Ida - To Consider - A Research Paper on the Ida by Isha Sainika Richard Masseri

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Foreword
“The planetary government is doing all it can to ensure the safety of Intaki citizens”- Sadereron Idama
As I sit here finalising my thoughts and preparing to find the best way to espouse the knowledge I have attempted to collate on the Ida, I think it might be appropriate to discuss my current state of mind and conditions of living. I spent many hours, weeks and months preparing the notes that have formed the body of this work and many of these notes were taken down whilst I floated within the ectoplasm inside my capsule. I am a capsuleer, nothing new to I imagine the majority of those reading this work. I consider it important to note however as I am one who spends a vast proportion of my time within the capsule rarely exiting even when docked at station. Therefore it is a definite change of scene to be finishing this work planetside on my beautiful homeworld with the birds singing in the olive orchard of a friends estate. I am hoping this change of scene and my distance from the blaring of the news will give me the strength of mind and spirit to relay my thoughts in a digestible way.

“We Simply Call it Ida”-Vremaja Idama
Ida from the Intaki word Idaa(consider) refers to the faith or discipline which this paper seeks to catalogue to some minor extent. The Ida, the way of the Intaki, is built on a firm foundation of the belief of the interconnectedness of all things. Whilst it bears many similarities to Achuran Wayism it does not hold as much reverence for mythology and is more specifically a nontheistic religion. Cycles of life and death also play a strong part in the tapestry of existence and the Ida focuses on a holistic philosophy. The Ida is the path of least resistance and seeks harmony with the world around it. There is no “divine truth” to be found in traditionalist Idic writings, worshippers are expected to consider for themselves and make choices accordingly. In many ways the Ida is what it means to be Intaki; Intaki minimalistic is a tradition where honour is valued, self indulgence and self denial are to be avoided and temperance and sustainable living are encouraged.

Maravaant Bhravakkas
From ignorance, lead me to truth;
From darkness, lead me to light;
From death, lead me to immortality

“Kapda, The Great Tapestry of life”-The name given to a textiles colony on Ostingele by its Intaki settlers
It is well known that the Intaki Assembly(to be referred to as the IA) is the system government for Intaki and an influence in the greater region of placid. There are many Intaki Colonies in the systems which border Intaki Prime. If the Ida is an expansion of Intaki minimalism in a religious or philosophical form, I feel that it bears note that the politics and diplomacy of the Intaki have often been held up as skills for which the Intaki people hold some renown at honing. Within the records of the Intaki Cultural Center can be found a list of the governmental systems adopted by eight of the most long-standing colonies. These colonies include two republics, a hereditary monarchy, a democracy, an anarcho syndicalist commune, a communist collective and both a full on theocracy and a hybrid democratic theocracy. As even the lowliest of academics can tell this shows a wealth of diversity, to say nothing of some very adverse governmental structures. The leaders of such societies range from the people as one to elected individuals, hereditary monarchs and in one case even an Idama.

“There is little difference between the Reborn and an Idama”-Vremaja Idama
Rebirth is a core tenant of the Ida and it is important to note that those who are reborn still, by technicality, hold a certain cultural influence that non-reborn do not. Reborn come from many walks of life but due to the technology commonly used in the process it is in most circumstances the wealthier like myself who can safely perform the process. The Idama or most holy are those who are reborn without the use of said technology but simply through standard ritualistic means. It is said that there are approximately 500 Idama currently in existence but many are anonymous, spending their time either in solitary living or in the cloisters of monasteries. It should be noted however that not all Idama are quite so inclined and some may live a very different existence after each rebirth. The Ida teaches of the cycle of life being a continuous cycle of Birth, Death and Rebirth; Idama are said to be reborn by choice so that they can serve society and help guide those along the path.

“This is not the first time I have been between the crosshairs, and should think that it will not be the last,”-Idama Eliaron
I think it would be crass of me not to talk about the various Idama who have been more open or have been manoeuvred into the light for whatever right or wrong reasons however, as there is quite a number I will adopt a more short form approach to addressing them. Please review the bullet points below.

