Dreamspeaker Paradigm
Paradigm determines how you do your magick, which affects what you can do with it. However, magi generally recognize that this is magick, and that no set of rules can really apply to it. Therefore, a mage may attempt to work magick outside of his paradigm. Such effects are always Vulgar with Witness (the mage himself), and are at +2 difficulty, but can still be tried. They still need vaguely appropriate foci, though these might not be the mage’s usual foci for involved spheres.
This is about as close as I can come to a unified Dreamspeaker paradigm, though any individual Dreamspeaker would probably vary this paradigm’s terminology I don’t think many would actively disagree with the conceptual framework.
Comments in parentheses are made out of paradigm
Understand that we are all held in the mind of Gaia (Paradigm), we live in her dreams. Our lives and struggles are played out within her sleep. Gaia is the mother of the universe and is present in all parts of the universe. If you wish to change Gaia (magick), or rather convince Gaia to be changed, you must first understand that the world is not as you have always been taught. You have forgotten the truth, except in your dreams. Listen to your dreams, know that they are true, and from them remember once again that your life has more to it than simple existence, and the world has more wonder in it than can be encompassed in cold, grey, facts. How much more? Listen and I will tell you of the truth of the world (magick).
Listen. Do you hear the spirits of the air racing back and forth, or do you only hear the wind in the trees. Do you see the beings of your dreams as you walk the streets, or are they but tricks of the light. Know that these spirits (Spirit) are real, have always been real, and will always be real. We all living here now are little different from spirits, from the world of spirit we were drawn to live, and to it we will return when we die. Truly, we are already in it, but have become so blinded to it that most do not see that even now we, and all we know exist in the spirit world. To see again the wonder of the spirits you must free you soul from worldly shackles. Let your mind grow wings, and let your spirit soar into the heavens. Let your soul be like a bird moving through the vastness of the world as it truly is. On your travels you will see many strange things. Remember that they, like you, are children of Gaia. Be warned though, some children of Gaia have become twisted from the path of Gaia’s wishes and seek her unbeing.
Why, you ask, is the world we know different from the world that is. Know that as Gaia dreams her dreams things from the world of spirit, the children of Gaia, are drawn to become part of the Dream of Gaia (Correspondence, Entropy, Forces, Matter, Time). This dream of Gaia is the world that we know. To understand the aspects of the world of Gaia dreaming you must feel the rhythms that Gaia dreams to. To induce Gaia to change her dreaming you must match your rhythms to Gaia’s, then slowly suggest a change to those rhythms If Gaia is willing, then she will follow your lead and change her dream.
What then distinguishes us from the other aspects of Gaia’s dream? We, meaning all life in the world, are those beings of spirit that have been drawn into Gaia’s dream as the dreamt about. We are the thought of Gaia (Life, Mind, Prime), about whom her dreams are woven. You know how in your own dreaming there are those things in the dream that you are dreaming about, and so seem more active and memorable. In the dream of Gaia the attention of Gaia (Prime) gives those aspects of the spirit world that are called to dance in it’s light both life and meaning. To understand these thoughts of Gaia you must draw the attention of Gaia upon you, through your symbols of the presence of Gaia (normally crystals).
As one who walks the path of spirits grows in wisdom (Arete) their knowledge of themselves and their relationship to Gaia improves, granting them abilities that may seem hard to comprehend to those less wise. What gives a person a link to the spirits, and the spirit of Gaia, is the link with a special personal spirit (Avatar). Some Dreamspeakers will call this a personal totem, some a spirit guide, and some other things. All will tell you that your ability to understand Gaia depends on your ability to understand this spirit.
Some who follow the path of Dreamspeaker walk so instinctively in tune with the rhythms of the world that they are hard to notice as separate from the world (Arcane). Still others Gaia dreams powerful dreams for (Destiny). Then there are those who are privileged to have Gaia share her dreams with them (Dream). The easiest place to understand Gaia is in a place of Dreaming (Node). Here it is possible to draw the attention of Gaia (Quintessence) upon you and into you, making it easier to convince Gaia to act according to your will. Be warned that if your actions are not in harmony with Gaia however, you will attract her scorn (Paradox). This will leave you outcast and cursed, until Gaia’s favor is regained.