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 Interconnectiveness-
This is a way and value that is very important to myself and many
elves that i know., that all things are connected and that ones actions
affect everything. This includes both connectiveness in families,
the race and Nature. Most of the people who follow this belief
seldom act without thinking of the concequnces, unless the action feels
des'tai. This also ties into unity of People, and thus members of a
village would take care of each other, family and friendships lasting
over several lifetimes and Nature is held in high regards.
Unity of people-
I believe that this is another value that can be observed in many
elven households, and can be clearly seen in an elven village/community.
There will be no one hungry, for the ones that are well off will glady
help those that are not, there are no homeless people for an unfortunate
one and even many visitors would gladly be granted the warmths of
anothers fire and bed.
There are no real orphans for children are raised by the entire village,
and if the need arises adoptions occur easealy. This is probably why
friends of elves usually end up being an honorary part of their friends
family and why those that are friends of an elven race are usually
not treated as strangers but as family. This unity not only ensures
their survival; yet it is also so much a part of the elven being, so much
in fact that I miss this unity the most here on earth. People that i am
observing just do not care enough about each other, whereas in the
elven village everyone knows each other, knowing ones neighbors is a
seldom occurance here on earth. I mean -Really - knowing your
neighbors...
Respect of nature:
This one seems selfexplanetory and is so for any elf I have met, yet some
of our Non-elven friends do not usually understand it. They seem to
think that it is just about recycling and such, but there is much more to it.
This Respect of nature includes not doing harm to the envoironment,
protecting animals, healing land that is damaged and making what is
essentially friendships with various nature aspects (Such as species of
animals, nature itself and spirits thereof.) Many elves refuse to kill any
animals and make agreements/alliaces with them as if they were other
races of beings. (an good excample is a simple "you do not harm me I do
not harm you"). As such animals that most humans would squash such as
bugs and wasps live in harmony with the elf. (I have seen excamples of
this quite a few times...and they work:).
For living in peace an understanding between nature and the elf forms
where both benefit from it, and nature may even grant the elf special
things such as good crops, ability to move through areas normal folks
cannot, shelter and food when needed in the wild, plus sometimes powers to
manipulate/call on nature elements. This is one belief that is very
important to me, and many elves I know follow it to some extent.
Family and Relationships-
Family besides Des'tai is probably one of the biggest values and elf will
have, if not the biggest. Bonds of family are granted by elven peoples
both by birth as well as by adoption and association.One does not have to
be born to that elves' bloodline to be kin to Hir.Once that bond is created
it is usually very strong and lasts well into several lifetimes being nurtured
along the way whenever possible. If properly maintained one of these
bonds can still be burning brightly even after lifetimes of seperation.
Elven families not only spend more time togther on average but they also
are more extended, because of belief in polygamy. Maybe not so much a
belief in polygamy, but rather an absence of the "only one love..period
mentality" Thus a family unit is can be up to 4 to 8 adults, can be more
but it is seldom that there are only two adults in such a family. Children
are raised by the entire household and the village as a whole. There is a
lot more to this one but I cannot think of it right now...
Love-
Elves are one of the races that seldom restrict their love to only one
person and then nevermore their hearts are capeble to love more than
one person to the satisfaction of all involved.Thus both poligamy and
extended families are usually very common as is more love between friends
then is common here on earth in human society.The bonds of prior lifetimes
are usually strengethened with each lifetime after that when they meet.
I am not yet so familiar with the bond of soulbonding since I am still new
to that so i shall leave this to another to mention.
Honor-
Most elves by nature are very honorable both in actions and intent.
As always there are some exceptions, but exceptions occur
everywhere. For the reason of honor being so important an oath
taken and taken seriously is often binding and the word given by an
elf is kept. I do not know what happens to an elf who looses hir
honor since I do not recall it happening.
Raising of Children-
The Elven way of bringing up children usually differs greatly from
that of normal society. As the families tend to be big, loveable and
because of the interconnectiveness, the children are usually raised
by the entire village. That means everyone will share aspects of
protection and teaching the child as well as helping them in need and
loving them, but the main raising is still done by the family.Teaching
of children takes on a completely different form among elves, so that
it is not so boring as here, yet rather stimulating to the mind of the
child. Many Children learn things without noticing that they are
studying for most things are tought by exploring, games and doing the
things instead of just reading out of books. Many things the parents
teach their children themselves, especially the values and how to interact
with others. (For Example: a future elven ranger may learn plant lore
by taking walks with his father and being shown what is ok to eat and
what is poisonous, instead of reading a book on it or studying it in a
classroom. Or he may go out on an short tour with the local Adrastai.)
