Introduction
I am an Individual with an autonomous mind and free spirit. This fact and my standing are unquestionable. I have the power and authority to dictate reality in the spiritual and natural realms of my creation. My sovereignty is absolute. Just as I christened myself heretofore as Xianté, so too shall the significance of my being henceforth be recognized by the distinctive designation: His Majesty, The Preeminent. I am the Supreme Being of my world.
The Philosophy is the result of my vision to offer society an opportunity to appreciate the true significance of Xianté. A man can only be what he believes himself to be, and a man's beliefs are the foundation of his being. I do not seek converts to a religion, or followers of a cult. Rather, I seek to impart my wisdom and experience, to induce enlightenment though my words and my ideals. Throughout this work, Xianté the Individual and Xianté the Philosophy are one and the same. Both creations, their definitions and their significance, are synonymous and interchangeable.
Xianté dictates independence and self-determination for the Individual, and appreciation and respect for relationships with others. The Philosophy entails a primary approach to life characterized by scientific inquiry, employing logic and reason and rejecting arbitrary faith or belief in the intangible or unintelligible. The philosophy advocates the necessity of forming opinions on a rational basis and independently of perceived authority, conforming only to those morals and principles established and accepted by the Individual.
Xianté is based on a series of core principles. These principles offer a means for the dedicated Individual to gain further enlightenment by challenging himself to become an active participant in the development of his own spiritual path. The principles need not be unconditional or conclusive. They exist as a guide to consider, for one must seek to understand and establish his own view of the world we inhabit, and his place therein, before he can understand the world within him, and his control of that realm.
One of the most central tenets of Xianté is the embrace of free inquiry and rejection of blind faith. There is no universal creed or dogma applicable to all the inhabitants of this earth, and Xianté does not profess itself as one or seek to become one. At its core, Xianté is a personal philosophy, which focuses on the personal development of each Individual who chooses to seek enlightenment. We must find harmony within ourselves before seeking to find harmony in the world around us.
Xianté recognizes the duality of human nature and strives to achieve an optimal balance between both the instinctual and rational aspects. Passion and contentment lie in the acquisition of knowledge and truth for the Individual and in advocating tolerance, justice, compassion, and creativity within the community. True comprehension of the principles of Xianté is the result of a process, the culmination of which is many things. More than an ideology and more than an identity, Xianté is something to be discovered and experienced, and something to be shared. It is something to believe, and something to practice. It is to the Individual what the Individual allows it to be, but above all things, it is a path towards enlightenment.
Enlightenment
Enlightenment is a state of being. It is characterized by one's perception, level of understanding, and method of interacting with the world around him. The path toward enlightenment commences with the realization of the true nature of the Individual and his role within the surrounding environment. Life itself is a collection of events and experiences, both positive and negative, which combine to form the raw materials from which one establishes purpose. These experiences are the tools that allow an Individual to understand, appreciate, and contribute to the world around him. They are the resources that assist the Individual in setting goals and creating strategies for growth.
As inhabitants of this world, Xianté promotes our ultimate purpose of sustained evolution. In order to fulfill this aspiration and progress to the next level of enlightenment, we must allow ourselves to remain open to change. We must embrace the benefits of dialogue, interaction, and even disagreement, in our common quest for truth. Additionally, we must learn to appreciate our role as caretakers of this world as we seek to fully comprehend the direction our psychological development will lead us, and the limits to such advancement.
Xianté believes an Individual has reached a certain level of enlightenment when he has obtained greater understanding of the actuating cause, the immaterial essence, and the animating principles of life. The enlightenment Individual is characterized by elements of wisdom, experience, and insight, and has utilized the pursuit of knowledge and truth to gain further insight into his own spiritual core.
Individuality
The most important person in the life of the Individual is the Individual himself; however, the Individual must come to this realization in his own time. We are endowed with the capacity to think, to dream, and to believe. One must not allow for outside influences to hinder these abilities, lest they be taken for granted and lost forever.
Xianté, the Individual, is more than confident in his innate power over humanity and through Xianté, the Philosophy, has encountered relatively few beings throughout his time on this earth that have reached the same level of enlightenment as he; however, he still realizes and accepts the limits of his Individual power. Xianté firmly believes in a power greater than himself. Xianté acknowledges, respects, and appreciates that power, but does not seek or expect to recover or receive anything from that power. Xianté benefits and becomes further enlightened as an Individual simply by recognizing that the power is there.
