INTRODUCTION
Scans are another of the absolute basics for anyone planning to work with
more advanced forms of energy work at a later time. While a simple technique
it has had layers upon layers of misinformation applied to it making it difficult
to really know what it’s for and how it works. The purpose of this document
is to clear up a bit of this misinformation as well as to show how the scan
is performed.
WHAT IS SCANNING?
Scanning is when we accumulate data on a target using the variety of talents
we possess in either a passive or active fashion. How much information we
get and how accurate it is using either passive or active scans depends entirely
on what talents we possess and how controlled they are.
WHAT ARE SCANS USED FOR?
They’re meant to help us accumulate information about the subject we’re
scanning and come in two distinct varieties: Passive and Active.
Passive scans
These tend to give us general information about the target such as emotional
state, a general idea of physical condition, energy levels,an indication of
whether the person is Kin or not and sometimes an idea on species and occasionally
thoughts if the scanner happens to be telepathic. This is by no means a complete
list of everything that can be gotten by passive scan since as I said before
the main determining factor are the senses the scanner has at their disposal.
Active scans
On the other hand, these are used to acquire very specific information. Though
there are those who for some reason use Active scans to do the same thing
as passive scans causing their subjects unnecessary pain. Active scans are
used in healing a great deal in order to find specific wounds and the cause
of various conditions. They do also have combat applications among other things.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
PASSIVE AND ACTIVE SCANS?
The difference between them is much like conventional sonar.
In passive mode you’re just listening and getting whatever will come.
This method tends to be less detectable than active scans, depending how good
you are at, just doing a light brush with your senses and forming a link gently.
When we do an active scan, we’re looking for something specific, so
you actually have to probe hard into the person’s energetic structure/mind
to find it. This tends to be painful depending on the skill of the scanner
and the method used, and is very hard to hide what you’re doing. Due
to the pain involved often what will happen is that those who aren’t
very experienced tend to end up thinking they’re under attack and reacting
accordingly. The technique often known as a Deep Scan is of this variety.
THERE ARE A LOT OF RUMORS ABOUT WHAT A SCAN CAN AND
CAN'T DO - WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT ISN'T?
OK, let’s clear up some of the most common misconceptions.
There’s no such thing as someone who’s
scans are 100% accurate
Everyone, no matter how skilled, has bad days when their senses will be off.
There are way too many factors that can play with your senses for anyone to
be able to claim 100% accuracy. You show me someone who says they have 100%
accurate scans and I’ll show you someone with more ego than common sense.
Detecting Species
OK, I know this one makes me the bad guy, but too bad. Simply put, there is
nothing mystic about this, it has nothing to do with any special power or
hidden knowledge. What’s happening when someone tells you your species
using a scan like this is they’re taking the feel/look of you and comparing
it to species they already know. Now here’s the part most people don’t
want to hear...it’s nowhere near 100% accurate. In fact,it’s so
inaccurate that a lot of people won’t even agree to use scans for this
purpose because they’re rightly afraid of sending the person down the
wrong track if they’re wrong.
The reason this type of scan is so inaccurate is due to a variety of factors
the biggest of which being that what you think you are can influence the results
the scanner is picking up. Add this to the small amount of races that most
people are exposed to and thus know the feel of and you have a recipe for
bad results and in some cases tragic consequences.
Using Scans to detect Presences at a distance
This one actually can be done but it’s a lot harder than most people
think. The reason for this is because most people tend to be only able to
pick up on the person they’re focusing on. In order to detect a presence
near them you have to spread your senses out but only on the subject’s
end else you end up possibly picking stuff up from elsewhere or just generally
screwing up the results.
Beyond these limitations,what is capable of being done is determined solely
by the strength and nature of people’s individual talents.
SO HOW DO YOU SCAN?
Everyone designs their own methods but this is the one I usually show others
to begin with until they develop their own.
- Calm your mind as always.
- Now form a link gently to your target, the idea here isn’t to punch
a hole through their defenses, but just to give you a light connection to
them so you’re not picking things up from everywhere.
- Now, slowly open yourself up to the target with all your senses.
- Report to the subject what you’re picking up so you can gauge your
accuracy.
- When you feel you’ve gotten all you can, slowly close your senses
off then cut the link.
- Finish the working as always.
CONCLUSION
Like all our skills, scanning requires self discipline and practice to master.
With any skill we are faced with a very simple, yet difficult choice: Are
you a true practitioner of whatever path/discipline you belong to, who is
committed to advancing your skills to the best they can be? Or are you just
another of the countless people playing with things they don’t understand
or respect, and want to take the easy route to everything? The choice is one
only you can make, but I will tell you that you get from your skills only
what you put in. Choose wisely.
~WolfKin (C) 2002
This article is presented as part of an ongoing effort to present other views outside of, as well as within, the online vampire community. Those of us who consider ourselves vampiric don't always look at things from the same viewpoint due to our life experiences. As such, the views and opinions contained in this article are entirely those of the author(s), and may not necessarily be shared by SphynxCatVP. The webmaster is not under obligation to update or otherwise keep current the contents of this article. Most importantly, only you can decide for yourself whether this article or any of the author(s) other views are useful or applicable to you - you are responsible for using your own reasoning and judgement, so judge wisely.
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