The Memorable Characters of Final Fantasy IX

In the video game Final Fantasy IX, released by Square Enix in 2000, the theme of identity comes up often. I really enjoyed this game when I was about twelve years old, and maintain fond memories of the remarkable characters and storyline to this day. I had thought of video games as simple entertainment with no real depth, but this particular game introduced me to how well the video game medium can exhibit quality art. The imagery and music were very distinct and memorable. In fact, composer Nobuo Uematsu considers the Final Fantasy IX soundtrack his best work.

The elaborate imagery and enchanting music of Final Fantasy IX is great, but the aspect that engaged my developing mind most was the characters. Perhaps this story would not be considered very in-depth compared to other stories out there, but remember I was playing this when I was twelve. I had never experienced anything like a role-playing game before. The interactive involvement of a video game made the story a different experience than simply watching a movie or TV show. So when I played this game I really felt connected to the characters and their personal struggles.

I believe establishing identity is a common issue for many people in modern society. Our world moves so fast and is so interconnected these days thanks mainly to the Internet. Although many benefits come from this “information age,” many challenges arise as well. The questions “Who am I?” and “What am I here for?” become very difficult to answer. Each person has to find their own path and answer this for themselves, and offering advice on how to do that is far beyond me. However, in this blog piece I would like to acknowledge how well I think the storywriters at Square Enix addressed this issue in the Final Fantasy IX game.

The main character of the game is Zidane Tribal, a witty and charismatic young thief who is taken in by a theatre group called Tantalus. Early in the game, this gung-ho youth meets a timid little boy with a pointed hat named Vivi, a “black mage.” Like Zidane, Vivi’s origins are unknown, but he comes from a very different background and has an opposite demeanor to Zidane. While Zidane is sociable, outgoing, and flirtatious with women, Vivi is very inhibited, bashful, compassionate, and innocent. The two characters possess inherent charm manifested in very different ways. Both Zidane and Vivi help fellow main character Princess Garnet escape her homeland, where her mother the queen has become corrupt. On this adventure Vivi learns he is related to a race of black mages “created” to be used as soldiers in the coming war of nations in their world. This discovery troubles him, but his friends help him understand that even if he is related to the other black mages, it has no bearing on his own character. They like Vivi because he is a good person, and that inherent goodness transcends any other external identity the world may impose on somebody.

Vivi has a decision to make- he can either succumb to the grief of knowing that he has a similar origin to the black mage soldiers, or he can rise above this pre-made identity and let his good nature shine through. It should not be a major spoiler to reveal that Vivi chooses the latter. Later in the story Zidane is met with a similar crisis, and is also traumatized when he encounters it. Thanks to his strong friendship with the other characters and his higher ideals, Zidane also overcomes this crisis. The story emphasizes how inherent goodness and a desire to do what is right can overcome destructive powers- both those that exist in the outside world and those that exist within (these possibly being the more dangerous). This motif has been presented in many stories, but this particular tale had an impact on me when I played the game in 2001.

As Vivi reflects on the adventures he had and the friends he met, he recalls all of the positive memories they created for him and that he gave to them. He expresses his gratitude for the experiences he had and how they helped him develop. These are good things to think about, and I think Square Enix’s charming story promotes reflective thinking in a good and uplifting way.

"You don't need a reason to help people."

-Zidane Tribal, Final Fantasy IX

Greetings Friends,

     In this piece I'll discuss why I am happy. It isn't because I've accomplished remarkable things, have large quantities of property or wealth, or have much power and influence. I don't have those things and my happiness doesn't depend on them. I am happy simply because...I am. Simple, right? Okay, okay, I realize readers will want a more substantial answer than that, so here goes.

     I've heard it said before that if someone is to be truly happy, then he/she must first experience a significant amount of unhappiness. I have no idea at all about whether this is true or not, but my own path to happiness seems to have taken that direction. It was only a few years ago that I was angry, hateful, anxious, fearful, and very insecure. On top of all that, I felt I needed to prove something to myself and to the world. Only then could my existence be significant and worthwhile. Unsure of what to do, I became a breeding ground of internal turmoil and aggravation. The world wasn't a good place - I thought - and I was pissed off about it. Screw everyone and everything - I'll do something to change this world or go down trying. Victory or Valhalla! Such was my thinking at the time.

     The festering malignancy of my internal doubts and personal insecurities took control of me. They were in the driver's seat of my existence, and I was being dragged along for the bumpy ride.

     About one year ago, things had improved a bit for me. I was no longer bursting at the seams with resentment and aggravation. This was a good thing, but I still lacked contentment and fulfillment in life - and therefore I was still in danger of regressing into my bad habits.

     After looking into deeper spirituality - and evaluating my own life and the values I held - many interesting things began to happen. My life improved as I learned to look at things with a new, refined perspective. My attitude and mindset became much more positive. Breathing techniques, meditation, and higher principles have helped me gain control of myself. I am no longer dominated by internal feelings - it is easier to just watch them come and go. This is true freedom, and it feels good!

     Perhaps most importantly of all, I can now see that happiness comes from within. During those days of negativity what I needed was inside all along. I just needed to look there. I can see an inner light, and this inner light is Divine. Everybody has it - it just usually takes a very special person to help someone like me realize it. This special type of person is often called a Guru. After getting even just a little glimpse of the inner light I notice that I have an overall feeling of gratitude. This is much better than the resentment I was previously living with. The darkness that pervaded my life has passed away. Best of all, I'm now protected from it ever returning again. It's all thanks to my ability to see the inner light.

