The Akashayana (uh-kosh-uh-yawn-uh)
"Shape your mind into a triangle, reaching the pinnacle at key points, with steep edges to make the weight of the world slide through, as those sharp points breach the bubble of this illusory world."The meditative masters of Mind with the Council of Nine Mystic Traditions. the Akashayana, sanskrit for Vehicle of Akasha, combine philosophies of inner peace and unattatched living with the goal of Awakened Ascension, wherein their final goal is to escape the coil of mortal life and live as part of the collective universe beyond it all. While the group is not purely Asian in membership or philosophy, they had and have a long history in the continent, taking inspiration from various eastern faiths and philosophies as their understanding of Magick grew. In the modern night, they are at a better point than they have been in recent centuries, and their long-time foes have become tenative allies, with the strife of the world making more people each day long for an enlightened path.
History
The history of the Awakened is a long and dense one, with some of these sects spanning back centuries if not millenia. They've also had a lot more going on than the Kindred we've been detailing thus far, who are content to stay in the background. So, with that in mind, we're going to summarize the general history of the sect a bit more rapidly before slowing down to focus on their history within the local area.General Sect History
The Akashayana started out inbetween modern day India and Tibet, being mountainous sages who would eventually spread out along the Asian Sub-Continent, meeting the South-Asian founders of The Euthanatoi. While both groups found cohesion in some shared beliefs, a betrayal would result in a 300 year war between the two groups that caused a lot of death, blood, and ill will that turned into a shakey peace, as neither side wants to cause even more centries of war. While that was their longest conflict, many more would occur pre-Common Era with other supernaturals or with other Mage factions. The Akashics would come out favorably more frequently in this time, and during this era they became more tightly wound with the traditions of China as Buddhism, Shinto, and Taoism spread further. As time pressed into the early Common Era, the Akashics found the cruelty and harsh rulership of this society in opposition to their goals, and so still managed their Paradigm in secret. At this time, the Wu Lung were a different practice than the Akashayana, and had many bouts with them within the next millenia, but the Akashics survived nonetheless. As The Grand Convocation began and the Council of Nine Mystic Traditions, representatives of the Akashics served their sect well, and began to intermingle more with the western sects, accepting new members and understandings outside of their previous East and South Asian recruitment pool. They would take the Seat of Mind in the Traditions, and befriend the Dreamspeakers while clashing with other Paradigms. In the 1600's with a change in dynasty, the Wu Lung had enough influence to attack the Akashics and put them onto the most back of foots, but the advancement of colonialism, western powers, and the Technocracy put even the Wu Lung at just as much of a disadvantage. While they have recovered going into the 1900's, it has not been without struggle as the Technocracy and Modernity in general clash with many of the long-held traditions of the Akashics, but many traditional factions move to preserve and reignite those aspects, while others are working to reinvent them as they spread more and more beyond their singular source. At the turn of the century, many supernatural disasters rocketed through the Mage world as a whole, causing the Akashayana and the Euthanatoi to hang up their long-seeded ill will, and even forced the Wu Lung to admit defeat and propose an alliance with their long-time foes. The Akashayana are now generally seen as a very balanced group of Mages. Not hubristically seeking their own power, but not letting themselves be lackadasical either. Not violent, but not supplicant. With eastern philosophies on the rise, they only stand to grow once more, as the unknown future strides ever forward, even in the wake of disasters.South Sound History
Through their good relations with the Dreamspeakers, the Akashayana were aware of the various indigenous groups of North America, including the various tribes within what is now Washington State. However, they did not have a very strong presence in the region until the rise of Asian immigration into the area in the mid-1800's, and even then it was only by association, with no large chantries or gatherings being created. This was only worsened when the late-1800's resulted in mass tragedies for local Chinese communities, as in 1885 people of Tacoma burned down Chinese-owned homes and businesses and forcibly expelled around 700 residents onto trains out of town. A year later, a similar event would happen with Seattle resulting in an additional 350 residents being expelled. This would