Closed [The Vitrax]A Half Fresh Start[Group Job]

[Clyde Sullins]

15 Spring 518

Afternoon

Due to all the comings and goings of the season so far, Clyde had not yet had a chance to meet directly with his unit. He'd also been given some new transfers, and had a few of his unit transferred out due to some need or other which was never explained to Clyde.

He assumed this had to do with pull, someone requesting someone specific and so therefore ending with one of his members having to leave... Or simply bureaucracy, some person fiddling about with papers and deciding X, Y, and Z added up to 10, and they wanted it to add to 12, so they removed Y and replaced it with B. For whatever the reason Clyde had lost two members, and had gained two new ones.

He'd called for the first joint training session of the season with all of his unit present, rather than the more general solo training time he usually allowed.

If nothing else it would give everyone a chance to meet everyone, to trade names and such, before they got into anything deeper together.

Sitting on the floor in his Ebonstryfe uniform in the training room he had reserved, Cha in his hand, Clyde waited calmly for all to arrive. One by one he ticked them off in his head as they came in. Bea. Dan. Eliza. Last and yet to arrive were the two new members.

As each of the two new ones came in Clyde would have his unit members, including the newest, state their name, rank, and area of focus. Once that was settled... He wasn't quite sure what he'd do, as it all depended upon how things went with the greeting and sizing up.

WC: 284

OOC note: See this thread here for a list of descriptions and the other soldiers answers to the questions, along with the previously linked npc listing.

[Clyde Sullins]

Clyde waited a chime. Two. Ten. A quarter bell after his two new members were to arrive an apprentice came running in with a piece of parchment. While they had waited the others had sat about the room similar to himself, but still there was no sign of the new two.

And, after reading the parchment it seemed there wouldn't be any sign. They weren't late, rather they weren't coming at all. It didn't specify on the short bit of words if they weren't joining his unit after all, or if they just wouldn't be coming that day. But apparently both had some unexpected duty come up, separately, and wouldn't be joining them for their first day of training.

The paper was signed by some Paladin Clyde didn't know, delivered by some apprentice he'd not seen before. Clyde waved the youth off and rose to his feet, and the young apprentice quickly sprinted off on some other duty or errand.

“It appears the others wont be coming today. So we'll simply continue on with the planned training without them. Keep your seats, but circle up around me.”

Clyde gave them all a chime or so to get re-seated and comfortable, not easy to do in armor even the more flexible type worn by the Ebonstryfe.

“Last time we joined up for group training, we worked on weaponless combat, fighting unarmed. This time, we'll be training our minds. Now, I'm not sure what all any of you have learned about such things, but I myself use it quite often with my magic. But its not just for mages or using magic. Anyone can use meditation, and be better served by having a better trained mind.”

As he spoke Clyde slowly circled about the room, gauging each persons reaction to his words.

“Since I'm unsure of any of your training or practice, we'll be starting with something simple. Breathing. You all breath, so you should all be able to control your breathing. But controlling oneself and your breathing can also be a simple form of calming meditation.”

Bea seemed mildly interested, perhaps from knowing the importance of breath control and such when firing off arrows and things and such ranged weapons. Dan seemed neither interested nor disinterested, rather resigned to the training and doing as he was commanded but perhaps unsure if he'd gain anything from it. Eliza on the other hand seemed somewhat annoyed, and the look in her eyes into Clyde's made it quite clear she'd rather be training her body than her mind.

“Now, all of you, close your eyes. I want you to focus on your breathing and on a specific image. Don't however think of something you are strongly attached to or emotional about either positively or negatively. Choose a neutral object. Preferably something simple, something you can picture quite well in your mind in detail, something you interact with on a daily basis and are familiar with.”

“Now each of you, clear your mind from all things, all thought, except that one image. That one simple thing. And breath. Breath in. Hold it a count, and breath out. Continue to breath while clearing your mind of all else. If it helps, imagine each exhale as a heavy wind, blowing away all distractions, leaving behind only your one image. Don't say what it is, your image is unique to you and not important. Just focus on it to the exclusion of all else. And breath. Steadily. In. Out. In. Out.”

