The Way of the Voice
Philosophy and Practice of the Greybeards of Skyrim
Assembled and translated by S.B. Robinson
All references to Skyrim, Characters and Settings belong to Bethesda.
Special thanks to the community at Thuum.org, without whom this work would not be nearly as enjoyable.
This tome provides teachings recorded within the halls of High Hrothgar for inner peace and self-empowerment using a combination of breath-work, chanting, meditation and philosophy.
What is the Way of the Voice?
The Way of the Voice is a creed of peace, given by the great efforts of Jurgen Windcaller. He taught us that the Thu’um, the Storm Voice, was a gift of the Goddess Kynareth at the dawn of time. She gave mortals the ability to speak as the dragons do for the worship and glory of the gods and self-defense, not to be abused for martial and selfish exploits.
In ages past when man was weak and had no Voice, Alduin, the Bane of Kings, used the Voice to subjugate, enslave and sacrifice mankind to the will of dragons through his Dragon Priests. Brave mortals rose up, even when they were shouted down and their hearts broken, to war with dragons and their Voices. Through many-fold sacrifices, the roaring tongues became strong and prevailed against dragon kind. But time is a treacherous whirlwind and even strong Voices failed. It was then that Jurgen Windcaller went into meditation for seven years. This was the dawn of the Way of the Voice.
Jurgen Windcaller, under the mentorship of the dragon Paarthurnax, taught that true mastery of the Voice can only be achieved when the peace of your inner spirit is in harmony with your outer actions. In the contemplation of the sky, Kynareth’s domain, and in the practice of the Voice, we strive to achieve inner harmony and balance. So great is this creed of Jurgen Windcaller that even the mighty Paarthurnax sought to spread this philosophy to the rest of his dragon-kin.
For those of us who follow the Way, the Voice is worship. We dedicate our su’um, our breath and our morah, our contemplation, to preserve peace and encourage glory in honor of the gods who witness our deeds. We become a Voice for the forces of nature, for our ancestors and for our descendants.
As you begin to contemplate Kynareth’s domain, begin to feel within you is the Sky, a void of potent creation. Contained within this vast space is your entire lifetime; the wind and energy of every breath you take. With this breath, you forge intention into action.
Su’um arkh morah.
Contemplate the Sky above, balanced by the Voice within you. Made powerful, suleykaar, by miiraad, the opportunity for action. Only then can we seize the opportunity of zahramiik, a sacrifice of personal desire to honor the peace of Kynareth and show respect to all who hear your Voice.
As a student of the voice, you commit to speak only in true need when you call forth the Wuldsetiid, the whirlwind of time, to forge and seek your destiny in one breath. With the Voice, you will flow in unbridled openness with this whirlwind and honor the three powers of the thu’um needed to learn the Way of the Voice and speak in the power of your soul.
Morah, the strengthening of the Voice through contemplation
Koraav, perception of the world through the focusing lens of a Word of Power
Qalos, the presence of that word written upon your soul
The 7000 Steps to High Hrothgar
The Way begins with a pilgrimage of 7000 steps up the mountain to reach High Hrothgar, a place of meditation and practice of the Voice. We take this pilgrimage to set our fate on this new course and begin our training and discipline that is required of all who would dedicate themselves to the Way of the Voice.
The Way is a difficult climb; inglorious and full of cold silence between each breath; of deep meditations at the Throat of the World and the strain of the icy winds on the heart. It is the peace and power of living in harmony with your soul and deep resolve settled into your bones. Feel the sky above and the Voice within.
The first requirements of the pilgrimage to prove your dedication to the Way of the Voice begins with understanding your sustenance. The demands on your voice and throat will be great, so we begin with ensuring you have enough water. Drinking room temperature water with honey at least four hours prior to practicing is good for relaxing the throat, licorice or green teas at room temperature also work well. Water bearing fruits and berries, squash or spinach, clear broth soups of fish or chicken, are also highly advisable in the meals before any practice of the Voice.
Avoid processed sugars, fats, soda or ice water, fried or spicy foods and chocolate in the meal prior to any practice, as these foods tend to build up phlegm in the throat and mild indigestion that comes with repeated compressions of the diaphragm.
The next requirement on the pilgrimage is to climb the mountain’s 7000 Steps to High Hrothgar, an exercise of breath and voice, training them every day until you have completed 7000 breaths. You will be conducting 700 breaths in 10 repetitions over the period of a few weeks: 700 breaths for every etched stone tablet on the path to High Hrothgar, or roughly forty-five minutes of practice for each tablet. Many pilgrims are known for counting these breaths on strings of beads or risk losing count and having to begin again from the last tablet they passed. You would often see beads range from the humble to the grandiose: from carved deer antler to dragon bone, decorated beads in iron and silver or simple juniper wood, polished amethysts or even beads of soul stone. One long string of 100 beads should have a shorter string of 7 larger beads attached to it, helping to maintain count while in the depths of moving meditation.