not be the last sour note from the region within the Akashayana, as not only did Washington enforce and create several racist laws and exclusions towards Asians, but come World War 2 what is now the Puyallup Fair Grounds was the Internment Camp for upwards of 7,000 Japanese citizens. While the modern day has shunned these past actions and made some degree of reperations, it would be a long period before the Akashayana, even those of non-asian origin, wished to set up in the area. Much of the bad air has been cleared, but not forgotten, from the past. For the sleepers, a plethora of different East and South Asians live in Tacoma with whole districts being filled with Korean and Vietnamese owned business and citizens. So too has the Akashayana found their way as well, mostly the Li Hai and base Akashics who don't align to one of the factions, aided in their increase by the continuing recruitment and mixing in of outside belief sources. In Seattle, despite the overwhelming presence of the Technocracy, the Akashayana has been able to hide their chantries throughout the bustling Chinatown through history and allegiances. In Tacoma, extra dimensional chantries take much more effort to form, and therefore are few and far between, but some individual Akashayana still work in and throughout the city. Those without Chantries or direct masters often spend time at the various Buddhist temples around the area, using the similarities to make the difference in their pursuit of ascension.Structure
Internal Structure
The Akashic organizational structure is not as rigid or brow-beating as other orders can be. While there are ranks that carry the weight of wisdom and experience, they are not militant ranks but rather stages on the journey to enlightenment and Ascension.- Apprentices are the initiated members of the Akashayana who have begun their journey. A Master within the Akashics will typically only have one direct apprentice, but often teach many others in a monastic sense.
- Adept Akashics are skilled and trained Akashics who can take the role of an educational Master when there is a lack of true masters. These Adepts often take care of the daily business of Akashic Chantries as well.
- Masters are the Akashics who have gained enough skill and experience in not only Magick but the Akashic Paradigms and martial arts to lead others on their path to enlightenment. A Chantry will typically only have one Master per faction of Akashayana within the Chantry, and when one dies or retires, they will have a successor lined up and chosen ahead of time.
- Grand Masters are the greatly skilled masters whose powers extend beyond even the five-stage structure of the Spheres that would already make people demigods in strength. While this is a reveered role, it can also be a tragic one, as many people who remain in this stage find themselves plateauing.
- Bodhisattvas are an exceedingly rare rank to be given, as they are Akashics who could've gone to Ascension, becoming one with the Akashic Records and Magick as a whole, but chose to remain and lead their sect further forward, venerating them to their fellows.
Factional Structure
While the Akashayana are a multicultural and diverse school, there are a few different factions (and factions within factions) that large enough groups ascribe to. We are only going to go one factional level deep at this point in time, and they aren't supremely relevant to Tacoma as a whole, so while they deserve to be mentioned, they will be put under a drop bar for the sake of space and fluff. The different Factions within the Akashayana- The Jnani, a Sanskrit adjective for Wise or Sage, are members of the Akashayana who walk the path of enlightenment in a bit more literal of a sense, typically wandering throughout all of Asia practicing various meditative and mystical methods to find peace and certainty with themselves. As they've grown and expanded, many forms of cultural magicks and theologies have been added to the Jnani playbook, from Shinto, to Taoism, to Tibetan rituals. Unlike the core Akashayana, who represent the Sphere of Mind, the Jnani prioritize the Sphere of Spirit.
- The Kannagara, named for the Shinto concept of the natural order, are the most ascetic and adherant to tradition within the Akashayana. They are strictly removed from the material world, from posessions, and from the problems of base humanity. While their rigidity can be obtrustive and very arrogant-seeming, it is their path at the end of the day, and even as their numbers dwindle in the face of modernity, many Akashics who tire of the constant conflicts of the world come to join.
- The Li-Hai, named for a Chinese word roughly translating to strong, tough, or fierce, are more active modernists within the clan. You could consider them an opposite number to the Kannagara, where they embrace modern medicine, sciences, and different forms of enlightenment and physical arts than just the clans Asian roots. They are also quite active in the world of mortals, opposing injustice directly and working around the world to do so.
