10/29/2008 -- Random Thoughts that come out after yoga class. Mica is an original character about three years older than Demand. He's about fourteen or fifteen in this I think.

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Demand squirmed. His shoulders itched. He didn't think that Mica was watching, so he opened his eyes and reached back to scratch the offending shoulder. He sighed softly. This was boring. Saphir had more patience but Demand had a harder time sitting still. Mica had volunteered to help the young prince out. It seemed that Demand needed more personalized attention.

"Demand," she said softly, "It's alright to move a little, but focus now."

"This is boring," he complained.

"I know," she said gently, "It seems that way at first, but it's important."

"I don't see how," he grumbled.

"It will make you stronger," Mica said, "You are a strong psychic, but you can't get by on just that alone. All of your parts - your thoughts, your emotions, your body, your spirit, they all have to be strong and work together."

He gave an exaggerated sigh.

"And this well help," she continued, "Everyone has o learn it. Even your father."

"Alright," Demand sighed, settling back down into a cross legged position on the mat, "I'll try again."

Mica nodded. "Now, take another deep breath and start counting again."

Demand closed his eyes and in haled deeply, listening to Mica count to seven. When she reached seven she started again and he exhaled.

"Just focus on the sound of your breath," she said evenly, "It is your life. The energy running through you, through me, through the planet.... All of it is tied up in that quiet sound of the air passing in and out of your mouth."

When Demand had settled into a pattern that Mica approved of, now she asked him to extend his awareness outward, but keep the pattern. It had always been easy for him to reach out to her, let their aura's touch, but he had a hard time doing that while continuing to breathe. Still, she was patient and praised him when he finally got it right.

"Now we add the body," she said.

The ancient practice was old, older than Black Moon itself. This practice had been done by their ancestors on the Blue Planet, and the practice survived.

Mica led him through a series of fluid motions, uniting the heavens above and the ground below.

"You draw energy from four places," she told him, "First from yourself. Secondly, from the people around you. Third, from the ground beneath you, and fourth, from the light in the heavens." She smiled, "Typically in that order."

The purpose was to control the power, not to let the power control him. When he was King, with the full power of Black Moon at his disposal, it could be intoxicating. It would take a firm mind to harness the power without being swept away.

So they practiced.

He stood there feet apart, arms spread wide. She told him to reach down through his feet... down, down into the earth, where the power of the planet lay dormant, but there for those to tap into. The breath reminded him of who he was - his own self, his own spirit, and prevented him from losing himself in the power. With arms outstretched he released the power, sending it out, filling the room with energy. There was a window box on the ledge, he was to direct his energy into encouraging the flowers to grow. The front arm guided the power. It was a rush of energy to have all of this power obeying him. But the back arm was restraint, pulling back, controlling the power.

"And keep breathing," Mica reminded him.

Demand was sweating with exhaustion by this point. Who knew it was this much work to stand still?