WC: 583

[Clyde Sullins]

As his pupils, in some cases somewhat begrudgingly, followed his directions Clyde slowly walked about the room circling. Weaving. Breathing.

Bea seemed to be doing her best to understand and follow his orders, and was clearly concentrating on breathing. A bit too much perhaps, trying to hard perhaps, but trying all the same.

Dan on the other hand almost seemed asleep if it weren't for the fact he was upright. Either he was a natural Clyde supposed or he'd learned this before.

Eliza on the other hand was having trouble sitting still. Her hand was slowly tapping out a rhythm on her knee as she breathed, though if nothing else her breathing was rhythmic.

Each of his students seemed to have a different problem, or to be at a different level of skill and interest. Which, Clyde knew, meant each needed their own advice.

“Bea, don't try to force it. Your concentrating on NOT concentrating, which is in and of itself conflicting. Don't force out thoughts and things, just let it happen. Clear your mind by focusing on the one thing to the exclusion of all else, let that one thing take up your mind space so much so that there isn't room for anything else. Just that one thing, and breathing.

While there wasn't any other physical sign of a change, Bea's expression if nothing else did change to one of less concentration. A positive sign Clyde supposed, but he knew one couldn't tell how well someone was meditating or calmed outwardly simply by expressions. In some cases you could tell if they were failing, but he supposed knowing if someone was succeeding was much trickier.

“Dan. Once you've cleared your mind, focus on it. Focus on the one thing, and focus on what isn't there. If you can clear something out, the next step is to know what it is you are clearing. So I want you to try to remember what you've stopped thinking about so as to better know what was previously cluttering your mind. Understanding is the first step, and with such knowledge you can better deal with other thoughts and distractions.”

Circling around again Clyde stopped behind Eliza, speaking in a calm even tone.

“Eliza. First, you must slow your breathing. Then, you must slow to inaction. No other motion or movement. No hands, no feet, no arms or legs... Just your one thing, and breathing. I want you to imagine you are a statue of yourself, immobile but cast perfectly in your own shape. Only your lungs and mouth exists in motion, the rest is locked as stone. Once you've done that, return to your image anf focus on it to the exclusion of all else floating in blank emptiness. And breath. Slowly. Purposely. Steadily. You are your breathing, and your breathing is all that there is but your one thing in the blank nothing.”

Flicking her eyes open for a moment Eliza looked back at Clyde for a moment, before closing her eyes again and letting out a slow breath. While she seemed frozen in a somewhat forced way, she wasn't moving. But Clyde could see his term of a statue perhaps hadn't been the right thing to say, as it appeared more as if she was forcibly strenuously locking up her bodies muscles. Not at all what he'd wanted. It was quite clear which of his students was to be the problem child.

WC: 572

[Clyde Sullins]

As he continued to walk around, Clyde would periodically give out a measured order of breathing in rhythm as a pace setting.

“Take a breath... Hold it. Let it out slow till your lungs are empty. Hold it empty, then inhale. Pull it in steadily. Hold it. Let it out slow pushing out all else but your focal point. Hold. Inhale... Again steadily...In... Out...”

Bea seemed to have gotten into sync with his ordered breathing, and had visibly relaxed. Her body seemed loose, muscles un-tensed and body bent rather than rigid. Clyde talking wasn't fully able to sync with their breathing, but by tying his talking to the exhale he was more or less able to do so.

Dan was... Asleep... Awake? Clyde couldn't tell, but from looking it appeared the man was asleep sitting up if such a thing was even possible. He was breathing evenly and hadn't so much as twitched a muscle that Clyde had seen since they'd begun. Perhaps a skill trained as a hunter and being in the wilds? A breath or a motion at the wrong moment giving you away.

Eliza was breathing more or less in sync with the others and Clyde's orders, but was sitting stock upright rigid. Not, Clyde thought to himself, relaxed or meditative.