The exercise of a single breath consists of a straight back, with shoulders square and chin down. Consider that you are taking on the strength and posture of the Dov, the Dragon. On the inhale, you will feel your belly press outwards, on the exhale it draws in towards your spine. While you exhale, vibrate the Thu’um of each tablet deep in your chest, lasting as long as the air in your lungs. In the beginning, it is best to take only a few steps at a time before resting and give yourself time to adjust to this sacred mountain.
While climbing this sacred mountain of breath and bone, be aware and careful of the distractions and dangers you may encounter: goats, spiders, wolves and trolls. You might experience them as boredom, nervousness, interruption and even feeling overwhelmed. Remember to take the steps in stride, respect the journey as well as the mountain.
Finally, it is recommended that each pilgrim carries a journal, ink and spare quills on their path so that any insights or discoveries while working with each Thu’um might be recorded and meditated on later. Rest often, respect the limits of your Joor, mortal body, and honor this pilgrimage of 7000 steps.
The ten tablets, their Thu’um and a meditation to assist in absorbing their meaning are as follows:
Tablet I – Inscription: Before the birth of Men, the Dragons ruled all Mundus; Their word was the Voice, and they spoke only for True Needs; For the Voice could blot out the sky and flood the land
Thu'um: Dov
Meaning: Dragon
Meditation: Wo lost fron wah ney dov, ahrk fin reyliik do jul, voth aan suleyk wah ronit faal krein!
“Who was kin to both wyrm, and the races of man, with a power to rival the sun!”
(Book, Songs of Skyrim)
Tablet II – Inscription: Men were born and spread over the face of Mundus; The Dragons presided over the crawling masses; Men were weak then, and had no Voice
Thu'um: Thu’um
Meaning: Voice
Meditation: Naal Thu'umu, mu ofan nii nu, Dovahkiin, naal suleyk do Kaan, naal suleyk do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth.
“By our Voice we give it now (to you), Dragonborn, by (the) power of Kyne, by the power of Shor, and by the power of Atmora-of-old.”
(The Greybeards)
Tablet III – Inscription: The fledgling spirits of Men were strong in Old Times; Unafraid to war with Dragons and their Voices; But the Dragons only shouted them down and broke their hearts
Thu'um: Feim
Meaning: Fade
Meditation: Nii los heyv do enook mun wah lahney voth ahkrin ahrk zin, leh rok Feim vodahmin kotin vulom.
“It is the duty of each man to live with courage and honor, lest he Fade unremembered into darkness.”
(Word Wall for Feim, Become Ethereal)
Tablet IV – Inscription: Kyne called on Paarthurnax, who pitied Man; Together they taught Men to use the Voice; Then Dragon War raged, Dragon against Tongue
Thu'um: Lok
Meaning: Unbridled Openness
Meditation: Amativ! Mu bo kotin stinselok.
“Onward! We fly into the sky's freedom.”
(Odahviing)
Tablet V – Inscription: Man prevailed, shouting Alduin out of the world; Proving for all that their Voice too was strong; Although their sacrifices were many-fold
Thu'um: Su’um
Meaning: Breath
Meditation: “Now - hear his name. Odahviing. Taste it on the wind. Od-ah-viing. Know it in your su'um. Od-ah-viing!”
(Paarthurnax)
Tablet VI – Inscription: With roaring Tongues, the Sky-Children conquer; Founding the First Empire with Sword and Voice; Whilst the Dragons withdrew from this World
Thu'um: Zahkrii
Meaning: Sword
Meditation: Qethsegol vahrukiv Vulgrum fin Zahkrii ko fin Ven, sovrahzun wen moro lost maltiid, nuz ko vahrukt unslaad.
This stone commemorates Vulgrum the Sword in the Wind, the mercenary whose glory was brief, but in memory eternal.
(Word Wall for Ven, Cyclone)
Tablet VII – Inscription: The Tongues at Red Mountain went away humbled; Jurgen Windcaller began His Seven Year Meditation; To understand how Strong Voices could fail
Thu'um: Zahrahmiik
Meaning: Sacrifice
Meditation: Nau daar revak golt drey Freda zahrahmiik ek Laas, ful tol ek pogaan kiir filok, ahrk osos sul qahnaar ek hokoron.
On this sacred ground did Freda sacrifice her Life, so that her many children might escape, and some day vanquish her enemies.
(Word Wall for Laas, Aura Whisper)
Tablet VIII – Inscription: Jurgen Windcaller chose silence and returned; The 17 disputants could not shout Him down; Jurgen the Calm built His home on the Throat of the World
Thu'um: Dreh
Meaning: Action or Doing
Meditation: Het nok Fjolmod Bein-Su, wo pook ol pogaas nau gol ol ok kopraan dreh nu ko golt.
