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alternityAs a preface to my continuing series on magical education, I must address a distasteful subject in the same manner in which one disposes of any such waste: as expeditiously as possible. To say that the appearance of more useless mealy-mouthed rhetoric about hearts disturbs me is too strong a statement - I am, rather, annoyed. When I chose to begin writing under the title of the Grim Truth, it was specifically to reach Sirius Black's readership - the same readership which had been absorbing his words for some time and, by so doing, had prepared themselves to act. Grandiloquence carries one as far as the river one must cross, but of what use is that journey unless one has the tools to build the bridge?
However, the author of the opposing text - whom I suspect to be, due to the use of such laughably populist terms as 'freedom fighters,' either a Ministry writer or a simpleton - makes a troublesomely useful point. Anyone may now write a Grim Truth, which, while splendidly democratic, also incites vexatious debate about what the hallowed Sirius Black would have wanted. Therefore, continuing my publication under this journal only, I shall give it its own title: The Draught.
Those who have been courageous and enterprising enough to educate themselves through my writings are beginning to see their utility, and that is what I offer: utility. I will never offer you instructions which are false, or allow false instructions given by others to stand without being countered. I will never craft a method without considering your limited resources and safety. Finally, I will never waste your time with redundant, sentimental prose.
On the Practice of Occlumency - A Practical Guide
In consideration of the triviality with which personal privacy and the agency to withhold one’s thoughts is treated in our time, Occlumency becomes a necessity against those who would purposefully invade the minds of others. Necessity being the mother of invention, the practice of Occlumency came to light in the thirteenth century during the Wizarding Inquisition of Stuttgart to counter the device of Legilimency. Legilimency is the art of sweeping aside the barrier between one’s own mind and the mind of another. Conversely, Occlumency was constructed to prevent such an intrusion.
Legilimency operates largely via the expedient of will, as does Occlumency. The reason why Legilimency is not a common practice is that the ability to lower the barrier between minds and gain the insight to interpret the resultant findings takes considerable time and practice to develop. Fortunately, Occlumency is more primitive than Legilimency, and, while still a significant undertaking, requires less time to actualise.
Those using Legilimency will be better able to do so if their target is vulnerable, exhausted, or in a similar state of disarmament. The first line of defense against Legilimency, then, is to avoid this state if at all possible. Most of the few practitioners of Legilimency require eye contact with their victim, though some have been known to accomplish it without. Thus, avoiding eye contact is the second line of defense.
When a Legilimens gains access to a mind, they are confronted by a barrage of emotions and memories, most of which will be associated with the event at hand. If their victim is attempting to conceal a truth, it is this truth which will be foremost in their thoughts - paradoxically, it is that which we endeavor to hide from others which we think about most often ourselves. That is why, in the practice of Occlumency, the ultimate goal is to be able to do what is often regarded as impossible: to not think of something. For instance, if I command you not to think of a black hippogriff, your first thought will likely be of a black hippogriff. Occlumency subverts this instinct and can, in its most refined form, turn this subversion into a useful weapon.
Occlumency, as with a great many other types of so-called “mind control” spells, is best achieved with practice. Since this practice is not possible in any situation other than the most undesirable, a set of exercises must take its place. This brings us to the third line of defense.
The most basic step to performing Occlumency is the practice of wiping the mind clean of any reactions, thoughts, emotions or associations. To think simply of nothing is not as straightforward as it might seem, so begin by meditating on one thing and one thing only for as long as possible. Choose a concrete object - avoiding abstract concepts such as ‘home’ or ‘safety’ and favouring everyday articles such as a hat or a broom - and shut your eyes, thinking only on that object until other thoughts begin to intrude. Stop the instant the distracting thoughts begin, wait for five minutes, and try again. This state of single-minded concentration will only be possible for one minute or so upon first beginning, but as with everything, the more it is practised, the easier it shall become.
When you can, at will, banish every thought from your mind except for the vision of your chosen object - and you can maintain this state for up to five minutes without distraction - proceed to the next exercise. This involves thinking of the space where your chosen object used to be, as if it had been removed from sight. This will be more difficult to concentrate upon for any significant length of time, and a return to the first stage of the exercise may be necessary if no progress is made after several attempts. It is at this point that you must begin associating this state of blankness with the word ‘Legilimens,’ either by uttering it aloud before entering it, or having another person do the same. In this way, the incantation will become an associative trigger, and, through repetition, will prompt you to enter an unreadable state just as your mind is penetrated. Test your ability to enter and maintain the blank state by having others distract you by means of sudden sound or physical contact.
Utter blankness is, to those using Legilimency, a sure sign that Occlumency is being used. In my next Draught, we shall proceed to those steps which will allow you to maintain the facade of a mind in its normal operations whilst concealing crucial information.
