Choosing Apprenticeship

[Acryptical]

Apprenticeship isn't for everyone. It's also useful to know that being an apprentice isn't the only way to get information about the Force or Dark Jedi disciplines. I have personally found nothing in the hidden archives of the Jedi or Sith which is exclusive to their orders, except for the profound personal experiences of the individual users. This goes without saying, but it's not like they're hiding some secret Rosicrucian knowledge.

My first point here is that having a mentor will not enable you to unlock anything you cannot unlock yourself without one.

Now, this isn't to say that those personal experiences locked away in the hidden threads aren't extremely useful. They most certainly are, because they give perspective on specific instances regarding topics. Plus, having a guide along your path of discovery makes things easier, and you may progress faster in learning about yourself because the mentor does a lot of groundwork for the apprentice. That's the great benefit of having a mentor.

And so my second point is that if you choose to become an apprentice to a mentor, a knight, or a master, you may benefit greatly (depending on the mentor).

An important thing to remember is that the choice is always yours, and you will get out of anything an equal amount of what you put into it... be it via your own training, or in your training guided by a mentor.

The most valuable thing I personally received from the mentors I worked with was their criticisms. Their chief function is to call us out when we're lying to ourselves, covering up something, or making excuses. If you don't end up disliking your mentor, they're probably not doing their job. On the flip side, the most valuable thing I received from my apprentices was how to criticize properly with class. Anyone can criticize, but it takes a measure of skill to do so in a constructive manner that helps to build character.

In closing, apprenticeships here among members are welcomed and encouraged, though, they are to be undertaken in order to better the self--not to gain any special access to knowledge that the library provides openly on its shelves waiting to be read.