Simplicity
The world is replete with unnecessary distractions, which only serve to deplete one's life of valuable energy. Each day our world becomes increasing obsessed with and further dependent on material excesses. Many people can no longer distinguish between a necessity and a luxury, or life's requirements and life's options. Many of us have lost sight of our purpose; so perhaps out of frustration, society has become increasingly hostile towards those who manage to find solace in the midst of such chaos.
Those who allow themselves to be consumed by the excesses of society find themselves trapped in an unfulfilling life of stress and frustration caused by their drive to maintain the excesses they've allowed themselves to be consumed by. They force themselves to continue in this vicious cycle of madness by fiercely supporting the system that restrains them in their current position. Most fail to ever realize the simple solution to such a conundrum. Contentment is easily discovered in a minimalist lifestyle.
Consider the life of the minimalist. In the spirit of Xianté, the minimalist is one who attempts to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of life's conveniences, and does not allow himself to become overly consumed by our materialistic and capitalistic society. The minimalist is an Individual who chooses not to be restrained by the customs and traditions established by society, rather he chooses which norms he will participate in from those that will not force him to sacrifice his personal goals and aspirations. He does not allow society to dictate the path he shall follow. As an Individual, his decisions are made independently of the perceived authority conceded to by others.
He is undeterred by those who disparage his lifestyle; such criticisms are often born of envy. He is also disinterested in the advice and guidance volunteered by the champions of capitalism; he knows that success in our society is measured by one's ability to accumulate the unnecessary material excesses he vehemently tries to avoid in life. His success in the eyes of society would signify a major failure in his personal quest for enlightenment.
Spirituality
As sentient beings, we long for a deeper understanding and confirmation of the many uncertainties in life. We struggle with the limitations of our perception and our level of consciousness. These challenges are not easily resolved; however, Xianté symbolizes an ideology characterized by a nonconformist attitude toward life for the individual, embracing the spirit of autonomy and free inquiry, without subscribing to any predetermined, traditional, or specific set of beliefs.
Xianté recognizes that spiritual truth may take many forms, and believes there is a difference between relative truth and absolute truth. On this earth, truth is typically relative. While there may be things we realize or discover throughout the course of our search for truth that will make us feel uncomfortable, Xianté does not agree that we must necessarily entertain the idea that truth may turn out to be something we do not like. Absolute truth cannot be obtained or acquired until our lives on this earth end and we move on to wherever awaits us at that point, and since absolute truth is not within the grasp of humanity, Xianté views as divisive and counterproductive, most efforts to rank order, question, and challenge the contrasting theories (relative truth) that have led to the hundreds of established religions and belief systems that have existed throughout human history. It is the responsibility of the Individual to seek out the truth as it relates to his own path.
Ultimately, Xianté recognizes spirituality as part of the Individual's quest for enlightenment. It is not an issue upon which to reach a consensus with others, but a personal journey that must be traveled without accompaniment and without perceived guidance from institutions or other people. The Individual is the core of Xianté; the Collective exists in support of the many Individuals on the path to enlightenment. Thus, the spiritual value of the Collective is determined only by its Individuals ability to reach equilibrium. Harmony is found through respect and appreciation for the varied conclusions each Individual will reach, all of which offer opportunities for the Collective to gain strength, impart knowledge, express compassion, and ultimately reach further enlightenment.
Relationships
The relationship bonds we form with other members of our species can be characterized by a number of different factors depending upon the Individuals involved. The construction of certain bonds is a critical requirement for the social and psychological development of the Individual, whereas, other bonds are essential for maintaining structure in a civilized society. Xianté holds that relationship bonds are of critical importance; however, they must not be viewed in the restrictive nature or with the narrow definition maintained by society.
Xianté distinguishes relationships by the level of commitment and priority assigned to them by those parties involved. These classifications apply only to our secular associations with other Individuals, since spiritual connections, personal consciousness, and self-awareness, are intrinsically paramount in the life of the enlightened Individual. The stratum and conditions of any single relationship may fluctuate, change, or be viewed differently, simultaneously, by those Individuals involved. In all cases, a relationship for the Individual cannot exist as more or less than the Individual declares it to be, and the bonds and connections an Individual does form are significant and worthy of respect and appreciation.
In Regards to Family:
Throughout our history, we have constructed various social and relationship structures within our society, the center of which has always been the family. While the family as a central unit in our society has remained unchanged, the definition of family has evolved in its meaning and composition. Nevertheless, family remains a group of individuals who are related by some commonality, whether defined as a biological, genetic or ancestral bond, or a common set of social beliefs and convictions, or social affiliation. Regardless of the form, each family plays a critical role and remains equally important in supporting the individual. There is great value in the development and nurture of personal relationships and the promotion of family. Our experiences in life and engagements with other individuals are of vital importance, as they facilitate the acquisition of knowledge, inspire growth, and determine our success on the path toward enlightenment.