An Alternative to Chocolate as a Preventative and Restorative
Chocolate has long been considered the best remedy for the effects of proximity to Dementors, and indeed, before the current administration, the inexpensiveness and wide availability of chocolate made it the most practical choice. However, genuine chocolate derived from cacao beans now being a scarce commodity, and moreover, not being allowed to many who must necessarily need it most, we must turn to England’s native plants. Yarrow - also known as old man’s pepper, soldier’s woundwort, thousandleaf, or thousandfoil - is a common summer plant to be found nearly everywhere, as it is hardy and drought-resistant. No part of this plant is poisonous. A note of caution: due to its effects on the many different systems of the body, women who are with child or nursing should not take this remedy. The rare person will have an allergic reaction to yarrow - test yourself before consuming it. See the illustration below for the purposes of identification.
Note its similarity in appearance to fool’s parsley, or poison hemlock, and be wary of this when harvesting yarrow.
It has featured for many years in remedies both Muggle and magical for its uses as an astringent, a coagulant, and an antiseptic, but yarrow also possesses calming powers, particularly in conjunction with other healing tinctures. Either by itself, or, ideally, mixed with melted chocolate, a tea of dried yarrow leaves assists greatly in recovery from interactions with Dementors. Employing four to seven dried leaves to one pint of water, steep them in a covered pot of boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes so as to retain maximum potency. Without the benefit of added chocolate, it will have a bitter taste. This tea will be powerful, and should be drunk only in small amounts.
As always, use this information wisely.
However, the author of the opposing text - whom I suspect to be, due to the use of such laughably populist terms as 'freedom fighters,' either a Ministry writer or a simpleton - makes a troublesomely useful point. Anyone may now write a Grim Truth, which, while splendidly democratic, also incites vexatious debate about what the hallowed Sirius Black would have wanted. Therefore, continuing my publication under this journal only, I shall give it its own title: The Draught.
Those who have been courageous and enterprising enough to educate themselves through my writings are beginning to see their utility, and that is what I offer: utility. I will never offer you instructions which are false, or allow false instructions given by others to stand without being countered. I will never craft a method without considering your limited resources and safety. Finally, I will never waste your time with redundant, sentimental prose.
On the Practice of Occlumency - A Practical Guide
In consideration of the triviality with which personal privacy and the agency to withhold one’s thoughts is treated in our time, Occlumency becomes a necessity against those who would purposefully invade the minds of others. Necessity being the mother of invention, the practice of Occlumency came to light in the thirteenth century during the Wizarding Inquisition of Stuttgart to counter the device of Legilimency. Legilimency is the art of sweeping aside the barrier between one’s own mind and the mind of another. Conversely, Occlumency was constructed to prevent such an intrusion.
Legilimency operates largely via the expedient of will, as does Occlumency. The reason why Legilimency is not a common practice is that the ability to lower the barrier between minds and gain the insight to interpret the resultant findings takes considerable time and practice to develop. Fortunately, Occlumency is more primitive than Legilimency, and, while still a significant undertaking, requires less time to actualise.
Those using Legilimency will be better able to do so if their target is vulnerable, exhausted, or in a similar state of disarmament. The first line of defense against Legilimency, then, is to avoid this state if at all possible. Most of the few practitioners of Legilimency require eye contact with their victim, though some have been known to accomplish it without. Thus, avoiding eye contact is the second line of defense.
When a Legilimens gains access to a mind, they are confronted by a barrage of emotions and memories, most of which will be associated with the event at hand. If their victim is attempting to conceal a truth, it is this truth which will be foremost in their thoughts - paradoxically, it is that which we endeavor to hide from others which we think about most often ourselves. That is why, in the practice of Occlumency, the ultimate goal is to be able to do what is often regarded as impossible: to not think of something. For instance, if I command you not to think of a black hippogriff, your first thought will likely be of a black hippogriff. Occlumency subverts this instinct and can, in its most refined form, turn this subversion into a useful weapon.
Occlumency, as with a great many other types of so-called “mind control” spells, is best achieved with practice. Since this practice is not possible in any situation other than the most undesirable, a set of exercises must take its place. This brings us to the third line of defense.
The most basic step to performing Occlumency is the practice of wiping the mind clean of any reactions, thoughts, emotions or associations. To think simply of nothing is not as straightforward as it might seem, so begin by meditating on one thing and one thing only for as long as possible. Choose a concrete object - avoiding abstract concepts such as ‘home’ or ‘safety’ and favouring everyday articles such as a hat or a broom - and shut your eyes, thinking only on that object until other thoughts begin to intrude. Stop the instant the distracting thoughts begin, wait for five minutes, and try again. This state of single-minded concentration will only be possible for one minute or so upon first beginning, but as with everything, the more it is practised, the easier it shall become.
