1. Q: What is psionics?

A: Psionics in our school of thought is the use of a specific type of "psychic" energy associated with the nervous system to do work--it includes most of the abilities generally considered psychic abilities (such as telling the future, or moving objects with the mind, as well as some that most people haven't heard of. Psionics (as we define it) does not include the use of energies taken from external sources.

2. Q: What is a psion?

A: A psion is a person who uses psionic abilities--in other words, a psychic who uses only energy from within themselves or from other persons to make their abilities work.

3. Q: What kind of energy is this?

A: Psi energy seems to have electromagnetic properties, and it seems to be associated with nervous system function. In other words, more energy is produced with greater activity in the nervous system. While we do not know for certain what type of energy psi energy is, we can make some inferences based on these observations. There are several theories out there which are compatable with our practices and our observations. Those will be outlined in a file on psionics theories attached to the Guild main page.

4. Q: Can anyone learn psionics, or is the ability inborn?

A: Nearly anyone can learn psionics, although there are a few people who do not seem to be able to. There are those who are born with ability, and some born with the instincts to use it as well. It remains to be seen whether such people have an advantage in learning psionics, because childhood trauma can cause them to block their abilities. Certainly, however, such people tend to be most interested in psionics.

5. Q: What other types of energies are there, aside from psi, where do they come from, and how do I tell them apart?

A: Different types of energies have a different "feel" to them--with practice, you can perceive these differences. Go here for a description of energy types and where they originate: http://www.psionguild.org/faqener.html

6. Q: Why should I learn psionics?

A: If the abilities are inborn in you, you may want to learn to use them in order to defend yourself against other psis who may not be friendly, and against spirit entities. You may need to learn to control them so that they do not interfere with your life in a negative fashion...particularly if you have abilities such as emotion or thought sensing. And most of all, if you have them inborn, you may pass them on to your children. If you do not understand them, and understand how to use and teach them, how can you help your children to deal with them? They may not have the same abilities you do, and theirs may be stronger or weaker. They may need to learn to control them in order to avoid psychological problems, or worse. If the abilities are not inborn within you, you may want to learn them simply because this is an entirely new spectrum of possibility for you--an advantage you can gain fairly, and possibly a way to aid yourself and others which was not open to you before.

7. Q: I read that you should always use your left hand to receive, and your right hand to project. Why don't you mention this?

A: All that handedness is, is which of your hands has a stronger connection to certain areas of your brain. You can manipulate objects better with your dominant hand, whether that is your right or left hand--you can also manipulate psi better with that hand, and in our experience that includes both receiving and projecting. Ideally, you should learn to use both hands, not only one. And of course ambidextrous folks have no such innate bias.

8. Q: I heard that anything you do psychically comes back to you three times, and that if you do anything for yourself or to harm others, it either won't work or it will backfire. How come you don't mention this?

A: This is actually a religious belief, and the Guild is a non-religious organization. While some members do have a belief in karma or "the threefold law", others do not. We do not consider them "universal laws", therefore we do not make mention of them. Individual morality and ethics is strictly up to the individual--we require only that members follow the Guild code of conduct.

9. Q: What the heck do all these weird words mean?

A: For a glossary of terms, go here: http://www.psionguild.org/glossary.html

10. Q: Can I join the Guild?

A: The Psion Guild is offering preliminary memberships on the php version of the website. This membership at present allows you to choose to list yourself on a networking page, but you are not obligated to do so. In the future, many other services will become available to members only.

11. Q: Can you prove it to me?

A: Not yet. Our best advice is that if you really have an interest in this, try developing your own abilities. You'll be able to correlate your experiences with those of others, and gain enough validation for yourself, in time. Objective proof, however, is not yet within our reach. Most psis have no patience with people who demand that they demonstrate their abilities.

12. Q: Haven't you guys been working on this for an awfully long time, now?

A: Yep, we sure have--but progress continues to be made, and this site is updated fairly often. We feel that it's best to be sure that we have everything completely ready before accepting members, however long that may take. Since we continue to progress, even after several years, it will not be forever.

13. Q: I'm already a member of a group. Wouldn't joining the Guild represent a conflict of interests?

A: Unless some part of the code of conduct or rules of your organization directly conflict with the Psion Guild's code of conduct, there is no conflict of interests if you wish the join the Guild. In fact, have your entire organization join the Guild, if they want. Our focus is on providing services and aid to psis. What other goals our members may have, how they organize themselves in other ways, and what else they do is entirely up to them. We are more like a co-op or a union than anything else, and we welcome all of you, individuals and groups alike.