As such studying in classes does not occur so often, not formally anyways,
but rather much time is spent playing and exploring. Children are very
cherished:).
Reincarnation:
Our culture includes the belief in reincarnation, that our soul goes into
another life once the body has died. Thus there seems to be more a
focus on things everlasting then a focus on Birth and death. There are
many relationships and bonds that I have heared about and observed that
are formed over the period of several lifetimes, and are also able to be
felt if seperated for many years. It also seems to have an interresting
effect of that you will oftentimes find yourself reincarnating near your
loved ones /those you have these bonds with. Memory of the past lives is
often retained, either partially or fully, as well as are future incarnations
chosen to some Extent. (I do not know if this has carried over to earth, but
at home we were able to do so.)
Magic Use:
Magic use for us seems to be more to think of what we want and thus
create it. Very often there are no overly formal rituals used. I am not
so good at trying to explain this one. It is not so much get certain
ingrediants and having to wait for a certain time of a certain moonphase
and then say these words in that cadence to achieve a slowing down of
time. It is more of just visualizing time slowing and intending it to
happen. This does not mean that there are no formal rituals, there are,
but they seem to be more to symbolize certain things and group workings
such as festivals. Most of the magic use I have seen was informal, and
most of it was never officially tought, but more so found out by doing it
(No one ever tought me how to change the perceiving of time, I found it
out one day I could do it and have done so ever since). Maybe if others
could add to this I could get a better picture, my memories of this is
rather lacking.
Relationships with deities:
Deities I donot remember worshipping as many do here, it was more
of a friendship/ mentoring type of relationship. There were no
threats of if I do not follow such and such we would be doomed, yet
more of a looking up to them like one would a good rolemodel/elder.
There also seems to be something in my faint memory that we were
able to interact with them on a physical level at times, not just an
invisible ideal we followed and prayed to. (Gael Bodino in strands of
starlight reminded me a lot of that..)
Working:
Working for me seems to be a concept that the modern world has a
much different concept on then what it seems to me. My path is
important to me, and work for me is to work until the job is done.
Such as why they have mass factories here I do not think we did
that at home, more of to create/grow what is needed for the village
and maybe some reserves, but not as much massproduction. Certainly
we did not produce tons of food, then waste most of it, and still have
part of our popolation starving and going hungry. Once work was
done it was done, not meansured by so many hours a week. Also
working is also meant to be at least a little pleasurable, the right
type for you, not what you hate doing. For excample a scout would
feel terrible being forced to work in an office building (unfortunatly
it is too often seen here), yet as a ranger is dedicated, happy and
feels more like he is doing what he needs to do.
Nobility/Leadership:
This is not the same like what most people think it would be,
leadership and Nobility is more of an action then a title. It is a
way of life rather then a priveledge. It is earned and not claimed,
and ultimatly the people that choose to follow such a person are the
ones who acknowledge them. One is not born into it, but rather it is
shown by what they do and the accomplishments. These are not
accomplishments for their own wealth and wellbeing but for that of
the group they lead and the land they have an allegance to. Every one
who *is* a noble has unspoken promises in their heart and soul to take
care of whom they represent, no matter what the cost. It is their path
to help their people, even if it means pain, suffering and loss for
themselves. To be a true Noble is a lot of hard work, and a private life
is often something that does not exist, for there can always be more
done, the job is never done. They are merely the servents of the people,
in the most literal sense of the way, for their path is to serve their
people. They never would ask for respect and honor, nor would they
ask others to follow them. It just natrually happens that people tend
to follow a true leader on their own, it is never forced.
Yet because leading is the path of a true noble, and it is des'tai for
them, their normal life will usually fall into place if they follow their
path. Things such as money to survive and shelter will fall into place,
thus enableling them to walk their path better:). The best rewards of
a true Noble/Leader are to see the happyness of their people, and the
wellbeing of their nation.
At Home we did have a royal family, but the High King was more
supposed to be the First among equals, some may have fergotten over
history that their first responsibility is to their people and not
themselves, yet it was still a value many of us followed....
There are probably more and this is by no means a complete list, but it
will grow over the years as i discover more about myself and my culture:).
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