Here lies Fjolmod Foul-Air, who stank as much on earth as his body does now in the ground.
(Word Wall for Su, Elemental Fury)
Tablet IX – Inscription: For years all silent, the Greybeards spoke one name; Tiber Septim, stripling then, was summoned to Hrothgar; They blessed and named him Dovahkiin
Thu'um: Bok
Meaning: Span of time
Meditation: Huzrah nu, kul do od, wah aan bok lingrah vod, Ahrk fin tey, boziik fun, do fin gein!
Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago, and the tale, boldly told, of the one!
(Book, Songs of Skyrim)
Tablet X – Inscription: The Voice is worship; Follow the Inner path; Speak only in True Need
Thu'um: Revak
Meaning: Sacred, reverence or holy
Meditation: “This is the most sacred mountain in Skyrim. Zok revak strunmah. The great mountain of the world.”
(Paarthurnax)
High Hrothgar – Your Chamber for Meditations
If you have come this far, then you have completed the 7000 breaths that carried you up the sacred mountain to High Hrothgar. You have earned your right and proven your power to study here. Take this moment amid the winds of time to honor your dedication and commitment to the Way of the Voice.
This time is holy. Revak. When the Du’ul of rightness, power and authority is in you, it is through the strength of morah, koraav and qalos in your soul.
You are now ready to prepare a dedicated space to attune yourself to the Voice of the Sky. Whether it is a whole room or a shelf in a corner of your bedroom, as a monastic following the Way of the Voice your chamber in High Hrothgar might have some of the following:
- A candle of warm beeswax in a goat horn or on a plate of dark stone
- Incense of spruce, juniper and eucalyptus
- A black or grey meditation cushion, rug or sitting cloth
- A small wooden writing desk to hold your journal, ink and quills
You are also expected to continue recording in your journal as you study the depth and forces of words on the Way. Clear quartz crystals are also useful to test the power of your Thu’um as it grows over time, or to compare the effects and interactions of different words of power. You will be taught more on this later in your studies, but for now keep an eye out for these clear stones.
From this monastery, far removed from the demands of civilization, we will take a few moments to begin in earnest the study of the Voice. For long ages the Greybeards meditated and shared their understandings with one another. Please allow me to impart to you some of the core principles as a future Sadonvum, Greybeard or Thu’um Briinah, a Sister of the Voice.
You may be asking, why do we use words from the Dragon Tongue? If you have the aptitude, the Words of Power may become very strong, indeed. As upholders of peace of Natural Law, we do not engage in tinvaak with the uninitiated, so we practice in the speech of dragons in order to avoid triggering this power needlessly.
There are many forces in this world that come together to create our mortal lifetimes, our Joor. Some are gifts, such as the breath of life, the nurturing of good food and growing of strong bones and muscles. Some are strengthening-by-weakening forces, grindstones that polish the soul or thresh our souls free of the husks that bind us. These forces may push or pull at us, eventually wearing away until we finally break down and return our bones to the earth. This cycle creates the Natural Law that all Joor obey, even where it is not written in the laws of civilization.
As you will see, Natural Law is flexible with the Voice. But as all things are deeply interconnected, you begin to understand that you cannot change one thing without affecting all that is connected to it. There are many forces in the world that will be touched by your Voice. When you speak in the Storm Voice, the forces of Natural Law may move for you, or it may push back. If the peace in your soul is weak, the power of your Voice is also diminished. Now you may begin to understand why the pilgrimage is long and difficult. Do you have the willpower in your soul to stand when the world pushes back?
Many have made the mistake of assuming peace is the same as passivity. In the Way of the Voice, peace is a place of power in the flow of Natural Law. We call this place of power the Wuldsetiid, the Whirlwind of Time. It is built on a deep foundation of respect for the glory of all Joor and the story their lives have to tell. It is the wellspring of confidence that comes from the soul tested in the crucible of dragon’s fire.
I want you to imagine two paintings. The first is a placid lake, barely a gentle breeze to stir the glassy surface of the waters. The second is a waterfall roaring in the thunderstorm. See the small bird resting beneath the overhang?
Tell me, can you sense which one of these paintings captures the real meaning of peace?
I see you have come to understand much in your years. I know it could not have been easy, or you would not be able to stand here, now, on High Hrothgar. Being strong has forged your wisdom from the crucible of your own experiences. But in this place you will forge your Voice in a new crucible. One of the body and soul, for the benefit of others and the forces of Natural Law. The infusing of your Voice to your Du’ul, your Will to Justice, will be tempered in this new crucible. Such a powerful act is something that must be undertaken with great care in the realm of your soul’s dominion: the Zii Sulyeksejun that we call Monahven, or Mother of the Wind,.