In Regards to Marriage and Monogamy:
Current attitudes and practices in regard to marriage and monogamy within our culture stem from religious tradition and societal conditioning. Society encourages coupling through marriage, and frowns upon relationships without this goal in mind. The "value" and "importance" of monogamy is stressed at every opportunity, while alternative ideas about relationships and sex are completely dismissed without discussion. While there is nothing inherently wrong with common practices, and the are many practical benefits to these two ideals, Xianté recognizes that marriage and monogamy are not, and should not be, universal ideals.
Marriage: Marriage and relationship are not interchangeable or synonymous terms. Though they are commonly associated, they exist as two separate ideals. Xianté rejects any assertion to the contrary. Marriage is a simply formal contract agreement between two people. It is a social construct, a formal institution through which society determines who is deserving of a specific set of privileges and eligible for special recognition. Marriage is the basic equivalent of an educational degree: a piece of paper issued by a governing body for meeting certain requirements. In both cases, the piece of paper is issued without warranty and certainly without a guarantee of any outcome or result. While married people do tend to be committed in some way (and are entitled to define their relationship however they choose), the commitment, and thus the relationship, is not authenticated by or even necessary for marriage. There will always exist married people who are not in relationships, and people in relationships who are not married.
Because marriage is a collaborative effort between two people, the codependency that frequently develops in this effort leads to the deterioration (often obliteration) of two Individual beings and the subsequent creation of a "couple". Many people actually enjoy this result of marriage and work towards its implementation, but in the process of this merge, the overriding force of being a couple diminishes Individual identity, effectively silencing Individual opinions, ideas, and goals, not to mention limiting the exploration of self and necessary interaction with the outside world.
Love is most often cited as the motivating force behind marriage, but in reality, people enter into marriage arrangements for a variety of reasons, and frequently under improper circumstances and with exaggerated expectations. Oftentimes, the catalogue of societal benefits and rights that accompany marriage are responsible for a great number of the injudicious decisions to enter into these formal contracts. Other times, it is simply tradition and/or the overwhelming pressure of family, friends, and society at large, combined with a natural urge for acceptance that prompts marriage. Xianté views this sacrifice of Individual identity and independence simply to fit in as a major contributor to societal discontent, which is where true moral decline is rooted. A true relationship does not require a contract or recognition by an outside party or perceived authority.
Monogamy: Society has constructed incredibly narrow, restrictive, and unrealistic models of sexuality and "accepted" sexual practices. Those who do not fit within these conventional boundaries are marginalized, their opinions and views carrying little weight in the broader discussion. Irrespective of the contributing influences of such judgments, society tends to look down upon promiscuity, open relationships, and any form of non-monogamy. The pressure towards conformity is so great; many people are made to feel guilty and embarrassed about their feelings and practices, even though reality seems to indicate a society abounding with like-minded Individuals. Many of these people, perhaps through fear or weakness, suppress their true desires, rather than take a stand against society's affinity toward regulating our personal lives. They adopt these archaic views, imposing the rules of society and desperately fighting against anyone they perceive as a threat to their agenda. Xianté rejects society's claims as the author of morality and orator of purity.
Xianté acknowledges the practical, though sometimes exaggerated, benefits of monogamy; there is no need to extol them here. However, Xianté also recognizes the potential for monogamy to have a negative impact on the emotional and spiritual growth of the Individual, as well as the relationship. Xianté believes in creating happiness and strives to eliminate primitive emotional responses and irrational behaviors such as jealousy, dishonesty, self-pity, and selfishness. Such traits are not representative of an enlightened Individual. But Xianté also recognizes that mankind, as a whole, has not yet reached a state where emotions are secondary to rationality. The first and most important step toward this goal of freedom is for the Individual to set aside the preconceived notions of society and consider for himself whether monogamy is right for him, and whether monogamy is an ideal that fits within his life.
In all actuality, most people will choose monogamy; that is the power of conditioning. Most people are simply too far entrenched in the dogma of society and do not have the strength to develop and stand upon their own personal beliefs. People are just not interested in straying too far away from tradition, so they comfortably mold themselves into "equal" counterparts and follow the rest of the crowd, making excuses for the obvious flaws in their logic and reasoning while assimilating and perpetrating the restrictive demands of society. On his path toward enlightenment, the Individual has a responsibility to examine and analyze alternative ideas and his own spiritual character in order to formulate his own set of principles and ethics. Only then can he advance his personal freedom and bring his ultimate goal of enlightenment to fruition.
Conclusion