“Eliza, I want you to try something. Lay back flat, arms and legs stretched out and flat on the ground. Let all your muscles relax, don't even strain so much as to sit up. Just lay there and focus on your breathing. As you exhale, focus on the tension leaving your body, until you are a puddle on the ground. No bones, no muscle, no tension... Just water... Flat across the ground. Breath in... And out... Nothing else but the one thing. Alright?”

Once more Eliza flicked her eyes to Clyde, before doing as directed. After a few breathes she did seem to visibly relax a bit, her muscles if nothing else, but still seemed to be having trouble with the task. Perhaps, Clyde thought, she just wasn't a relaxed or still person and was instead used to action and activity. Doing. Being. Not sitting silently and breathing.

“When you all stop trying to relax, stop trying to calm and focus yourself, then you can truly do so. Sometimes the action of willingly doing so is enough to stop you from truly doing so. But that doesn't mean you give up, nor that you gain nothing from calming yourself even if you never truly become centered. Just look at...”

Clyde stopped mid sentence as he turned to Dan, seeing that the man was actually asleep. At some point since he'd last seen him he'd rolled back flat and was now not only asleep but snoring.

Walking over to him Clyde stood right above, and gave him a good prod in the gut with Cha. Dan in response jerked up glancing about before realizing what'd happened. With a somewhat sheepish grin he simply said “Best sleep I've had in ages” before sitting back up to his prior position.

“Sleeping isn't meditation Dan. You can't focus the mind if your not conscious with an active mind. Now stay awake, and breath.”

Letting out a sigh, Clyde wondered if this had been the best idea. After a few moments though he decided that if it had been easy they wouldn't have needed it, and the fact that it was hard was a clear indicator that they'd needed it.

WC: 579

[Clyde Sullins]

There training coming close to an end, Clyde made another circuit as he spoke. He knew better than to try to press onward when his students were reaching their capacity, having taught more than enough times.

“Meditation isn't something you can master in one sitting. But the important thing is making an attempt. I've shown you some simple things to try, breathing and focusing on a calming neutral image. That will get you started.”

Eyeing each of his students and underlings in turn, Clyde pondered their faces once more. Bea was starting to drift, her eyes losing focus but not in the intended way. Dan was awake, but while he was pretty calm and laid back he didn't seem to have much interest in meditation. Eliza on the other hand seemed to have made the most improvement if nothing else but by the nature of how bad she'd been at first. As he rounded again Clyde found her lying on the ground splayed out, doing nothing but breathing. He considered even such a simple sign of relaxing as a sign of his success.

“So, a bit of homework until we meet again after this. I want each of you to spend at least five chimes a day in meditation. Calming, breathing measured breaths as we practiced today, clearing your mind. When we next meet, I'll expect each of you to tell me how you did.”

“As for the rest of the unit, I'm not sure when they'll be meeting up with us, but hopefully it will all be resolved soon enough. For now, just focus on yourself and your own growth and we'll deal with them when they finally show up. So, everyone eyes open and sitting back up. What is something each of you learned today?”

Clyde turned to Bea first, he met his gaze but seemed at a loss for words for a moment.

“To breath evenly, and that trying to calm yourself can be counter productive.”

Clyde nodded and turned next to Dan, who in turn simply said “Sleeping isn't meditation apparently.” Clyde couldn't help but roll his eyes in response to this, turning to Eliza last who didn't seem too keen on being last.

“Calming yourself isn't easy, and you should be relaxed if you want to try to meditate. Even if your expected to meditate with your eyes closed in the middle of the petching Vitrax... Although... I don't know, I do feel a tiny bit better after the practice.”

Clyde smiled and nodded, turning once more to each in turn. “I want you all to think on what you learned today, and to practice like I said. Meditation can be useful for anyone, for most anything. As I said before, its not just for mages or using magic. Surely most any task you plan to do could be performed better while calmed from having become centered. Just think on that, and we'll speak again when next we meet.”

One by one his unit, or what there was of it having shown up, filed out. Once they were all gone Clyde let out a breath he'd not realized he'd been holding, looked about at the empty room, and left as well.

WC: 538