More Non-mysticism

From: TERRA INCOGNITA <inarsus-ferilt-z_at_mrg.biglobe.ne.jp>
Date: Wed, 28 May 2003 22:22:40 +0900


Alex Ferguson:
> I don't know if you follow hw-rules, so perhaps I should explain the
> context of my use of "innatist". Apparently, talents are now considered
> a type of Common Magic, specifically they are 'innate' Common Magic.

For I haven't read the HQ draft or something other near-official material except ILH-1 short comment about common magic (simple cantrips for communal worshippers to three different otherworlds without penalties?), I don't have clear opinion or knowledge about it.

Alex:
> Hence I speculated that Taraltarans and Kralori martial artists might
> be of this sort, in the sense that the 'magic' they're using to perform
> slice'n'dice and/or spectacular high kicks is basically simply that of
> their own bodies. Perhaps entirely 'mundane' skills, or something of
> the flavour of them ol' "ki skills", whatever.

mundane....another confusing term,,,,
ST p. 67 What is illusion?
[Eurmal knows that the world is temporary, made of Glmamour.]

Simon Phipp:
> the Shaolin traditionally gain their special abilities through
> the development and control of Chi, not through any mystical abilities. As
> far as I know, their main regimen is that of achieving self-control
through
> exercise of Chi, martial arts and physical exercise. The fact that they
are
> also Buddhists and so are trying to achieve another state of being is
> incidental to their legendary prowess as this training does not give them
> their reputed special abilities. When they put sharp spears against their
> throats and let men lean on the spears without being injured, they are not
> disbelieving that the spear is there or realising that the spear is an
> illusion, they are using their Chi to make their skin and muscles tough at
> that point.

ki (Japanese) = chi (Chinese) (Same chinese character) What the difficulty to explain about this concept of Chinese cosmological term, is that it doesn't be derived from dualistic concept of western mental and physical based on greek philosophy, IMHO.

And I think that is why Greg abandoned the idea to unified concept of mysticism in Glorantha, because we demand to add too much source to it....some of eastern philosophy is of course opposed to Patanjali's....

TI

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