Echelon One Challenges
Introduction
The first Echelon of Sith Academy training is about demonstrating your craving for power and establishing your Sith persona—it’s your first step into the larger, darker world of the Sith Lords.
When you think about the great Sith Lords of legend, what comes to mind? Surely it is their awesome presence, their intense lust for power, their unbreakable will and their powerful individuality, among other things. Is this not the kind of power, passion and individuality you crave for yourself?
Don’t believe the light side lie that the Sith Lords are “villains” and “bad guys”! In reality, they are powerful models for the kinds of beings each of us longs to be, deep within our souls. The purpose of this Echelon is to explore your “inner Sith Lord” and begin developing your individual, exceptional Sith persona.
Echelon One Challenges
Below is an example program of nine Echelon One Challenges that the Dark Lords have given to Sith Academy Applicants in the past. They are provided to illustrate the kinds of challenges new Applicants will be required to complete before being admitted as full Acolytes. Keep in mind that Challenges will get much more difficult as you advance in your training.
Note #1: Official Sith Academy training is done in-person under the guidance of Sith Masters and Lords. We are not an on-line school, and do not allow students to advance except via in-person transmission of Force power and knowledge!
Note #2: Those who are unable to train in-person at the Academy are encouraged to use these Challenges in their own training, either by themselves, or ideally with one or more Sith Brothers in a Dag (Sith training cell).
Challenge 1: Your Power Space
You should establish a space of power (râkâdwân) for your Sith meditations, rituals and exercises. This could be a room or part of a room where you keep your meditation and exercise equipment, weapons (sword, knife, lightsaber, staff, etc.), masks, banners and other items used in your training. It could also be a location outdoors where you feel the Force strongly. Be sure to include at least one weapon in your râkâdwân—a Sith should never be caught unarmed!
We encourage you to put a Nonagram or other power symbol in your râkâdwân to show your allegiance to our Sith vision. Our power symbols are explained later in this book and can be printed out at sithacademy.com/power-symbols.
Once you have set up your râkâdwân, take at least one picture and/or video and give it to your Sith Master.
Challenge 2: Your Vision of Dark Lordship
Write a short story or make a video describing a vision of yourself as a Dark Lord of the Sith. Describe your appearance, temple, training, conquests, etc. Give us a detailed idea of how you imagine the Sith Empire will manifest itself on this planet, and what your role in it will be. Your story should be at least 500 words long; hand write it or record your video and give it to your Sith Master.
Challenge 3: Your Uniform
Another thing you must do to commit yourself to the Sith Path is assemble an Acolyte uniform. You may create a uniform using a black hoodie, gi, hakama or BDU pants, face mask or wrap, boots, etc.
Keep in mind that this uniform is not a form of cosplaying or LARPing. Like martial arts organizations, priesthoods and the military, when you begin to wear your uniform during your practice, it will change the way you think and get you to begin living in your new, more powerful Sith persona. Make sure your uniform is functional for indoor and outdoor use, meditation, combat, climbing, etc. It should express your own unique Sith persona and not be generic or off-the-shelf.
When you have your Acolyte uniform ready, put it on and present yourself to your Sith Master for inspection.
Challenge 4: Creating a Mask
“All great things must first wear terrifying and monstrous masks in order to inscribe themselves on the hearts of humanity.”—Friedrich Nietzsche
As Sith, we create masks for many reasons. We create them to disguise our true nature and identity. We create them to awe and terrify our enemies. We create them to shock ourselves out of our conditioned personality and take on a dark new persona. We create them because it sometimes takes a mask to face the dark truth.
Your first task is to create a mask that you can use to construct your Sith warrior persona and disguise your face in visual communications with other Sith. The mask can be made from scratch using whatever materials you like, or you can modify an existing mask. Be sure the mask covers the area around your eyes. Use the Force to call up a powerful mask from the dark side of your mind.
Always remember that as Sith, we are to remain secretive and should never reveal our real selves to others, including our fellow Sith Academy students. We are formless, adaptable, and can create whatever mask is necessary to acquire power.
Once you have created your mask, put it on along with your uniform and present yourself to your Sith Master for inspection.
Challenge 5: Saber Salute & Mantra
This exercise will begin to develop your Râkvâshûk (power-craving) using the power of the lightsaber, sound and ritual. It also develops control of your mind and body in preparation for Echelon Two: Willpower.
You should have a high quality lightsaber for this Challenge. You may use a sword, dagger, staff or similar weapon for now, but you will need to acquire a good lightsaber later in your training.
Go to your râkâdwân and put on your uniform and mask. Stand up straight with your arms to your sides, the lightsaber in your right hand. Quickly bring your saber hand to your chest, then punch it straight out and hold the saber in a vertical position. Your arm should be angled slightly upward.
This is the “Saber Salute”. A variant is to use a short weapon such as a dagger and hold it sideways; this is known as the “Blade Salute”.
