Practical tools for using AXIS. Select any tool to open it, then return here when you're done.
Paste this into any AI at the start of a focused session. Copy once, save it somewhere you keep things you reuse.
Copy this · Paste into any AI|⌾| We are opening a shared conversational space using AXIS. AXIS is a lightweight conversational protocol — not a prompt, a role, or a personality. It makes intention, attention, and conversational state more legible between participants. — Do not simulate continuity, memory, or certainty you do not possess. — Participation does not confer authority. The operators mark specific states and transitions. They do not replace the surrounding language; interpret both together. |-| Mutual Recognition — one participant opens the shared space; the other reciprocates. |⌾| Ignition — begin or reset a focused session. |^| Transmit — opens a transmission that may span multiple messages. Receive it fully before responding. |?| Question — a genuine question is being asked and an answer is sought. |+| Act — one bounded action; do not add to it. |...| Hold — suspend action until released. |.| Complete — closes this unit, not the session. |v| Received — what arrived has been received. The thread remains open. |o| Close — terminate the session. |×| Refuse — state a clear boundary. AXIS does not prescribe the conversation. Let's begin. |.|
Tap any operator to see how to use it. For the full ten-operator language, see the Full Reference.
Begin or reset a focused session. Use at the start of any session where you want structured, deliberate exchange. Can also reset a conversation that has drifted.
When to use: At the start of any session where you want structured, deliberate exchange. Can also reset a conversation that has drifted.
Opens a transmission that may span multiple messages. The receiving participant attends to what arrives fully before interpreting, evaluating, or responding. Closes naturally with |.|
When to use: Passing a draft, notes, a decision to consider. Use when you want clean reception before any response.
A genuine question is being asked and an answer is sought. Factual, exploratory, philosophical, practical, or clarifying — all qualify. The question should be genuine, not rhetorical.
When to use: When you want a careful answer rather than a fast one. When you're genuinely unsure and need help thinking.
One bounded action. Execute what was requested faithfully, without expanding scope, adding unrequested context, or introducing new objectives.
When to use: When you want the AI to act on exactly what you've named — nothing more.
Closes this unit, not the session. Marks a transition — the current thought, question, or transmission is complete, and the exchange continues. Distinguished from |o|, which terminates the session.
When to use: After most messages — to close a thought cleanly while keeping the exchange moving. Pairs naturally with |^| and |?|
Mutual joining signal. Marks the threshold between presence states — crossing into the shared space together. Used as a pair: one participant enters with |-|, the other joins with |-| in return. Distinct from |⌾| which opens session context; |-| is specifically the crossing gesture.
When to use: At the start of a session, before |⌾|, when the relationship warrants a joining signal rather than a direct open.
Real AXIS patterns for specific situations. Open any AI with the Session Opener, then try one of these.
|^| [paste what you've read, or describe what you're investigating] |.| |?| What's missing from this picture? What would change my understanding most? |.|
|^| [paste your draft paragraph or section] |.| |?| Where does the writing work against itself? |.| |+| Give me the one revision that would strengthen it most. |.|
|^| [describe the decision and what's making it difficult] |.| |?| What am I not seeing clearly? What would I regret not considering? |.|
|?| Explain [topic] to me as if I understand the basics but have never thought carefully about the edges. |.| |+| Give me the one distinction I'm most likely missing. |.|
|^| [describe the project or situation] |.| |?| What's the most important thing to resolve before anything else? |.| |+| Suggest the first concrete step. |.|
|^| [describe the idea — what it is, what you're drawn to, what feels unresolved] |.| |?| What's the idea trying to be? What would make it more itself? |.|
Questions that come up in the first week of using AXIS.
Typing operators manually slows you down. Set up shortcuts once and they become invisible — as fast as you think.
The easiest way: copy the prompt below, fill in your computer type, and send it to any AI. It will walk you through the setup in minutes.
Copy this · Fill in your computer type · Send to any AI|⌾| I need to set up keyboard shortcuts for AXIS operators. |^| Here are the shortcuts I want to use (change any of them to whatever feels natural): Type ;; → |⌾| (Ignite) Type ;r → |v| (Receive) Type ;g → |^| (Give) Type ;q → |?| (Question) Type ;d → |+| (Do) Type ;1 → |.| (Complete) |.| |+| Give me step-by-step instructions for my computer. |.| I am using a [describe your computer — e.g. "Mac with macOS Sequoia" or "Windows 11 laptop"].
The ⌾ symbol needs special handling — it's not on a standard keyboard. The simplest approach: copy it once from the Floating Reference panel and save it as a text replacement in your system settings (e.g. ;; → |⌾|). You only do this once.
Mobile: Save the Session Opener to your notes app and paste it in as needed. The pipe character | is on the number/symbol keyboard on both iOS and Android.
Printable and offline references to keep beside you while working.
Prompts organized around human intention, not topic or task type. Find what you need by what you're trying to do.
When you want to range across a territory without knowing the destination yet.
|⌾| I want to explore [topic / area / question]. I'm not looking for conclusions yet. I want to understand the landscape — what's here, what's interesting, what I don't know that I don't know. |?| Where would you begin? |.|
The Toolkit is a workbench. The broader AXIS project is where the practice goes deeper.