     To me, this is the meaning of "Jai Gurudev!" Jai means "victory" and Gurudev can refer to the Guru or to the inner light (or both at the same time, as I like to think about it). That's a little bit about why I'm happy. I'm also grateful - for the Guru, for noticing the inner light, and for all of you. So, Jai Gurudev!

Mike

YES Plus Alternative Winter Break 2014-2015

Hello again friends,

This year I had the honor of spending the New Year’s holiday at the Art of Living Bangalore Ashram in India. My purpose for being there was to assist in the Seva (service) project organized by the YES Plus community around the country. “YES Plus” is the college/university branch of The Art of Living Foundation, and beginning last year they have started the Alternative Winter Break. This exciting and enriching activity involves a group of students or professionals from across the United States coming together to complete a Seva project in rural India. This year I joined eight other volunteers to undertake a project to spread awareness for greater health and hygiene in a village in rural India.

I learned about the Alternative Winter Break program in Summer of 2014 from friends at the Art of Living Ashram in Boone, North Carolina. I was taking a course there and they informed me of this wonderful opportunity. During the Fall I completed the application and was accepted into the program. I created a GoFundMe account to help raise funds for the expenses, and the turnout was incredible. The generosity of others to help me in this endeavor was touching. I paid the cost of the trip and booked a flight to Bangalore. I knew at the time I was taking a step to finding a higher purpose in life. The Art of Living has taught me powerful techniques in breath-regulation and meditation which can be incorporated into daily life. Within a few months my life improved immensely. I also met many new friends, all of whom are incredible and inspirational people. But the cornerstone of the Art of Living is Seva – service to others. Art of Living teaches methods of self-improvement and gaining happiness. I learned through participating in this special Seva project the value of service in personal development.

Our Seva team entered the rural village Kurubarahalli in southern India where toilet use is uncommon. Open defecation causes a myriad of health issues in India, the most obvious of which is infants being born stunted. The issue of open defecation in India urgently needs to be addressed. The purpose of our project was to spread awareness of this issue in the village. The local residents were reluctant to receive our group at first, but through personal interaction and continued time spent in the area they eventually opened up to us. The children were especially receptive to our message, which was encouraging to me as a volunteer because they will be the ones to implement a permanent change in their community.

Our journey began with a course in the Bangalore Ashram called Art of Silence. This is an advanced course in the Art of Living involving yoga and deep meditations. The purpose of our group taking this course was to prepare us mentally and spiritually for the Seva project. After the Silence course our team set out to view the village.

One of the first things we did was fill in a hole in the road that contained stagnant water. The water had many mosquitoes nesting in it which posed a health hazard to the villagers. We filled in this hole and eliminated the hazard. The day ended with a lively Satsang- a gathering involving songs and chants. The next day we removed threatening weeds from the school area. These plants were known to induce asthma. We made a noticeable improvement through our work eliminating much of these weeds. We also visited schools in the area to educate about the necessity of toilet use and hand washing. Our team taught students some of the rudimentary breathing techniques the Art of Living offers along with the hygiene education.

I even had a chance to give a few English lessons to the Kannada-speaking school students with the help of some illustrations. This was so much fun. I noticed English words written on the blackboard of the classroom, and asked the teacher if I can write on the board. He gladly consented, and so I drew basic illustrations for each word (cat, dog, kite, tree, owl, etc.). This lesson went over well. I also managed to tie the hygiene lesson into my presentation by emphasizing the importance of keeping nature clean. The lessons at the school ended with energetic, Daniel Bryan-inspired “Yes!” chants. Many students even got the reference J I truly hope the students will remember the lessons we shared. I believe they will.

Overall, I think our message was well-received and that there will be major improvements in Kurubarahalli in years to come. The feeling of having given to others and made efforts to improve an area is indescribable.

On a personal level, I feel very happy to have been able to help a village in India. India has contributed so much wisdom and knowledge to our world heritage. The literary epics such as The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are unparalleled. I have read literary epics and representative literature from Russia, China, Iceland, Finland, Greece, and the United States, and to me the epics of India are the most refined, profound, and entertaining. To be able to give something to this nation that has contributed so much to the world means a great deal to me, and I am very grateful for the chance I had to partake in this adventure. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Alternative Winter Break to anyone considering participating in the next one.

Here are some pictures from my "Keep nature clean" lesson.

For more information of the Art of Living Foundation, visit: www.artofliving.org 

For more information on the Alternative Winter Break Seva Trip, visit: www.sevatrip.org  

Jai Gurudev!

Mike

My Introduction and Purpose

Hello friends,

     My name is Mike Babbish. I'm a writer and I decided to create this blog to share some ideas with anyone who might be interested. This first post will provide you a general background about me and give you an idea what you can expect to find here in the future.

      I have a pretty active imagination and have been involved in many things that have given me an interesting perspective that I think is worth sharing. My interests include literature, art, world religions, mythology, anthropology, and spiritual subjects- among other things. I will post articles and thoughts on here that I think anyone with similar interests- or anyone looking for something different to read- will enjoy. I hope that the content of the upcoming posts will stimulate thoughts or ideas in the reader, and will hopefully be entertaining too.

Cheers,

Mike