14. Q: Who is that really mean PaleHorse guy in the chatroom?

A: He is the Member Services Director, and the Support Department Administrator. He isnt really that mean, just cranky. If your nice to him, he can be really helpful. He also teaches healing to some folks, and is VERY VERY VERY good at it. He is also a good listener if you have a problem. :-) So play nice.

Our server for our channel is irc.otherworlders.org. The access is via ports 6660-6669. If the server loses its DNS entry, you may gain access by using the IP address 64.156.2.196 instead of "chat.psionics.net". Once logged on, simply enter the channel #Psion_Guild.

User Protocols

1. Swearing is allowed if kept to a minimum and within good taste(i.e. nothing blatantly vulgar, foul, and/or overly personal.

2. Flooding will not be tolerated.

3. Advertising of psionics channels, websites, or non-profit services is permitted WITH the permission of an operator. Excessive and repeated spamming is not tolerated. Advertising of non-psi-related channels, sites, or services, or for-profit services, is not permitted.

4. Trolling and randomly picking on or annoying people for the fun of it will result in removal, as will proselytizing (attempting to convert others to your religion), and advertising without permission.

5. All modifications for these rules in the future shall go before a vote of the staff.

6. No flooding or annoying repetition.

7. No Ad Hominem, personal attacks, or other behavior meant to intentionally cause harm or hurt to another user. A personal attack is a comment intended to specifically insult, enrage, or hurt the feelings of another individual. This includes evasive statements which are designed to attack a person through their ideas or beliefs (ex. "Anyone who would believe that theory would have to be stupid, it's a really dumb idea"). Disagreement with or reasoning why you do not agree with an idea or belief is fine...insulting its creator or holder through it is not.

8. Should someone cause problems in the room, an annoyed user must pm a mod to get them to attend to the problem at hand. The user should not attempt to moderate the problem themselves.

9. If a mod tells you to take the discussion or argument at hand to another room or pm, you must do so or be considered disruptive.

10. Joking must remain within typical business professional boundaries. I.e. no overtly sexual jokes, no offensive jokes based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, religion, etc.) If you think it might be offensive, do not say it.

11. One nickname will be used and maintained in the chatroom at all times. If you wish to change your nickname permanently, please let the mods know so they don't kick you by mistake. Variations on a nickname indicating status changes (ex, 'WingedWolfAfk') are allowable, as are modifications to allow for roleplaying in other channels, as this is a gaming server (ex, 'Ubermage|Luc').

12. Offensive nicknames are strictly prohibited.

13. Complaints of mod behavior will be emailed or pmed to the director (Winged Wolf), or to the Networking or Chat administrator.

14. Anything considered offensive or non-PG shall be taken to the appropriate room, #Psion_Guild_Adult, or #Psion_Guild_FFA. This includes sexual innuendo, blatant sexual descriptions or text-actions, extreme vulgar language, and discussions of drug-use or illegal behavior conducted by or condoned by the person speaking.

15. Multiple languages are allowable in Guild chat areas, so long as scrolling and spamming is not involved.

16. Please do not use Guest nicks. These are nicks assigned by the server, usually with a number, to people who do not have a registered nick and do not choose a nick.

17. Idling (particularly for purposes of logging) is permitted, but nicks should be altered to reflect the fact you are absent.

18. Psionics.net is also a gaming server. Because of this, we request you be very polite to any wayward gamers who come into the channel. If they aren't aware that we are a real psionics chat, inform them NICELY. Their confusion is understandable. There may also be people who are aware that we are about real psionics, but their only experience with it is via gaming--be nice to THEM, too.

19. Adult topics may be discussed, but discretion and tact are required. Vulgar or lurid descriptions of sexual behavior, for example, are not tolerated. There are persons in the room who are underage, so we ask that you keep such discussion to a PG level. Vulgar sexual innuendo is also not tolerated. Server rules prohibit use of profanity in nicknames, channel names or descriptions, and quit messages.

20. Persons that enter the channel off-topic, and remain off-topic, will most likely be kicked, or even banned. It IS intended to be a psionics discussion channel. A great many other things, from the mundane to the esoteric, come up in discussion, but the purpose of the channel revolves around an interest in psionics. Persons who have no such interest, and intend only to discuss OTHER things, will be banned.

21. Persons who enter the channel for the express purpose of demanding that psis present "Prove It To Me Now" will be banned. This channel is for the benefit of psions, and psi activity requires an expenditure of energy and effort. No one has the right to demand that of another. Polite inquiries may be tolerated, depending on the tone of the inquiry.

