Page 31 of All That Has Flown Beyond
“Now, to determine something’s value, one must first look, as you did, at what it is. How much effort was put into creating it, either by human, animal, or nature? How much energy and time was used? This must be repaid by valuing the product in kind. This is the only factor that affects something’sintrinsicvalue. In other words, how valuable it is as it exists, apart from situational factors.
“Market value should only affect your consideration of something’s worth when it has to do with availability. Things which are more common are valued less simply because you must expel less energy and time to obtain it. This does not make it intrinsically less valuable, as this worth would alter with how easily accessible it is, which is an external factor.
“Thirdly, you must take into account how much it is worth to the person possessing it. The cheese in my sandwich may be from the last batch my mother made before passing away. Maybe I am starving, and this sandwich will save my life. Both those things would increase the value of the sandwich ifit were in my possession. Therefore, the possessor’s want and need affect the value of something. By ‘something’, I also mean intangible things such as a person’s time and energy.
“Fourthly, the receiver’s needs and wants also come into play. As you pointed out, the poor man needs it more, and therefore the sandwich becomes more valuable if we give it to him. However, maybe the rich man was in love with my mother, and, although he may notneedthe sandwich, he covets it. Again, this would affect its value.
“Why is all this important? Because you must always expect recompense equal to the value of something when you give it away. All these factors affect something’s value, and so it affects its worth and what you ask in return for it. This is the key to balanced Ousía and what all who are aware of it and interact with it must keep as their key principle. Balance. What you give, you must take. What you take, you must give.
“However, when deciding what to ask for something, you must also consider an additional number of things. Firstly, what you are in need of. Secondly, what the person you are asking from has.
“Take my example. You said you would ask for five dollars for the sandwich. This would be nothing to the rich man, no matter how much he wanted or needed the sandwich. However, this is a tremendous amount to a man who has no money, no matter his want or need. Maybe you need money. Maybe not. Valuing the sandwich at a static, monetary price makes no sense, as it does not take into account all these factors.
“This is only compounded by the fact that the last, but by no means least, factor we must take into consideration when valuing something and deciding what to ask in return for it, is theuniversalbalance of Ousía. It is very doubtful the rich man is rich because he deserves to be rich, and the man is poor because he deserves to be poor. We do not live in a society in which material wealth is a reflection of someone’s work or worth.
“Therefore, if the sandwich is valuable to the poor man, you can ask for a valuable piece of his knowledge, or his time, or his skill. This will help the universal balance of Ousía.
“Equally, if the sandwich is valuable to the rich man, asking for five dollars would devalue the sandwich. You must ask for something which is valuable both to the rich man and to yourself, as the sandwich is yours.
“This is why depending on money as dictating worth and price creates a collapsing and imbalanced economy. It suggests the value, worth, and price of things is static, and demands all people, no matter what they have, pay the same thing. Slowly, those with money will gain more, and those without it will lose it, and the universal flow of Ousía will become unbalanced.
“So. Kaiyo. How much is the sandwich worth?” Akiko asked.
Kaiyo had to take a moment to process all the information that had just been dumped on him. He had known, of course, about the need for balance being the key to healthy Ousía, not only within himself, but taking into consideration the context in which he operated within. However, it had never been laid out to him in such a way that he could truly understand its impact.
He sat and thought about a sandwich.
“It…depends. The sandwich is worth something no matter what. How much, however, depends on you, the owner of the sandwich, who you are giving it to, and the world they live in.”
“Very good. Now. Why would I want you to be my apprentice?” she asked with a crooked smile. Kaiyo opened his mouth. Closed it again. Let himself think.
“Because…you said you were in need of an apprentice. So…you want and need one. And because…I want to be your apprentice.”
“And?”
“Um…and?”
“Yes. And?”
“Um…I don’t know.”
“And because, Kaiyo Amanati, you are worth something. Whether you want to recognize it or not. If you want to be a shaman, that is the first lesson you must learn. You. Your energy. Your time. Your company. You must accept its intrinsic value and how this affects the worth of what you give. If you don’t, you will never find balance. You will never recognize people who seek to take advantage of you by giving less than you and what you are giving are worth. And you will never recognize those who hurt themselves by asking for less. In fact, you will become one of them.
“So. Do you, Kaiyo Amanati, accept my proposal to be my apprentice? To follow my counsel, to accept my time, energy, company, and knowledge, and to give yours in return? Do you accept using what you learn here to seek balance within yourself and the world around you?”
Kaiyo breathed. His whole life seemed out of balance. He knew the price of imbalance, and how difficult it was to search for its opposite.
He thought about his mom. Claudia. Himself.
“Yes. It would be my honour.”
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Like all creatures with the capacity to be aware of Ousía, Kaiyo had been able to feel it even when it hadn’t manifested. He had not been able to manipulate and affect it like conduits or witches could. He had not been able to gather information from it like receptives or seers could. But he had been able to feel it.
Kaiyo could remember running through the Bamsdale forest, letting the land help him hide from Ahmik as they played. Even when he was seventeen, and the games turned mature in their intent, it had been a thrill. He’d revelled in the chase as well as in being found. Ahmik would pounce on him from the shadows and onto the leaf covered floor. The kisses that followed would be filled with smiles.
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