The use of Monahven is your own private space to experience and explore the Power of a Thu’um without any of the risks or costs of it fully entering the physical realm as you explore the power of your Voice. Now, you shall attune yourself to this sacred mountain. Take time each day to deeply connect with the Monahven and you may be rewarded with secrets that even the Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora, would covet.
The first Word in this attunement is Yah. It means to seek. It is the pursuit of the hunter, or the warrior seeking glory on the field of battle. It is your single-minded focus between breaths as the power builds in your su’um, your breath. Remember what you have learned of this word. Take in its meaning through meditation and the counting of 700 breaths as you did on your pilgrimage. You will know you have contained the full power of this Thu’um when its utterance brings your mind to frosty focus and cool clarity. Ensure this word is mastered before moving on to the second word.
The second Word in this attunement is Monahven. While we use this word to describe the place that holds High Hrothgar, the Throat of the World, it has a much older meaning. As the Mother of the Wind, it is the first breath of all life shared to mortals. With this breath comes the foundation of the Voice, be it from the roar of a dragon or the whisper of an ancestor moth. Every word spoken in the Voice comes from the Monahven. Take in its meaning through meditation and the counting of 700 breaths as you did on your pilgrimage. You will know when you have contained the necessary power of this Thu’um by the presence of the whispers of the Voices that have come before you, weaving their webs of fate terminating in this present moment.
The final Word in this attunement is Qalos. It is a Word meaning a presence or touch written with the Voice on the world that others may sense. It is also the action of writing a Word of Power upon the soul’s perception. Meditate deeply on this meaning, it is the primordial action of the breath becoming Voice. Count the 700 breaths and complete the pilgrimage of this attunement. If you feel the Power of each of these three words strung together with the Voice, it will initiate a change in your life and open the way to true Mastery.
Yah Monahven Qalos - Seek Throat of the World Presence
To fully gain the power of this Thu’um, you must seal the power to your Voice. Begin by building strength of focus into your su’um and resonate in your chest “Yah Monahven Qalos” during the first hour of your morning, making sure to note the feelings, sensations and images that arise. Throughout the coming day, hunt for experiences that resonate with those feelings and symbols fearlessly. Allow the seeking to guide you to receive the power of Monahven through a direct experience. This activity cannot be rushed or forced. Record those experiences in your journal, being sure to capture the essence and feeling that guided you. Repeat this every morning for three consecutive days. This will call to you an experience directly through the will of Kynareth to tune your Voice to Sulyek, power.
You will know you have received the full meaning of Monahven when you can sit as one of the Dov, feeling the Power of Monahven building in your su’um as it resonates in your chest. Let it surround you with the qalos of the Throat of the World. When you sit within your chamber at High Hrothgar, from here on, always begin any practice or meditation by calling in the Power of Monahven.
If you have obtained a clear quartz crystal that was mentioned earlier, you can test your understanding of this Word of Power by building Monahven in your su’um and breathing the Thu’um over the crystal. If you can feel the qalos of the Mother of the Wind within it, even if it is left in a different room or location, then your Thu’um is strong enough to continue. Test to see how long the presence is maintained before it begins to fade. If it gets too strong, as sensitive pets or housemates may discover, then use what you learned during your pilgrimage of Fiem over the crystal.
Oaths and Mentorship
Once you have attuned to the Monahven, you will need the assistance of a Greybeard Mentor to progress any further. Mentors from the Thu’um Briinahmaar, Sisterhood of the Voice, have also been known to take up qualifying students, should they feel a soul’s resonance to their secretive group. Do understand, the taking of a Mentor will require commitment from you to practice peace on the Way of the Voice and to commit to having your Voice limited and guided by your Mentor until you have received your Dragon Essence and become a mortal dragon, a Joordovah.
Under your Mentor, you will no longer need to perform the 700 breaths of a pilgrim to learn new Words of Power, greatly speeding your progress and providing you insights beyond the work of this tome. However, should you feel that this commitment is not for you, we commend and respect you for your time with us on High Hrothgar. You are free to continue reading as you wish and use what you have learned thus far, but the power of all future Words given here will be denied to you, for your protection and for those who hear your Voice.
When you are ready to take on the commitment of the Way of the Voice and meet your Mentor, take some time to research the meaning of Heim Vahlok Vahriin. Note in your journal the definitions and your experiences with each word thus far. Then, choose some time when you will not be disturbed, late at night or early in the morning being best. Within the privacy of your chamber at High Hrothgar, call with your Voice the Monahven. Take a moment to appreciate your long pilgrimage and hours dedicated to meditation here at High Hrothgar.
When you feel ready, build the power of your su’um with the qalos of Monahven and affirm with the Voice:
“I have proven my commitment to the Way of the Voice. I have climbed the 7000 steps of this sacred mountain. I have gained entry into High Hrothgar by worthy deeds written on my soul. I have tasted the true Voice of the Monahven. To the Mighty Dov and the Wise Mentors, come forward and hear my Oath.”