  • Idama Adhrit Vaakpati brokered peace between Commander Bhagat Jinnah and alleged corrupt Gallente governor Pierre Montblanc, putting an end to a nine year civil war which had brought further instability to the placid region.

  • Idama Ailoea en Waro ended her previous life in YC99 and was then was discovered by the travelling Idic monk Wafneque Erilon on a slaver ship owned by the Amarrian Holder Sa-Baron Atazil Kufail of Vezila. Their finding spawned a certain amount of Intaki backlash and reconfirmation of hatred for the slave trade and the spawning of the militant organisation known as the Idama en Waro Repatriation Front.

  • Councilman Idama Eliaron, once a Gallente military officer, now a councilman well known for his outspoken views on Serpentis affiliated gangs and the notorious Aenebra death cult(ADC). The Idama survived an assassination attempt in YC117, an attack which has been attributed to the ADC.

  • Idama Jeevan Nirantor receives what some might see as a dubious credit for the creation of the Rohaani religious sect. He has for some time lived his lives out in the Rohaanar colony situated on Frarie VI and is wanted for questioning by the IA, though they are not actively pursuing any warrant for his arrest as of time of writing and have not been for a good number of years.

  • Idama Modire Volckeel, writer of “The Way”, a book whose choice of title suggests it to be a Wayism text but instead seems to be a glorification of body modding community and capsuleer deification. There have been some suggestions that Modire may have some connections to the Ulsiddhakyam, a splinter sect from the Rohaani.

  • Idama Pakami Durahma, the unofficial, Godmother of the Sajha Colony on Brarel II, is rumoured to be one of the original settlers who helped found the 75million strong Anarcho-Syndicalist Commune. If true, the colony itself is something to behold and though it seems somewhat chaotic it is still going strong to this day.

  • Sadereron Idama, a senior clergyman, was a voice of reason and peace during the Caldari occupation in YC111 where they appeared along with a number of other spiritual leaders and called for peace.

  • Siaka Idama, an outspoken voice for Intaki independence, has expressed on multiple occasions that they believe that the Intaki peoples are shackled to the Federation and until such a time when they become unshackled they will never truly be able to achieve spiritual rebirth. Siaka has recently been seen as campaigning with the Intaki Lamkate, a nationalist Intaki political group.

  • Sundari Idama is known for the creation of the now outlawed drug RISE and his alleged involvement with the drug trafficking organisation known as Euphoric Gaze. The Idama had concocted a potent narcotic which had mentally damaging withdrawal effects and a much higher chance of overdose then any drug being sold in YC109.

  • Vremaja Idama is known as a ‘Warrior Philosopher’ and was married to Vika Kuvakei, daughter of high ranking Lai Dai Corporation specialist, back in YC108. YC108 was a busy year for Vremaja Idama and included not just his marriage but also both his appointment and resignation at Caille University, the arranging of a summit in which the Intaki Union were given a platform to discuss Intaki independence and, rather peculiarly, was then implicated as, at the very least, a witness in the theft of a freighter in Cloud Ring.

The Oath of the Idama - Brhavaritajyl k’Idama
As long as space endures,
As long as sentient beings exist,
Until then, may I too remain
And dispel the miseries of the world.

“Bear any but the most bitter fruit given this Senate delegation’s focus on talking with the Federation military and the collaborationist Executive Council.”-Jonas Ivestara, leader of the Intaki Autonomists
The relationship that is held between the Ida and the Gallente Federation with its very open religious values is not as contentious as some of today’s news would have people believe. While the voices of Siaka Idama may pronounce some fateful woes in relation to our religious future, other voices have more recently been silenced.

