To Minors

By Madame X © 2005

House of the Dreaming welcomes all those who are under the age of 18 to read this article which is a compilation of the views of our membership. The formation of today's youth is very important to us as you are the future of our community. The impact of your integrity and actions will shape what is to come. Despite our diverging views on ageism, and only due to the myriad of possible legal ramifications, House of the Dreaming strictly prohibits mentoring of minors into the vampyre / therian / otherkin / magickal community, frowning upon any otherwise extensive interactions with minors; but the last thing we want is for you to approach us and walk away empty-handed. Our Family honors parental consent as the final decisive factor on youth formation, respecting the rights of parents and legal guardians to raise their children as they see best fitting, provided they observe any reasonable legal restrictions.

It is only natural that you seek involvement with the community, a deeper understanding of your inner nature, and positive mentorship. By choosing to approach us we already perceive you as intelligent gifted individuals. We realize that you may be going through a difficult time, yet we urge you patience, asking that you to seek further involvement with us after your 18th birthday. Our Family strongly recommends that you continue to study avidly toward building and expanding a strong foundation of knowledge and skepticism in preparation of the years to come.

You may find The Red Pages at http://redpages.houseofthedreaming.org/teen.html to be a useful resource; there you will find an extensive listing of sites dedicated to teens. Although we will not endorse any in particular, you may find some sites helpful toward self-discovery and socialization. Keep in mind that predators abound in internet groups as well as real-life situations. Our Family urges you to be discrete, cautious and skeptical.

House of the Dreaming strongly encourages everyone, regardless of age group, to explore the history and spiritual beliefs of ancient man, while looking for parallel and diverging lines cross- -culturally. We recommend focusing on the early civilizations of Sumeria, Babylonia, and Egypt; the past 30 years have unveiled some very noteworthy discoveries, which for many, resonate very deeply. The better preserved cultures of the Far East like India, China, and Tibet will undoubtedly broaden your horizons; such traditions can certainly generate years of study and self-discovery. A strong grasp of ancient European cultures, beliefs, and morés like those of the Celts, the Norse, the Gauls, and the Greco-Romans can be a very strong building block. Those who feel a stronger connection with the African continent are urged to delve into Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, to name but a few; these countries and so many others reveal traditions, in some cases nearly forgotten, that shed light on the tapestry of our past unveiling pathways to the future. We also suggest an exploration of the Native American people, including Central and South American Cultures; some find undeniable resonance with the plains' Indians, the Aztecs, Mayas, and Incas. Similarly, the remaining beliefs of the Australian Aborigines, the nearly lost cultures of the Polynesian people, as well as the remarkable ways of the Hawaiians can definitely inspire many lucid dreams.

Not only does Our Family suggest that you study by way of academics, but we also encourage travel and exploration of the world hands-on. Today the world is much smaller than it was 100 years ago, traveling abroad is now more realistic than ever. We strongly encourage everyone to walk the world seeking and discovering lines of connection here and there. When was the last time you tried to understand or be closer to nature? Camping, hiking, spelunking and even scuba-diving are wonderful ways to connect with our mother Earth, providing us a terrific window of perception. Exploring ruins, sacred grounds and sunken wrecks is so much better live than thru a book or documentary. Many of Our Family Members are well-traveled, being delighted to give you their personal insight on their exploits. Although there is no wrong travel destination we suggest: Europe, Central and South America, The Middle and The Far East.

Personally, I would like to recommend that you learn a foreign language, understanding and utilizing another tongue is a great communication tool, a viable asset opening yet another window toward appreciating a different culture and a new way of perceiving the world. Learning Spanish or French is a plus, no doubt, but learning a forgotten tongue like Lakota, Coptic, Latin, Sanskrit or ancient Greek will certainly merit distinction bringing further understandings to your fingertips. Foreign languages are best learned before adulthood; do not pass up the opportunity to do so.