When you can, at will, banish every thought from your mind except for the vision of your chosen object - and you can maintain this state for up to five minutes without distraction - proceed to the next exercise. This involves thinking of the space where your chosen object used to be, as if it had been removed from sight. This will be more difficult to concentrate upon for any significant length of time, and a return to the first stage of the exercise may be necessary if no progress is made after several attempts. It is at this point that you must begin associating this state of blankness with the word ‘Legilimens,’ either by uttering it aloud before entering it, or having another person do the same. In this way, the incantation will become an associative trigger, and, through repetition, will prompt you to enter an unreadable state just as your mind is penetrated. Test your ability to enter and maintain the blank state by having others distract you by means of sudden sound or physical contact.
Utter blankness is, to those using Legilimency, a sure sign that Occlumency is being used. In my next Draught, we shall proceed to those steps which will allow you to maintain the facade of a mind in its normal operations whilst concealing crucial information.
An Alternative to Chocolate as a Preventative and Restorative
Chocolate has long been considered the best remedy for the effects of proximity to Dementors, and indeed, before the current administration, the inexpensiveness and wide availability of chocolate made it the most practical choice. However, genuine chocolate derived from cacao beans now being a scarce commodity, and moreover, not being allowed to many who must necessarily need it most, we must turn to England’s native plants. Yarrow - also known as old man’s pepper, soldier’s woundwort, thousandleaf, or thousandfoil - is a common summer plant to be found nearly everywhere, as it is hardy and drought-resistant. No part of this plant is poisonous. A note of caution: due to its effects on the many different systems of the body, women who are with child or nursing should not take this remedy. The rare person will have an allergic reaction to yarrow - test yourself before consuming it. See the illustration below for the purposes of identification.
Note its similarity in appearance to fool’s parsley, or poison hemlock, and be wary of this when harvesting yarrow.
It has featured for many years in remedies both Muggle and magical for its uses as an astringent, a coagulant, and an antiseptic, but yarrow also possesses calming powers, particularly in conjunction with other healing tinctures. Either by itself, or, ideally, mixed with melted chocolate, a tea of dried yarrow leaves assists greatly in recovery from interactions with Dementors. Employing four to seven dried leaves to one pint of water, steep them in a covered pot of boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes so as to retain maximum potency. Without the benefit of added chocolate, it will have a bitter taste. This tea will be powerful, and should be drunk only in small amounts.
As always, use this information wisely.
I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:07 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:11 pm (UTC)I've never even heard of it before.
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:14 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:17 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:19 pm (UTC)I'm not sure.
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:23 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:24 pm (UTC)(Good thing our mum isn't a legilimens. Our life would be a lot more complicated.)
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:29 pm (UTC)I've heard of occlumency. There are references to it in my Dark Arts textbook, as the defense against legilimency. They don't teach us either, though.
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:31 pm (UTC)But no. We have our little tricks, and we've found that misdirection and distraction works quite well with dear old Mum, whenever we really need to cover our tracks.
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:29 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:34 pm (UTC)I mean, not that I've ever formally studied it, but can't everyone do that sort of thing?
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:35 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:36 pm (UTC)From my parents, you know.
Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:30 pm (UTC)Re: I Solemnly Swear That I Am Up to No Good
Date: 2011-05-04 08:35 pm (UTC)Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 08:42 pm (UTC)Frank, Alice, what does Stephen make of this new information? About the yarrow?
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 08:45 pm (UTC)Yes, I think it's entirely likely. A flood of propaganda to muddy the waters sounds like just the ticket.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 09:23 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 09:32 pm (UTC)I'll be extremely interested to see if this Doris Whats-er-name writes again, and if so, what she has to offer.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 09:35 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 09:38 pm (UTC)So far she hasn't offered anything we can test, like the stuff in the Goyle journal that Stephen and Davidson have been trying out. So we'll have to reserve judgement.
It would be nice if the forces for good had some signal we could use to recognise each other. Secret passwords and handshakes might come in very useful, don't you know.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 09:44 pm (UTC)thought it was a bit preachy for my taste.
not to mention a whole lot of what not to do.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-04 09:43 pm (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-05 02:32 am (UTC)And he omits to mention that people with low blood pressure may experience a dangerous drop in of the sort that causes fainting and falls--even heart stoppage in rare cases (or in cases of overdose). And he might have explained in straightforward English that its coagulant properties mean that it encourages clotting of the blood--quite useful in some situations, fatal in others.
But it's not his sins of omission I most unhappy about. Did you not note that he manages to suggest poisoning once again? Quite cleverly and by indirection. Note, he says, its similarity in appearance to fool’s parsley, or poison hemlock, and be wary of this when harvesting yarrow. Which is exactly as much as to say: here's a picture that will help you find a new poison, if it's poisons you're interested in finding.
That. That is the work of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-05 03:33 am (UTC)Re: Order Only
Date: 2011-05-05 12:16 pm (UTC)And the suggestion of masking taste with chocolate? Devastatingly clever.