22. Religion and politics are two subjects that can be extremely touchy, particularly in an international arena. If you feel a need to discuss these issues, do so in a civil and polite manner. If a discussion of this sort gets out of hand, the moderators may request that you move it to #Psion_Guild_FFA. Those who do not comply with this request may be kicked, or even banned if they return and continue it. Debates pitting scientific theory/fact against theological theory/beliefs are forbidden in the main channel, as they always turn into unproductive arguments. These may always be conducted in #Psion_Guild_FFA.

23. Please do not use font or color changes on text--leave them on default. Bolding or underlining may be used selectively, but not to excess. People use a variety of clients to access IRC, and their personal settings may render your text invisible. Colors also tend to annoy many people, particularly if they are bright or hard to read. Also avoid using scripts which scroll text in-channel.

24. Please do NOT pester the regulars to scan you, check your shields, or otherwise use psi to see how you are doing. If you are really concerned, state your concern, and see if anyone will volunteer to help you out. If no one does, don't press the issue. If someone does scan you, don't become angry if they don't perceive what you want them to. Using psi requires expending energy and effort, and those in the room don't want to be doing it all day. Any such activities should be carried out in #PsiPractice, and not in the main channel.

25. Please do not "haze" the newcomers to the channel. This include references to initiation rites, talking complete nonsense to see if they will believe you, or otherwise attempting to fool them so you may laugh at their expense. Do not laugh at them for asking questions, or call them fluffy for expressing ideas you disagree with, or lacking knowledge.

26. Do not practice psi functions in the channel. That is what the channel #PsiPractice is for. Do not scan or ping people in the channel. It is intended to be a conversation channel. Please do not request that others scan or ping YOU, or perform other psi activities IN the chat channel. If you are using the Practice channel, minimize or close the main channel window.

27. If you feel a channel operator has abused their position, please contact Winged Wolf, FxChiP, or Firestorm with a log of the incident. Channel operators are the folks with a &, @, or % symbol by their name. If someone harrasess you in private messages, or you have an issue you want to discuss regarding channel operation or problems with another individual, you may discuss it with one of these people. DO NOT argue with or question a channel operator about a moderating action in-channel. You will be moderated further if you do so. You may PM them to request details on why moderating actions were taken against you, and you may discuss the issue in #Psion_Guild_FFA. Please do not argue with or question a channel operator about a moderating action taken against ANOTHER user, in-channel. The same rules apply--you will be subject to moderation yourself.

28. DO NOT pester for op status. If we decide we need more ops, we'll pick someone, but most likely we have as many (or more) than we need, already.

29. Hate Speech is NOT TOLERATED in any Guild channels, including #Psion_Guild_FFA. This includes derogatory comments made about another's race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin. We also do not permit derogatory comments about individual's energy-working path (ie, mage, psion, etc), nor about their alleged genetic status in regards to energy working (Nons versus born-psis, etc).

30. Operators will judge what comments and conversations are appropriate. There is not always a clear-cut line between what is offensive and what is simply a friendly joke. If you feel that an offensive comment made against you has been ignored, you may PM an operator to address the issue. Please do not assume that a comment made against another was intended as an offense, if it did not offend you personally. Some individuals may share inside jokes, or otherwise have knowledge of what will or will not offend a friend.

31. The Guild is intended to become a professional organization and as such a professional atmosphere will be maintained. Our primary purpose should take precedence over peripheral subjects. Users should never allow an off-topic discussion to swamp out an on-topic discussion.

1. The rule will be warn, devoice (5 minutes), kick, kick ban (hour, 24 hours, week, month, 6 months, perm) for disruptive users. Persons evading a devoice move directly to kickban.

2. Mods will remain separate from all civil debates and arguments in order to maintain an objective status should stepping in be required. If the mod deops they can participate in the debate. Most debates that become highly emotional should be moved to #Psion_Guild_FFA. Calm debates may remain in Main.

3. Favoritism or vendettas are expressly forbidden and can result in the removal of status, and other punishments as deemable by the directors.

4. All modifications for these rules in the future shall go before a vote of the staff.

5. Mods must put all bans and logs that correspond if appropriate on the ban list in the forum as documentation including ban length time, and date of removal. Bans deemed unreasonable by the administration will be overturned.

6. Bans set by mods can only be undone by vote of the administration and the mod that set them.

7. Undermining other moderators either in pm or in front of users is prohibited and can result in the loss of status. This refers to communicating a dissenting opinion to the user who was moderated, or to other users, on a mod action taken by another mod. It does not refer to discussing a mod action with that mod in PM. This should not be done in open channel, however. It may be done in the moderator channel.

8. If an operator is abusing, he should be placed on probation so that his activities will be monitored for a set period of time, and a Director (or Networking department administrator, or Chat admin) can remove his privileges without a majority vote.