In the Saber or Blade Salute position, begin chanting the Sith Academy Mantra, preferably in our Black Tongue:
Râk âsh vâzûl urnâm
Shâz ash vodûn urnâm
Borûk ashal twazûl
Zy kâzhâl Bor-Gâzûl
{Power is my passion
War is my way
Darkness is my destiny
The Force will set my free}
Chant in a steady, powerful rhythm, and focus your gaze on the saber blade. Keep your body still, the saber vertical and don’t let your arm drop. Do this for at least 5 to 10 minutes. To finish, bring your saber hand back sharply to your chest, then down to your side.
Note: You may also try staring at one of our power symbols while you do this mantra to focus your attention and increase your Force power. Power symbols are described in the “Echelon One Ideology” chapter of this book.
Challenge 6: Evaluating Your Sith Persona
Read “The Exceptional Sith Persona,” located in the “Black Papers” section of this book. Then answer the following questions, either in writing or by video (the preferred method of communication with us).
Describe some of your greatest hatreds in life—it could be a person, an idea, an experience or something else. How do these hatreds motivate you? How do you repress or act on these hatreds now, and how would you like to act on them in the future?
Whom or what do you currently serve? Do you serve them willingly, or unwillingly? Why?
Read the “Sith Specializations” section of this book and choose the specialization that most interests you. Which specialization did you choose and why? Be detailed.
Describe your “internal empire”—a vision of a different world that inspires and motivates you. What are you doing to manifest that world?
Who do you think are some of the most powerful “Jedi”/light side factions on this planet, and how can they be defeated?
Hand write your answers to these five questions and give them to your Sith Master, and/or arrange for an in-person interview with your Sith Master.
Challenge 7: Power-Craving Speech
The Nine Mental Weapons are nine ways the Sith Master uses his mind as a tool for acquiring power. In Echelon One, we require the Acolyte to demonstrate the first Mental Weapon: Power-Craving (“Râkvâshûk”).
Assignment:
Read Maxim One in the “Ideology” section of this book to get a better understanding of what is meant by Râkvâshûk, and why it is so important to the Sith
.
For this challenge, you may wish acquire at least one of the following: the Sith Imperial armband, the Sith Academy headband or the altar cloth, which you can use in your speeches, sermons, personal rituals and power spaces. All products are available privately fr0m the Dark Lords.
When you are ready, put on your Acolyte uniform and go into your Power Space. Wear the headband/armband and put the altar cloth in an appropriate place. Hold this book in your hands and imagine that you are delivering an inspirational sermon at your own Sith Temple, or a speech before an assembled Sith Army. Search your feelings and awaken your Râkvâshûk. Do you feel it? That’s the power of the Dark Side!
Make a video of yourself delivering this speech, discussing and demonstrating what power-craving means to you. You may wish to read and discuss a passage from this book. Give the video to your Sith Master.
Challenge 8: Protocols of the Sith Illuminati
Sith Lords are always devising protocols, plans and strategems that will allow us to increase our power and expand our Empire. We study classic works of strategy like Sun-Tzu, Machiavelli, The Protocols of the Elders of Zion and the 48 Laws of Power, and record our strategy ideas in Sith Academy books and also private holocrons, for use by other Sith Apprentices and Lords.
For your next challenge, propose at least one Sith “Protocol” or “Law of Power” of your own. Write it up in detail—it should be at least 600 words—and give it to your Sith Master.
Challenge 9: Acolyte Pledge
You have reached the final Challenge of Echelon One, and it is time to fully commit yourself to the Dark Lords if you wish to advance on the Sith Path. We advise great discretion in this trial: let no one else know what you are about to do, for your own sake and the sake of the Empire.
Hand write the following Imperial Pledge in the Black Tongue on a piece of paper:
Nâm chom râbadûk âm Borgâshk
Ur Zith-Gâzûl âg châd brûgthuz
Oz âm Râkâdûm chag gram ârkan
Gûm Kârzath, nâzg Zy bulthorzhinugrok
Râz mûkâzûk oz râkâ vrâzashk
Translation:
I pledge obedience to the Lords
Of the Sith Order in this galaxy
And to the Imperium which they command,
One Empire, in the Force indomitable,
With victory and power forever.
Sign the Pledge with your Sith name and signature or personal symbol.
Additionally, we would like a personal artifact from you that we can place at the main Sith Temple of the Dark Lords. This could be any item that has power to you, such as a token, weapon, article of clothing, etc. By sending us an artifact of power to be placed at our Temple, you will open a Force connection between us that can empower you across space and time. If you would like to make other contributions to the Order, send those also.
When you have everything ready, present yourself to your Sith Master. Be prepared to say the above pledge, give him your power artifact and contribution.
Acolytes who complete this challenge satisfactorily will receive a ‘Red Star’ Sith Acolyte Medallion (see the ‘Products’ section below for more information). This medallion signifies that you have completed Echelon One and demonstrated Râkvâshûk to the satisfaction of the Dark Lords. It will also be your token allowing you to advance to Echelon Two of Sith Academy’s training program and entitling you to further personal training by the Dark Lords.
Training Notes:
A Vision of Sith Lordship
By Acolyte Scylaac
Evaluating my Sith Persona
By Acolyte Teraxia