- The Shi-Ren, a chinese term meaning either common people, poets, scholars, or a figure of speech meaning to oppress people. (Either of these sound applicable, the source does not include the intended characters, and it's supposed to mean Benevolent Aristocracy. Foibles of not including your sources, I suppose). Name confusion aside, this faction is more politically involved, like the Li-Hai, but are traditionalists who wish to preserve traditional culture and history throughout Asia, partially to preserve the roots the Akashayana have within those traditions, putting them quite at odds with the likes of the Li-Hai who strive to embrace modernity in correspondence with their traditions.
- The Vajrapani, named for a Bodhisattva (in the actual Buddhist sense, not the Akashic rank) known as the Holder of the Thunderbolt, this faction is typically made up of strong fighters and hot-blooded warriors, ready to defend the Akashayana everywhere, and especially against the encroachment of The Technocracy. Historically they've been Nationalistic and very closed-off, but in modern days they have begun to accept and train all manner of people as the Akashayana and Magick as a whole extends further around the world.
- The Wu Lung, a term meaning Black Dragon that is also romanized as Oolong, is a faction often at odds with the remainder of the Akashayana, as they are embroiled in their own style of mysticism, martial arts, alchemical understandings, and relationship to higher powers and great spirits of their region. This has resulted in much division, but in the modern day those within the Wu Lung have either joined the Akashayana or the Order of Hermes within the Traditions, or joined into the Disprate Alliance. Regardless, they are rigid, traditional, and very secretive with their arts and techniques seperate from the Akashayana as a whole.
Culture
Group Culture
Names
When a Mage becomes a proper Akashic Apprentice they will be given a new descriptive name, either representing an element of their paradigm they want to manifest, or a flaw that they need to overcome in order to progress. More traditional factions, such as the Vajrapani and Shi-ren, give their Apprentices names descended through their order, like a clan title. Not only does this serve as an official initiation into the sect, but also serves to distance the new Apprentice from the trappings of the mortal world.Religious Culture
The Akashayana are heavily rooted in eastern belief systems, like Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Taoism, Jainism, the list goes on! The monastic way of life and the core tenents of their search for enlightenment mesh well with these pre-existing belief systems, leading many hubristic and...theatrical members to claim that it is the faiths that descend from the Akashayana. While the reality is more of a convergent evolution situation, it does remain true that many modern Akashics are practitioners or believers of those eastern style faiths to some degree. With more progressive factions, the attitude the traditions in general have towards diversity, and the intermingling of cultures in the modern day, more religious practices and practitioners have been folded into the sect as well, but the eastern beliefs at it's core are still the most prevelant.Martial Arts
Similarly to their religious roots, the Akashayana also have heavy roots in eastern martial arts, using the training of the body to mirror the training of the mind. While many use this merely for meditative or defensive arts, many also use it offensively in their fight against the injustices of the world and the encorachment by malignant Mages. Also similarly to the faiths, the marital arts and schools of the Akashayana have been growing more diverse to integrate other cultural forms of martial arts, such as Capoeira or even the 52 Hand Blocks in certain circles.Magick Culture
Core Paradigm
The Akashayana see Magick not as a Mage exercising their will onto the world, but rather power from the true world given to a Mage on the path to enlightenment. Therefore, their path to strength and to ascension is based around cutting one off from unnecessary distractions or illusory weights. There are three main concepts within the sect that relate around this concept and goal:- Dharma - The word alone is Sanskrit and is hard to define, but for the purpose of the Akashayana, we shall define it as The Path of Rightness. To the Akashics, it means to live in harmony with the world and those around you. Getting rid of unnecessary vices, acting without malice or negative emotions, freeing yourself of greed and desire, and not acting with force unless absolutely necessary.
- Akasha - A Hindu term meaning the base essence of all things, the Akashayana see each individual persons actions and thoughts as impressions on the base energy of existance, known as the Akashic Records, a popular occultist concept in which there is an existing record of all knowledge in existance recorded somewhere. Since the Akashics are frequently able to transcend their material forms and their mastery in Mind allows them to literally see thoughts and actions, and their after-effects, the understanding of all things and their impressions on the Records is a core tenent to their Paradigm.
