[Declared] Basic Introduction to Photokinesis // Denethorn

[Zakarie Di'Vosk]

• Subject Requested:

The ability to cloak oneself with the use of Photokinesis.

• Open/Private Lesson:

Open. Anyone who is interested in a basic introduction to this ability are free to attend.

• Availability:

Preferably if someone is available today, that would be great. Unfortunately I am quite busy in the upcoming days with my schedule.
354.08 - Available.
354.11 - Available.
354.12 - Available.

• Reason For Request:

I have always been interested in this ability, and ever since Karmarie's demonstration of Photokinesis, it has sparked my interest. I feel that with my natural connection to the force; also my abilities to use Telekinesis and Telepathy, that I may now be able to manipulate the energy around me in a controlled manner to the extent of learning this ability. I feel that I am ready to progress in my training.

• Additional Information:

- None.

[Aslyn Denethorn]

Zakarie,

It's worth noting that Karmarie was likely performing a Mind Trick, rather than Photokinesis: the latter is an extremely advanced skill requiring a very high level of telekinetic control, something very few Jedi ever advance onto learning, simply because of the level of strain required to generate a telekinetic field of that form and then manipulate it into bending light around yourself (which is the gist of the how the technique works). Perhaps one Jedi in a hundred might be able to develop this skill, fewer still to master it!

That noted, if it's an area you genuinely feel interested in, and have the skills to develop (in particular, a high level of Sustained Telekinetic capability), I'd be happy to offer you some assistance in this. Should the Photokinetic method of Cloaking elude you, there are also the options of Mind Trick (the more basic/standard) approach and Illusions (slightly more convoluted!).

I'll do my best to get to you this afternoon, if that's preferable to you. Do let me know!

Regards,

Aslyn

[Zakarie Di'Vosk]

Thank you, Master Denethorn for your time. I only know a little of the abilities, but after your summary I can see the difference and I did consider Mind Trick, but I have heard many warnings about the dangers of entering or attempting to mess with ones mind and how it can effect them. So I was hoping to go for a more civil approach to the ability of cloaking oneself, which is where I discovered Photokinesis through Karmarie. But I am always open to suggestions and will follow whatever particular technique or method of this ability that you feel is best for my stage in training. I hope to see you soon.

[Aslyn Denethorn]

This brings us to a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of a Mind Trick: while it is indeed problematic to 'mess with someone's mind', the reality is that a Mind Trick does not do this: it's not particularly invasive, and does not require a mind-to-mind connection in the way that telepathic abilities do.

In the normal course of performing a mentalist ability, a Jedi would be forced to push their way past an individual's mental 'shields', much the same way as one has to remove the outer layer of some vegetables to get at the soft and vulnerable parts! A Mind Trick, however, does not do this: there's no invasive component to it, because you are not manipulating the individual themselves, but more their perceptions. Sentient brains typically rely on consistent data input: we expect to see something, and our brains anticipate this. An effective Mind Trick is designed to persuade the body's perceptual centers that it is seeing something it is not seeing, or not seeing something that is clearly there. Ultimately, to turn yourself invisible, you must simply 'persuade' the brain that you are not actually where you are - essentially encouraging it to misinterpret sensory data.

Since sensory data is always processed at a subconscious level, it is easily tricked, since the individual themselves need not be aware of the manipulation. Just as body language can be used to fool another into perceiving an emotion that is not really there, so to can the Force be used to manipulate sensory perceptions, all without requiring a stable and persistent mental connection. This is why it becomes possible to manipulate a room of individuals without being forced to maintain a telepathic projection to all of them, and also why it becomes possible to reject the manipulation through use of your Force Sense ability.

We can discuss the techniques themselves further in due course!