The Ida is not a religion or discipline scared of outside influences or of change, and rebirth practices have been improved with the new technologies. The Intaki’s place within the federation has allowed us to explore Jin-Mei practises of the Adakul, which have opened up many a path to influence to help the followers of the Ida find new methods to aid them on the path to rebirth and enlightenment.

“We will not pause when our kinsmen and others are denied the right to freedom”-Spokesperson Idama en Waro Repatriation Front
Amarr slavery is contentious at the best of times and though many followers of the Ida outwardly condemn violent actions such as those committed back in YC120 by the group known as the Idama en Waro Repatriation Front, it would be foolish for me to ever suggest that the followers of the Ida see slavery as anything other then an abominable act. The Ida talks about finding a path and the interconnectedness of the universe, by putting another in chains you restrict their ability to follow the Ida.

“Was not simply a grain but a tiny biological machine guiding the bodies and persons forward on their ow path.”-Idama Modire Volckeel
Some outsiders see the practice of rebirth as barbaric where the soul and spirit of a dying person is transferred into the body of a newborn, a practise which is steeped in a certain amount of mystery.

As a Reborn it is impossible for me to address this without some level of bias so please consider my words. The technology used within the process of Rebirth has been coveted by a number of organisations over the years; some even claim that the close relationship between the Ishukone Corporation(ISH) and the IA is partially due to sharing secrets regarding said technology.

The Lai Dai Corporation have also made rather more aggressive attempts to claim Idic technologies with attacks made to Idic Monasteries on Intaki in YC121, first by the Onikanabo Brigade (OB) and then later by Lai Dai Protection Service (LDPS) forces. Some credit the Subcranial Nanocontrollers as a product of this engagement. It is also rumoured that an Idic colony based in U4-Q2V received funding from Pelsiddhakyl Monastery (an Idic monastery in Intaki’s Akat mountains) and then received brief assistance from Ishuk-Raata Enforcement Directive(I-RED), a capsuleer group also known for its close connections with ISH. All this is to say that implant and cloning technology seems to be intertwined with some traditions of the Ida.

“When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering, like the flame of a lamp in a windless place.”-Vaanin k’Intaki-Selected Sayings of the Idama
As with many religions and philosophical schools of thought the Ida does harbour a number of various Idic Sects. I will focus here on the more radical sects but I think it is once again important to recognise that the Ida lends itself to interpretation and though some Idic Monasteries focus on specific interpretations these should not be seen as a monolith. As with my discussions on the various Idama I will adopt a more short form approach to addressing them. Please review the bullet points below.

  • Aenebra ‘Cult’ or the ADC has gained itself a reputation for assassination attempts, criminal conspiracy and causing general mayhem and terror. The group first surfaced back in YC110 and since that time appear to have grown in size, influence and accuracy. Though little of the group’s philosophy is known it appears that drug use and murder if not form part of its rituals, at the very least are considered a given within its practises. The Capsuleer Auriga Menkalinan has written a pretty expansive timeline of their more recent activities between YC122 – late YC124. Since that time they have claimed responsibility for the assassination of an unnamed(most likely for safety reasons) pro-federation Idama.

  • Rohaani are believed to have been formed by Idama Jeevan Nirantor. At time of writing it is believed that there numbers are between 32,000-36,000 with the majority of the sect, some 26,000, still situated on their Colony of Rohaanar on Planet VI of the Frarie system. Their sect focuses explicitly on the minimalist values of the Ida and they have been referred to by some as a ‘cult’ of deprivation, a sentence which might ring true when one considers that they believe that only by leading a deprived life will their souls be cleansed and ready for ascension. Nudity, avoidance of bathing and a minimalist diet of lentils and rice are not the only adherences that they live by. The practise of saunp dena is by far the most controversial and is an extension of the Rohaani belief of the conservation of consciousness which considers new life as an extreme waste of resources and in many ways is likely responsible for the incredibly slow growth of the sect. The practise of saunp dena takes the concept of Intaki rebirth and then forces it into a more harsh light during saunp dena. When a pregnant member of the Rohaani enters labour the eldest or most frail member of the group is selected and then on successful birth commits ritual suicide freeing their consciousness to be reborn into the infant. The heads of the sect Idama Jeevan Niranto and his cousin Shreemaan Rishtedaar, alternate leadership as each dies and is reborn.