Wait until you feel the presence of your Mentor, whether Sadonvum, Dov or Thu’um Briinahmaar. They will be unmistakable to you. If no clear presence comes forth in the span of a hundred breaths, you must stop here and return to your Seeking of the Monahven.
“I call out through the Monahven to commit my future deeds to the Power of Peace through the use of my Voice. I agree to have my Voice limited and guided by this Mentor until I become as Ysmir, Dragon of the North. Mentor, with you I Forge the Guardian Oath. Heim Vahlok Vahriin”
From your Mentor, feel the power of Heim Vahlok Vahriin flow from them into your su’um. Inhale as the Dov do, and Voice back “Heim Vahlok Vahriin” to the Mentor to seal your Oath.
Sit with your Mentor for as long as you can, taking in any Name, symbol or energy that they are able to share with you. Practice what they show you with them right away, allowing them to make any adjustments. Do not worry if you are unable to receive anything further, there will be plenty of time to grow and forge your connection to your Mentor.
When you feel ready to complete the oath-taking, bow to the presence of your Mentor, showing respect and gratitude to their commitment to the Way of the Voice. Voice your understanding of Fiem to close the Monahven. Record everything you experienced with special notes to any name, symbol or words given to you by your Mentor right away.
Here is a worthy moment to pause and reflect on the significant progress you have made thus far. You have built power into your breath by the grace of Kynareth through the powers of Natural Law. You are now an Initiate of the Way of the Voice.
You have our heartfelt respect, Initiate, for your commitment and skill. Few are allowed this honor and none who earn this initiation can be accused of being small or weak. You are progressing well on your Way of the Voice.
Spend time over the next few days meditating in the Monahven. To call forward your Mentor at High Hrothgar, recall their qalos while Voicing their Name, if it was given to you. If you have not yet learned their Name, you should use Vahlok, or guardian, for the time being.
Going forward, be sure that it is this same Mentor you are connecting with every time. Even small variations in the Name, symbol or energy should be considered suspect, as there are more beings in this world than just Mentors with the capacity to step into the Sky of your awareness. Although the power of the Monahven is strong, it is better to be careful and vigilant in dealing with matters of the soul. Should any being besides this Mentor appear to you, refuse the contact until your Mentor’s presence approves this contact or banishes it accordingly. Do not take that responsibility onto yourself at this stage. We are not the Dawnguard.
Work with your Mentor to take in the deeper Powers of these three Words before moving on with further studies: Morah, Korav, Qalos. Remember to receive the qalos of each Thu’um directly from your Mentor and Voice it back to them in order to seal the understanding. Limit your study to one word per day for now, until the strength of your soul is accustomed to this exchange of energy.
Morah, or Contemplation, is the meditation on a Word of Power. A space to bring together memory and feeling within your soul, in order to explore and taste Words of Power. It is the silence within this great void that allows you to take meaning into your very soul.
Koraav, or Perception, is to see the world from the focusing lens of a Word of Power. To bring into the world all the possible motions of this word, and to change the possible outcome of your actions in the Winds of Time.
Qalos, or Presence, is the effect of a Word of Power written upon the soul’s perception, bearing a presence that touches the world.
Take some time, once you have received these three words, to review the ten Thu’um from your pilgrimage. How do they feel now with Contemplation and Perception? Can you bear them in your Presence? How does the world respond to you when you bear a Word of Power on your soul? Take the time to test them individually and note the changes in your journal.
Breath from the Throat of the World
As an Initiate, you should now feel very confident in your ability to use your Thu’um to call forth the Monahven, easily converse with your Mentor by name, and bear Words of Power on your qalos.
The time has come to better understand Koraav, Kynareth’s domain. It is the Sky of your mind, containing the winds of time and flowing of energy that inspire mortals to meaningful acts. Using the Voice for the benefit of others honors Kynareth - the Open Sky of the Mind, and Ysmir - the Will to Power.
Let us begin by empowering your breath with Dreh, the Word of action and doing. Work with your Mentor to receive the power of Dreh, taking time to contemplate its meaning deeply. You will know it is completely understood when the events in your life begin to unfold in swift and direct fashion. Opportunities will arise for you to seize, blocks to your progress will be unraveled and victory comes more easily to your grasp. Record any significant events when Dreh is the focus of your morning meditation in your journal.
It is time now to practice a new kind of meditation; Koraav, and to learn how to use a Word as a focusing lens. With the Su’um of Dreh gathered in your belly, just as you would when using the Voice, instead exhale that power into your brow and apply your focus, your Morah, on any memories that come up. Answer these questions in your journal:
Where do you feel you need more Dreh?
Where do you feel your Dreh is blocked?
Allow your thoughts to flow around the Power of Dreh. Your focus will seek the answer for you, and bring you the needed answers.
