The Codes

The Song of Seven is a series of philosophical systems designed to allow people to live as adults in the world while minimizing the damage done to the world around them and the biosphere upon which they depend for their very existence. No biggie. The number of species driven to extinction by direct human activity number in the thousands. We have increased the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to levels not seen since chickens were tyrannosaurs and dragonflies were the size of hawks. We have created islands made of plastic garbage larger than whole nations that swirl in our oceans. We have deforested more than 90% of the planets old growth forests. We have put virtually all arable land on this planet under extreme cultivation, and brought the population of the species from less than 10 million worldwide to nearly 8 billion world wide.

All of this occurred within the last 0.5% of humanity’s time on this planet. And we don’t know how long our biosphere can continue to support of irresponsible and reprehensible actions. We can’t keep doing this forever. The effects are already similar to the stage in the life of a hoarder in a one bedroom apartment where the family stages an intervention because the apartment’s rats asked them to do something. We’re not in a good place is what I’m saying. And this probably won’t help much, but we all have to do something.

Good men don’t need rules. Today is not the day to find out why I have so many.
The Doctor, Doctor Who: “A Good Man Goes to War”

The Code and the Way

This is the core. This is the seed from which all else grows.

The Big Three

The Firebird: (The Creator of Mystery) I remain humble and seek to be corrected.
The Weaver: (The Keeper of tales) I live my story and tell that story without hesitation.
The Great Serpent: (The Doer of Deeds) I do what matches my morals and ignore what others may think of me.

The Three Founders

First Mother: Motivations

Survival: (Flight from Glass Tower) One’s own self defense takes priority, ones own comfort is not essential. Vengeance is not defense. Deterrence is defense. Survival takes priority over everything except the code of the Firebird, the Weaver, and the Serpent.
Autarky: (Walk the Witch Road) Take responsibility for one’s own actions. Do nothing to others you would object to having done to you. I judge myself and do not allow myself to be enslaved by the judgments of others.
Sustainability: (Founding the First Tribe) Aim for small scale local solutions, avoid involving official organizations. Aim for solutions that restore rather than deplete local resources. I shall seek resiliency rather than efficiency. I shall seek redundancy rather than seeking to maximize output.

First Hero: Guiding Lights

Consent: (The Bargain with the Great Serpent) Respect the autonomy and decisions of others. Ask rather than coerce. I shall respect the autonomy of others and their ability to give or refuse consent.
Action: (Slaying the Beast) Once the Path is clear, Take the action. The best thing to do in a crisis is the right thing, the second best thing is the wrong thing, the worst thing is nothing. Nothing gets done if I do nothing.

The Dreamwalker: Conduct

Respect: (Talking with the Firebird) I shall treat all people in the manner with which I wish to be treated unless they have otherwise proven themselves unworthy of that respect. Be polite at all times. Ignore my own speculation on what others may think of me. What others may think of me is none of my business.
Compassion: (The Rescue of the Last Princess) I shall consider the well being of others in your actions. Apologize and make amends for missteps. I shall practice compassion wherever reasonable.

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