- Sam Chien - Named for a technique in the Five Ancestors martial art, Sam Chien refers to three stages of combat (preperation, tactic, and strategy) and also the three aspects of Mind, Body, and Soul. For the Akashayana, their Three Battles refers to the three divisions of the Spheres: Entropic, Static, and Dynamic as well as the resonance and dissonance between them. These are often likened to the triad of the Dragon, Phoenix, and Tiger respectively. In short, an Akashic must find balance with the three aspects to properly reach Ascension without falling to one extreme or another, being the vessel for these universal powers.
Akashic Understandings
- Avatar - The Akashics refer to a mages Avatar as Bodhicitta, borrowing the Mahayana Buddhist term meaning Awakening Mind/Mind of Enlightenment. They do not see it truly as a seperate entity, but as the concept of enlightenment that all Akashics chase towards, in other words their own victory looking back at them. Akashic Avatars often appear as one of the symbols of the Sam Chien when appearing to the Mage.
- Consensus - In keeping with the influence of eastern religions, the Akashics see the Consensus as the force of Samsara, the eternal cycle of life that most people are trapped in before they reach enlightenment and are free from the endless cycle. Not dissimilar to the core concept, the Akashics see the limiting force of the Consensus as the illusions and intoxicating influences of every day life that seperates one mind from another, rather than seeing the interconnected whole.
- Ascension - As has been mentioned a few times already, the Akashics see their final Ascension as reaching enlightenment, in whatever specific terms they might wish to use. It is becoming a piece of the universe as well as being diffused within the magickal core of reality.
Founding Date
Undeterminable
Type
Religious, Monastic Order
Alternative Names
Akashic Brotherhood, Akashayana Sangha
Demonym
Akashics
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Related Professions
Akashic Understanding of the Awakened Spheres
- Correspondence - The universal interconnectedness explained through the Indra's Net metaphor
- Entropy - The weight of Karma and the peaceful emptyness of acceptance
- Forces - The five elements expressing onto the world
- Life - The concept of internal improvement rather than just physical training called Neigong
- Matter - Meditative Alchemy that focuses on the transformative process to use the five elements to change a physical object
- Mind - The stream of the mind between all beings and from one life to the next, must be trained to free the mind from the woes of life. The primary sphere of the sect
- Prime - Chi, filtered through the aspects of the Sam Chien which they must balance
- Spirit - Divided opinions. Either regarded as impressions on the Akashic Records or divine agents with their own organization and mythology
- Time - Seen as one of lifes illusions filtered through the self, the manipulation of which is achieved by distancing ones self from that focused illusion
Demography and Population
Given their point of origin and relative isolation up until the 1600's, most of the Akashayana are of Asian descent in one way or another. After becoming one of the Traditions, they began to recruit more outside of Asia, drawing in a lot of Europeans and Central Americans. In terms of gender and age, membership is varied and largely non-restrictive. Some of the more traditional factions have their own methods, such as the Wu Lung's Phoenix School being primarily female, but in the modern day these aren't hard rules.Public Agenda
The goal of the Akashayana is to lead their fellows and all of mankind into enlightenment, resolving the mortal coil of strife, hatred, and fear. While some are more focused on their own ascension, or become disillusioned with the mission, the Akashics as a whole set out for this very intent.Assets
While material wealth is one of the things the Akashic way of thinking disavows, they are still in posession of a decent amount in order to bargain with other Mages and the world at large, for now. Speaking of Mages, the sect is also in possession of a plethora of magickal artifacts they use for meditation, combat practice, internal medicine, moral lessons, containment, the list goes on!Notable Local Akashics
- Jung-Hee Chung - One of the five pillars of the No-Wall Chantry, representing Earth
- Yahui Luo - Rogue Li-Hai who protects the homeless population of Tacoma
- Zahra Berry - Adept Akashic and warrior of the Free-Flowing Waters Coven
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