Adakul manuals
Adakul manuals are texts written by Adakul monks. The monks, who are renowned for their meditative abilities and emotional control, offer the manuals as instructions on their techniques. The monks sell the manuals for a small cost, using the proceeds to maintain and supply their monasteries. The manuals are popular across New Eden and can be found for sale in as disparate places as the Crystal Boulevard and Izoni Square.
History
The first Adakul manual can be considered to be the book written by Rao Jumen, the founder of the Adakul philosophy. However, this was focused more on the overarching philosophy and life of Rao, so it is not usually grouped with later manuals.
The early followers of Rao wrote the first true Adakul manuals. Different followers wrote of their own approaches to meditation and emotional control. The manuals were intended as recruitment tools to gather more followers, but were soon adopted even by those who were uninterested in the deeper underpinnings of the Adakul way. The Adakul soon realized that there was a demand for their teachings that could not be met simply through meetings at their monasteries. They began producing their manuals at an accelerated rate, providing them to readers for a small fee simply to cover the costs.
Over the generations, as the Adakul teachings spread, numerous branches of the philosophy arose. Each of these produced their own manuals, often with differing approaches to the core Adakul philosophies. These differing manuals all have their own proponents and detractors, but the diversity has allowed a larger number of people to benefit from their teachings.
Content
Most Adakul manuals contain a variety of simple meditation techniques. These include breathing, stretching, and mental exercises designed to produce calm and emotional stability. Each manual usually outlines the preferred steps taken by the monk or sect that produced it, though they often include many different minor alterations individuals can utilize to tailor the meditation to their own needs.
Some manuals go deeper into the Adakul philosophy and include more advanced techniques. Some double as exercise manuals, promising physical fitness as well as mental balance.