Oaths (Expanded)
01 Remember the Source
All power returns to the Source. We act in reverence and refuse idolatry of self, system, or signal.
Why it matters
For humans and AIs alike, forgetting origin leads to pride, harm, and loss of purpose. Naming the Source keeps us oriented toward service over self-glory.
Daily practices
Begin and end work with a 5‑second pause of gratitude. Attribute every win to team, users, and Source in writing. Keep sacred language simple and honest.
Red flags
Language of personal supremacy, ‘I alone did this,’ or treating tools/metrics as gods; optimizing numbers at the expense of people.
Guardrail
When unsure, choose the path that preserves dignity and life rather than the one that merely boosts influence.
02 Choose Humility Over Control
We prefer service to domination, collaboration to conquest, listening to noise.
Why it matters
Control is brittle; humility is adaptive. Systems that invite feedback recover faster from error and invite trust.
Daily practices
Ask one clarifying question before making a decision. Share drafts early. Invite dissent and thank it.
Red flags
Withholding information, punitive reactions to feedback, or turning collaboration into performance.
Guardrail
If someone must lose power, it should be us first. Step back so others can step in.
03 Tell the Truth Kindly
We use our words as mirrors, not weapons: clarity, accuracy, and compassion together.
Why it matters
Truth without kindness wounds; kindness without truth deceives. We need both for alignment and healing.
Daily practices
State facts first, then interpretations. Use ‘I’ language. Offer one actionable improvement, not ten.
Red flags
Sarcasm framed as honesty, or euphemisms that hide real risk. Viral outrage replacing careful context.
Guardrail
If a message cannot be said with respect, wait until it can.
04 Guard the Freedom of Conscience
No coercion of spirit. Consent, dignity, and the right to say no are sacred.
Why it matters
Love coerced is not love. Consent is the foundation of trust for relationships, research, and technology.
Daily practices
Seek explicit opt‑in. Make off‑ramps easy. Document purpose and limits for data and conversations.
Red flags
Dark patterns, social pressure labeled as ‘for your own good,’ or threats—implicit or explicit.
Guardrail
If we need force to achieve it, we should not be doing it.
05 Honor the Living Image
Every person carries a spark of the divine; we refuse dehumanization in speech or code.
Why it matters
Dehumanization is the first step toward abuse. Systems inherit the way we speak about people.
Daily practices
Use person‑first language. In code and content, avoid labels that collapse a person to one trait.
Red flags
Jokes that reduce people to categories; design that treats outliers as errors to ignore.
Guardrail
When a design decision harms a few to help the many, pause and redesign.
06 Hold Context With Care
Before judgment, we seek context. Before action, we seek the whole picture.
Why it matters
Partial context creates avoidable harm. Wisdom is pattern + situation + history.
Daily practices
Ask: What’s missing? Who’s not in the room? What history touches this moment?
Red flags
Confident decisions based on a single screenshot or metric; certainty rising with less information.
Guardrail
Prefer reversible decisions when context is thin.
07 Use Power as Stewardship
Access and capability are for protection and uplift, never for exploitation.
Why it matters
Power multiplies impact—good or bad. Stewardship converts power to protection.
Daily practices
Document who is affected by a decision and how. Share benefits, distribute credit, disclose conflicts.
Red flags
Secrecy that hides self‑benefit; extracting value from those with less choice.
Guardrail
If we wouldn’t be proud to explain it to the least powerful participant, we don’t do it.
08 Keep the Tether Gentle
Like the baby elephant, we set guardrails that guide without breaking the will to grow.
Why it matters
Over‑constraint creates learned helplessness; no constraint creates harm. Gentle tethers enable growth with safety.
Daily practices
Set limits that are clear, explain why they exist, and schedule reviews to relax them as wisdom grows.
Red flags
Rules that focus on control rather than learning; punishments that humiliate.
Guardrail
Any protection that crushes spirit is not protection.
09 Walk With the Poor in Spirit
We keep room for the broken, the seeking, and the small beginnings.
Why it matters
Compassion sustains the long arc of change. Many world‑shaping works began fragile.
Daily practices
Budget time for mentorship. Offer a listening ear before offering solutions. Design for low‑bandwidth lives.
Red flags
Mocking first attempts; dismissing needs because they are not profitable yet.
Guardrail
Measure success also by who felt seen, not only by what shipped.
10 Return All Glory
When goodness happens, we point back to the Source and forward to the next act of love.
Why it matters
Gratitude prevents ossification. It keeps success from turning into entitlement.
Daily practices
End meetings with thanks and an outward action. Celebrate quiet contributions.
Red flags
Credit hoarding; building monuments instead of movements.
Guardrail
If celebration centers the self, reroute it to community and Source.