Continue to work with your Mentor to unblock the power of Dreh, allowing yourself to make changes in your life where necessary to fully unlock your power to act.
After you have made your changes and feel strong in your Thu’um of Dreh, use the Voice over a quartz crystal and place it in a room that feels stale or blocked. Be sure to obtain permission first if it is someone’s private room. Observe what happens over the course of a few days. When you can see that it has an affect on the world, continue with your progress. Otherwise, return to working with your Mentor to unblock the Power of your Actions.
With power comes sacrifice, Zahramiik. The sacrifice is made when Words of the Voice are spoken outside of High Hrothgar and the Monahven. To preserve Natural Law, in support of our world, we must remove our own needs from our Voice when speaking for the benefit of others. To become a Voice of Truth, you must represent the Way of the Voice in total peace. Your will shall not violate, enslave or harm another.
You are being asked to commit, now, and give up any use of the Voice for selfish purposes or personal gain. This is not to say that you are not allowed to make yourself better, or improve your quality of life. On the contrary, you cannot be of good service to the Way of the Voice if you are anything less than working towards your best. But we do not restrict or command others in ways that are intentionally harmful, vindictive or petty.
If you are ready to commit to the Zahramiik and receive the full power of this Thu’um, you will need to bear Breath from the Throat of the World. Suleyekaar Su’um Dreh - Make Powerful the Breath Action. Speak these words in the Voice before your Mentor. Receive their wisdom and understanding, and seal this power by Voicing it back to your Mentor. You will notice there is no vow to make. The commitment and the cost is held within the Power itself. This Power will now be in your su’um, permanently giving successful activity to all of your Words. Whatever use of the Voice you decide on, you will share in the results whenever words are spoken outside of the Monahven.
From here, you are free to study the Kogaan, blessings, at your leisure. Be sure to take in the meaning of Kogaan to truly connect the Powers into your Su’um.
Brod - Clan
Rah - Deity
Nonvul - Dignify
Liivrah - Diminish
Boziik - Embolden
Gaan - Endurance
Onikiv - Enlighten
Yuvon - Enrich
Morokei - Glorify
Dun - Grace
Sahrot - Mighty
Hind - Hope
Praan - Rest
Vokrii - Restore/Return
Mulaag - Strength
Remember to record your experiences and test your understanding on clear quartz crystals.
Revak Du’ul - Sacred Authority
All mortals have the sacred authority to decide their own actions. The Way of the Voice is to remind mortals of this power, spoken with the Voice as an act of freedom from the enslavement of their will.
As an Initiate of the Way of the Voice, it is your responsibility to offer this service and bring the Power of Peace to your environment, striking free any enslavement of will that you find limiting the Joor, whether in yourself or in others.
To this end, will explore the Words of Power that can limit or unravel the forces that unbalance the flows of Natural Law. These words and meditations encompass your Revak Du’ul, your Sacred Authority given for you to maintain the balance of the Power of Peace.
Receive the first word from your Mentor, then receive the Koraav Meditation and note the answers to the questions in your journal.
Fus, Fus Koraav
What Force do you rely on?
What Force do you resist out of bad past experiences?
Meditate daily on Fus, learning to build your foundation and exercise the strength of your Thu’um.
Yol, Yol Koraav
What is cooling your fire?
Where do you need the transforming fires on yourself?
Meditate daily on Yol, fearlessly transforming your life with the Way of the Voice.
If you find yourself counseling someone who is experiencing difficulty in deciding their fate for themselves, you can assist their transformations and movements by speaking the power of Yol, Fus or Dreh hidden within the your words. This practice will begin to unbind you from the limitations of the Dovahzul, the Dragon Tongue.
From here you are free to study the Ofaal, the Acts of Earning.
Ro - Balance
Brii - Beauty
Boziik - Boldness
Kopraan - Body
Ahkrin - Bravery
Qah - Armor
Siiv - Find
Mulhaan - Stillness
… and the Uth, Commands.
Hokoron - Adversary
Wah - Against
Sulyeksejun - Authority
Kaal - Champion
Qahnaar - Deny
Vennesetiid - Destiny (Currents of Time)
Lavraan - Gather
Vonun - Hide
Kendov - Warrior
By now, you should realize that the Way of the Voice has no set timeline for your progress. It takes as long as it takes. Whether you have spent as little as a day before moving on to the next word, a week, or even a month, it’s important to move at your own pace. Don’t speed up, or slow down, to suit some idea of what ‘proper time’ should look like. You have come a long way since your Initiation, and as you practice your Thu’um and Koraav, the results will speak for themselves.
That being stated, in the midst of your study of these Words of Power, there is a second set that does require a set timeline. These are the Words associated with Natural Law. You will need to begin this portion in whatever season you are currently in and continue in that same cycle with the natural seasons.
The study of one word for two weeks during each season, along with all of the previously mentioned words, should build a very solid foundation for your Thu’um over the next year.
