, but rather by some outside controlling force which remains unknown to me. Some might even say the cosmic force controls us, instead. The only experience myself or any other member of the Dark Council has had with the cosmic force, as far as I am aware, was the vision which sparked my renewed passion when I first became Neauar. After the death of my mother, I was left with a hole inside of myself, I became an empty emotionless void. But then that all changed when I was given a vision, not a magical vision but more like an idea, a glimpse of what could be. I saw, in my mind, a vision of my future, and of the power I could amass. This vision was, in my belief, a manifestation of the cosmic force, altering events to suit its own needs. I was lost, without direction, but then this vision gave me that direction. It ignited, within me, passions I had long since believed to be dead. It made me who I am, shaped my every desire and motivation. This one vision took an empty shell of a man and filled it with all of the passion and drive of a true Lord of the Sith. I cannot simply believe that this was a coincidence. If the cosmic force was not responsible for this rebirth, then it could not have been possible.

Like previously stated, as far as I can tell the living force is what we use on a daily basis. Emotions and passions for the followers of the dark side, and peace and calm for the followers of the light. Whereas the cosmic force acts as an entity of its own design, potentially with the ability to intervene and make corrections to the path we each walk. Many might even consider the cosmic force to be fate. As for my beliefs on the matter, I choose not to make any assumptions without proper evidence. As it stands now, everything discussed here regarding the nature of the force is simply theory. In truth, we have no way of knowing if any of this is reality or simply speculation. One thing, however, is clear. The dark side gives us strength. And so long as it continues to do so, we as Sith will continue to practice its teachings and philosophies until a more efficient alternative is found.

- Darth Neauar