The Doctrine of Diamis (concept - From Utopian Ashes)

The individual is a curious thing to her. Though entwined, body and soul were made separate by the universe. Life has its own senses, instincts, and cognition, but while the former can be developed and trained, Diamis wondered if the same was possible for the latter. If the self can become noticeably distinct.

She is enamored by the concept of the moon. On an otherwise pitch-black night, the dim, glowing disk gives light to a corner of the world. But it is not its own light. It is a light from the sun that is reflected at various angles. It is a filtered light. Dimmer, but perhaps more purified, like water extracted from another beverage.

She wondered if that was applicable to the soul - if the self can be transformed through its own version of the moon's surface. Perhaps through principle, one can be filtered as sunlight is filtered by the moon. The reflective medium is not a solid object, but rather the consequences of one's actions - the impact of one's thoughts, words, and conduct on the world they observe. To live a hedonistic or impulsive life may seem more exciting, but it impedes the distinction between body and spirit, keeping the latter gratuitously chained by the former. Moonlight is gleaned of its brightness, and so it cannot blind; purity, then, would be cleansed of the heat of unrestrained passion, so that it cannot burn.

This idea fascinates her. But, how attainable is it? How much does it contrast with a species's ability to survive? To what extent does the "self" overlap between different lifeforms, some of whom have greater mastery over their instincts than others? Not everything is controllable to the individual - there can be many different factors at play, and those separated by mere kilometers can seem worlds apart. A crane is different from a fox, which is different from a fisherman, or a farmer. Just as one can affect the world around them, their world can also affect them. In such a spiritual journey, everything in the universe is a mirror of each other.

"The soul is akin to a ray of light bouncing through space. Perhaps the act of reflecting is just as profound as the outcome it produces."