9. Backup mods shall be named and maintained in case of a lack of normal moderators at any given point in time. Backup mods do not gain access to the ops channel, or to the Administration topic area on the forum. Ban documentation by backup mods should be e-mailed to wingedwolfpsion@gmail.com

10. Should an emergency situation arise where the room must be brought back into immediate order due to severe flooding, spamming, attack, or mass scale upheaval, moderators shall have the authority to bring the room back to order by any and all means within reason. Documentation of all actions should be provided for in the forum for bans/moderator actions.

11. DO NOT ARGUE with a person who protests your request to move a discussion, or any other moderating action you take. Proceed to the next step if a protest occurs. You do not need to defend your moderating action in-channel. You may defend it in PM or in #Psion_Guild_FFA if you wish or feel it necessary. If a person PMs you to discuss a topic, and you do not wish to discuss it in PM, you may direct them to FFA, to E-Mail, or to the Guild forum Rants area. This means if you warn someone, and they say "What? That's not against the rules, I shouldn't be warned for that, this place sucks..." you say nothing to them--you devoice them. If they evade the devoice, you kickban them. You may warn a person once that they are able to discuss these matters privately or in FFA, but no more than once. This may be difficult to learn to do, but with determination and experience, it will become easier to respond this way. If a person genuinely wants an explanation, they can PM you for one, or you can PM them to explain it in detail. Arguing with moderating actions in-channel should not be permitted.

"Summary" offenses:
- Excessive swearing
- Spamming without permission (unless it's repeated and flooded)
- Trolling/personal attacks
- Continuous, disruptive argument or complaining
- Blatant jokes, offensive (adult) material.
- One-Nick Rule (if your nick change contains at least the first 3-6 characters of your regular nick, it is *not* a separate nickname under this rule -- it is considered a status change, which is not punishable unless the status is something explicit/illegal)
- Pestering for scans
- Other rules not mentioned as requiring a more severe action.

Order of Operation (bad math pun not intended): Warn, devoice, Kick, 1 Hour Ban, 24 Hour Ban, Week Ban, Month Ban, Permanent Ban.

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"Misdemeanor" Offenses:
- Flooding/spam-flooding
- Exceptionally graphic/vulgar/offensive material (being especially descriptive about certain acts, rather than just mentioning or alluding to them)
- Any "Summary" offense taken to its extreme in one shot.
- Hazing, libel (Misinforming newcomers, particularly if malicious).
- Proselytizing
- Open sexual harrassment of a channel member.

Order of Operation: Kick, 24 Hour Ban, Week Ban, Month Ban, Permanent Ban.

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"Felony" Offenses:
- Hate speech (especially discriminative speech)
- Facilitation of illegal activity (software piracy, drug dealing, etc.)
- Links to pornography
- Deliberate ban evasion
- Sexual harrassment of a channel member in private message or IM after being asked to cease.

Order of Operation: Month Ban, Permanent Ban.

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"Capital" Offenses:
- Dissemination of computer viruses or other malicious software
- Links to illegal pornography (such as child pornography)
- Any Felony offense taken to its extreme in one shot

Order of Operation: Permanent Ban

The Psion Guild Free-For-All channel has very limited rules. You may not engage in illegal activities there. You may not link pornographic materials. You may not engage in hate speech. Apart from that, pretty much anything goes--say what you want, to whom, free from repercussions.

This channel can be found with our others on IRC chat.psionics.net on the Psionics-Anlarye server. It can also be accessed from http://www.psionics.net/ by registering on the forum,and using the chat link at the top to bring up a java interface.

If you can't make a complete and adequate shield, you have no business sparring.

You should be able to target accurately. Practice targeting BEFORE you begin sparring. If you can't hit your target more than 90% of the time, you don't spar.

Moderate your hits. Begin with a minimal amount of force, and work your way up, so that you do not overwhelm your opponent's shield immediately, and risk harming them.

Favor simpler attacks--psi blasts, drills, small bombs....and not things which might escalate out of your control, such as constructs that self-replicate or spiral up in power.

Do not use nervous system ability, psychokinesis, kinetic ability, or other abilities which might physically harm or even kill your opponent if not carefully controlled.

Spar ONLY in #PsiPractice on IRC, not in the #Psion_Guild channel. Be sure that everyone who is in the room knows what's going on.

This should go without saying, but do NOT attempt to hurt or harm your opponent. This is meant to be practice, not a real fight. Damage done in psychic combat COULD be permanent, if it is severe enough.

Sparring in groups of more than 2 should only be done by those who have completed the classes, gotten to at least week 5 in the manual, or who have an equivalent or higher experience level with shielding, targeting, and psychic combat.