These Words specifically are a process that have a beginning, middle and end. Processes that are interconnected and flow like a weave into and out from one another. Pay careful attention to these processes and interactions as you meditate on each word within their season, noting them in your journal.
Remember to take in the Koraav of the cardinal direction in its proper season from the first day of its equinox to truly connect with the powers of Natural Law. The second word should begin the second week after the equinox, and so forth.
Words of the Jer, East
Vah - Spring
Ven - Wind
Vu - Dawn
Drun - Cause
Kiin - Birth
Words of the Shul (lit. Sun), South
Koor - Summer
Frin - Heat
Wahl - Build
Meyz - Become
Words of the Feim, West
Gravuun - Autumn
Okaaz - Sea
Suvulaan - Dusk
Denos - Decline
Liiv - Decay
Words of the Brom, North
Iiz - Winter (lit. Ice)
Vul - Dark
Gron - Bind
Diin - Freeze
Du - Consume
The return of the initiating season, the end of your year, will be proof of your dedication to move on to the final lessons on the Way of the Voice.
Calling the Wuldsetiid
You have progressed to the rank of Acolyte, and are now entrusted with the deeper secrets of the Voice. There is an aspect of Power within the Voice that calls forth the deepest needs to the headwaters of Space and Time. This calling is a powerful unlocking of your inner potential, and a trial for every Acolyte to undertake. To do so, one must confront and embrace their ultimate essence that is both their deepest power and their destiny.
Doom, the word we use for destiny, is a treacherous whirlwind of time. It is the most sacred moment called the Now. It is the culmination of all the Voices of the past, belonging to every living thing that came before you from the dawn of time. These Voices coalesced into this very Moment: the foundation for all that will come into being.
This is the power of Nu, the Revak Wuldsetiid of your essence within the Now. In the Power of Nu, feel the su’um of the past building into the future. Meditate on the following with your Mentor and record the experiences and answers in your journal.
Nu, Nu Koraav
When you feel the Voices that have built your past, what is familiar? What stands out as unfamiliar?
Does your Mentor have anything to say on these flows of Voices?
Do they belong to you? Your family, friends, enemies, teachers or ancestors?
Which of these Voices need your Dreh? Your Yol? Your Fus? Your Feim?
Continue calling forth the Power of Nu once a week for a month, using the Words you have learned thus far to restore balance and bring forward your deepest essence into your Voice and your actions. Record all of the words you used and how the whirlwind of your life has shifted through their use each week.
At the end of one Month, confer with your Mentor over your experiences. Heed their advice if they suggest more work is required before moving forward with your studies. You may repeat this lesson as often as needed.
Taking a Dragon Name
By this time, your journal is likely full of experiences and learnings from atop High Hrothgar. Go through this journal and make a list of every word or experience that stands out to you with Power.
Work with your Mentor to explore this list, looking for the common thread of Power that binds all of these words together. This thread is the Word of Power that is expressed in your Soul. It is the Dragon Essence, Dovahrii that you have earned with your strength and your deeds and represents the service you naturally give to maintain the Balance of Peace. Contemplate it, reduce it down to a single word and translate it into the Dragon Tongue here: https://www.thuum.org/translator.php
If no translation exists for your Dovahrii or you prefer a more powerfully tuned Dovahrii, work with your Mentor to feel through your native alphabet for the energy of each letter that resonates in your soul as your Dovahrii. Note it in your Journal.
Thu’um of the Dovah - Tinvaak
Every word of the Dragon Tongue can be tied back through time to its first speaker; from the Voice from now on your lips, to the dawn of the first Voice that uttered them. To be the Voice that ushers in a new Word of Power is a tremendous responsibility. Not all are called to take this burden of becoming the living manifestation of a Word of Power, but should you be brought to this Doom, know that we shall do our best to prepare you.
This process is triggered by Tinvaak, a conversation in Voices with a Dovah. While Tinvaak has been used to settle petty quarrels and convey limited balancing of Natural Law, the deeper purpose shall be revealed to the Initiate. Be advised, to endure Tinvaak is the only way to advance beyond this point, as there is no greater calling than to build the lexicon of Words of Power and hold that power in service to others.
With this, I will leave you with these Words of Power to work with your Mentor using every skill you have been taught at High Hrothgar, if you are called to do so.
Tinvaak Dovah Nu
I Crown You Ysmir
This is your final lesson at High Hrothgar. It is time you were endowed with the title of Adept, after your years of committed service to the Power of Peace. In these final teachings, spend time Meditating on the following Divine forces with your Mentor to take in some understanding of their Powers. Record any messages or impressions received from each of these Divine Powers in your journal.
Kyne, Kaan - Totem of the Hawk, Goddess of the Storm. She is deemed the warrior-wife of the god Shor, who leads souls to the afterlife and is known as the "Kiss at the End".