  • Ulsiddhakyam the ‘Perfectors’ splintered from the Rohaani sect in YC39 to pursue their own understanding of the Ida. Their spiritual beliefs retain some of the Rohaani sect’s practises such as the controversial saunp dena ritual and though not embracing the full deprivation they do maintain a fairly ascetic lifestyle. The most obvious difference between practises is the Ulsiddhakyam’s treatment of cybernetic technology which is highly valued with a belief that through such implants perfection can be achieved and thus presumably ascension. It is rumoured that the largest congregation of these practitioners of the Ida is located in Syndicate on planet III of the U4-Q2V system. As noted previously the colony is supposed to have received support from the Pelsiddhakyl Monastery and for a short time I-RED support, however it is now allegedly manufacturing cerebral implants. Unlike the Rohaani who seem fairly cut-off from outside entities it also appears that the Perfectors may have a more evangelical side. There are reports that members of a mission from The Penitent Order of St. Charduzir of Assimia Reclaimed were forcibly fitted with medical implants to monitor life signs after many of their mission did not survive the harsh climate of the planet. I think there may be something of note in relation to the aim for perfection which mirrors the Adakul, the Jin-Mei philosophy, which strives for the same though with very different practises.

“He has followed the Ida as selflessly as a man can”-Prasannakumar a Rohaani practitioner
Religion or philosophy, the Ida has been described by Idama, such as Vremaja Idama as “to consider” “…a path,…Intaki are expected to walk it themselves.” Such quotes could be said to frame to Ida as just that, a method to encourage consideration and interpretation, such are the tools of a school of philosophical thought. It does bear noting however that beliefs such as those reflected in the Rebirthing traditions and the existence of the Idama fall much closer to a religious movement. Core tenants such as the cyle of life and the interconnectedness of the universe also fall into a more religious tone. I would argue that to follow the Ida and take up another creed would be a hard line to follow, however due to the interpretations available within the Idic traditions such a thing may not be impossible.

Conclusion
“I have lived and worked in Intaki during times of prolongued State occupation and when there has been fighting on the surface of Intaki Prime. I was there when Sansha’s Nation attempted to uplift the people of Intaki IV in the earliest days of their incursions and I was there when the Triglavians were pushed back.”-Suresha Bataav
The purpose of my work here is to be informative and as I relax in the grounds of a Villa which is not mine, situated on a planet which I hardly ever set foot on and yet call home I find myself in need of the Ida. The view from where I sit in a rather elaborate pavilion is absolutely gorgeous, the sun shines onto an olive orchard and light skips along the ripples at the edge of a beautiful lake. Intaki Prime is indeed a gem.

However Intaki alone is not my only home. As crass as it sounds I sit here half in wonder and half wishing to dive head first into my pod and be surrounded once more by the void of space, but in this moment I sit here considering and I feel there is a lot to consider.

I hope my words, my interpretations, and investigations are at the very least a good conversation starter and I do indeed hope that more among the capsuleer community will think about what the Ida may hold for them and how it may provide them a path to follow.

Richard Masseri
Isha Sainika
Intaki Liberation Front

Reference List

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I must admit, as someone who holds different political and philosophical perspectives, I am often inclined to approach our debates with a certain degree of skepticism. However, I firmly believe that credit is due where it is deserved, and your article truly deserves recognition. Well done.

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As my life unfolds in these stars the Ida is a companion. This article gives clarity to complicated questions of existence. I shall soon visit the Intaki world and consult with the wise Ida of it. In this way, the path before me can be set. Thank you Mr. Masseri for this thoughtful piece of humanity.

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