Youth is also the time to develop social interaction skills by dealing with peers, family and teachers. This is the time to learn discipline, patience, the time to master social graces to avoid future embarrassing moments, the time to learn to discern positive and negative influences and how to maintain good friends or walk away from bad associates. Keep in mind that "a smart man learns from his mistakes but a wise man learns from other's"; master that wisdom. Many of us are by nature loners as we tend to have jarring perspectives becoming the proverbial 'square-peg'; it is specially because of this, that we must strive all the more to interact with others; note 'interact' does not mean 'conform'. Whether you find a social niche in a literary group, a martial arts class, or in a specific interest school club, it is important to get away from the books and computers, seeking to maintain direct interactions with individuals that can expand your horizons. Regardless of interpersonal differences, you should strive to feel comfortable with the diverging views of others by being open and non-judgmental, as we all wish others would be to us. It does however mean that we must shield others, often our family and friends, from our nature, beliefs, and inner turmoil; this it is no easy task. House of the Dreaming suggests that you turn your inner woes into creative projects like poetry, painting, sculpture, music, etc. We find the arts to be a powerful outlet to express our more passionate moments...call it therapy. We are also big advocates of private journals where you can privately put into words your daily strives and rewards. Perhaps even more so than other people, we need to be more cautious of the recipients of our trust; our stakes are higher than the average Joe, we certainly have more to lose should our nature be exposed and ridiculed. Indiscretions and disappointments are unavoidable throughout life; we must learn to rise above. Don't expect everyone to be trustworthy or understanding; Good Friends that you can trust are hard to come by; give new friendships time to bloom before making a vested investment with your innermost thoughts.

It is important to understand not only the world around us, but also the world within us. House of The Dreaming recommends that we continually strive toward a healthy balance of the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the self. Psychology and Anatomy are generally college courses, but you certainly don't have to be in college to delve into such fascinating topics. On the Psychology arena, we suggest an objective study of the views of psychologists Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Alfred Adler for starters. With respect to Anatomy, Our Family suggests focus on the circulatory, lymphatic and endocrine systems. It is very important that we seek to understand ourselves both how our mind and body work.

We encourage you to take care of your body, by ingesting wholesome, nutritious foods while maintaining a healthy diet, exercise and sleep regiment. Many of us have serious physical discomforts that compel us to get better acquainted with the needs of our body. Although some of us may have the natural propensity toward body development and sports, most of us do not, but it is important that we strive to keep fit, as our body is much more than a shell, it is a conduit, transmitter and receptor. Our body is a temple to be elevated and revered, not destroyed nor neglected. Physical activity is a natural way to alleviate stress, while its results may help boost your self-esteem. House of the Dreaming' members encourage the applied study of Chakra Yoga, Chi Kung and Tai-Chi-Chuan to understand and refine the awareness of our own life-energy. An alternative type of spiritual exercise is 'sacred dance'; a creative, contemplative and spiritual approach to exercise...how can you go wrong?

Whatever your spiritual background is: Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Native American, Pagan, etc… we recommend that you explore the roots and origins of your beliefs. You may find that the more ancient the traditions are, the closer they are to the truth, and the closer they are to one another.

Although Our Family advocates studying the accounts of the more academic science and history books, we also encourage that you delve into the words of poetry and fiction; as you may find that such words express dreams that parallel your own and that you may know to be true. Many times those truths that cannot be written as fact, can only find life on the pages of fictional books. It is for you to find those hidden truths that resound so deeply within you and incorporate them into your own set of beliefs. House of The Dreaming recommends you read works by Robert A. Heinlein, Neil Gaiman and Ursula Le Guin. We also suggest you delve into transcendentalist poetry and that you explore the mystic poets: Octavio Paz, Omar Khayyam and Rabindranath Tagore. Similarly to works of fiction and poetry we should study art and music as they are the most passionate reflections of the soul.

While we do not propose that youngsters delve into the occult sciences, magick or divinatory arts, we certainly propose that they learn about: Quantum Physics, Astronomy, Biorhythms, Aromatherapy, Herbalism, Ayurveda, Shiatsu, Meditation, Totem Animals, Guided Imagery and Visualization. We recommend that every seeker go forth with an open-mind and a healthy dose of skepticism, keeping in mind that the biggest truths are not those delivered onto you, but are those you realize yourself.

Let the days to come pose exciting challenges and adventures while you prepare to join us in our Quest. We will be here in trust that we will meet you sometime soon. Meanwhile, "be not in a hurry to meet your destiny."