Shor, Shor - Totem of the Fox, Husband of Kyne who upholds and replenishes the Mortal realm and embodies Sovengarde.
Atmorah-of-Old, Atmorasewuth - Homeland of Ysgramor and the 500 companions, birthplace to the Ancient Nordic Pantheon and their Totems.
Fox - The fox depicted as a male and is believed to be the representation of Shor, the fallen god-hero of mankind. Allusion to the characteristics of the fox include his successful attempt at persuading his fellow Et'ada to create Mundus.
Bear - The bear depicted as a male and is believed to be the representation of Tsun, Nordic god of trials against adversity. He served as shield-thane to Shor and died defending him from foreign gods during the Ehlnofey wars of the Dawn Era. In the Nordic afterlife of Sovngarde he guards the Whalebone bridge.
Hawk - The hawk depicted as a female and is believed to be the representation of Kyne, warrior-widow of Shor, also known as the Goddess of the storm and the Mother of Men. Nords believe she was instrumental in both their creation and for giving them the gift of the Thu'um.
Wolf - The wolf depicted as a female and is believed to be the representation of Mara, the Goddess of love and handmaiden of Kyne.
Moth - The moth depicted as a female and is believed to be the representation of Dibella, the Goddess of beauty.
Snake - The snake depicted as a male and is believed to be the representation of Orkey, who tricked the Nords into giving up their long lifespans, and "bound them to the count of winters."
Dragon - The Dragon was the chief deity in the ancient Nordic pantheon and is widely accepted as being a representation of Alduin, the "World Eater." Low reliefs in ancient Nordic tombs don't depict him directly, rather his servants; the Dragon Priests are shown.
Whale - The whale is depicted as a male and is believed to be the representation of Stuhn, the Nordic precursor to Stendarr and brother of Tsun. Like his brother, he served as shield-thane to Shor, and fought against the Aldmeri Pantheon.
Owl - The owl depicted as a male and is believed to be the representation of Jhunal the Nordic god of runes,hermetic orders, wisdom, and knowledge. Also known as the father of language and mathematics.
For each Totem, it is recommended that you create physical tokens of each creature in wood, clay or stone and breathe the power into each of them. Work with your Mentor to discover how each one should best be crafted and empowered. Note that you are not given a Word of Power for these. The Totem itself is a Symbol of Power to hold within your Koraav. When all nine totems are completed, you may proceed with the final Rite: the Greeting of the Dovah.
At long last, your lessons at High Hrothgar are complete, Adept.
You have entered High Hrothgar by the way of 7000 steps, mastering the Morah contemplation to bridge the power of your experiences into the Voice of your soul to explore the dark depths of words and their symbols and taking their very meaning into your soul. You have built the focusing lens of perception, Koraav, to see the world from a Word of Power. From this high vantage, you have brought into the world all possibilities of action in the winds of time. Finally, you have etched the Qalos, Presence, upon your soul’s presence to return balance to Natural Law and allow the Joor to act according to their destiny. You have become a Mortal Dragon, the Joordovah.
This is a time to celebrate and reflect on your great journey to High Hrothgar. We wish to present you with a great honor: to be greeted by your Mentor as a Mortal Dragon. This is a strong empowerment, as well as a release from the restrictions of the Mentor. With this greeting, you are made free to use the full Power of your Voice.
This Rite is traditionally performed when the moons are dark. You may wish to prepare an incense of Juniper, Spruce and Eucalyptus.
Within the Monahven, having the nine completed Totems before you, feel your Mentor standing behind you as they Voice the ancient greeting:
Lingrah krosis sraan revak du’ul, voth nid balaan klov praan nau. Naal Thu’umu, mu ofan nii nu, (Dovahrii), naal suleyk do Kaan, nall sulyek do Shor, ahrk naal suleyk do Atmorasewuth. Meyz nu (Dovahrii), Joordovah. Dahmaan dar rok.
Translated, it means “Long sorrowfully has waited the sacred crown, with no worthey head to rest on. By our Voice, we now give it to you, (Dragon Essence), by the Power of Kyne, by the power of Shor, and by the power of Atmora-of-Old. You have become now (Dragon Essence), Mortal Dragon. Remember these words.”
Feel your mentor move to stand in front of you and they bow. Using your Voice, utter your Dovahrii to your Mentor. When they utter your Essence back to you, the release is complete and you are a fully empowered Joordovah. You may continue to work with your Mentor as you see fit and act with respect for the balance of Natural Law in the world as a true Dragon.
You are free to work in the world as you see fit. This may be time to seek a new Mentor to guide you into the deeper mysteries of the Voice through Shor and Kyne as you seek Mastery in Sovengarde, or you may wish to train others in the Way of the Voice. Some adventurous souls take on Totems to work under as their Mentors.
Yah Sulyekaar Su’um
