Yes, mysticism again ;-))

From: Antonio Alvarez del Cuvillo <antalvarez1976_at_hotmail.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 02:12:45 +0200


Er... I wasn't talking about mysticism, but of a new kind of concentrating magic in my particular Glorantha, so, I have to explain myself a bit:

Greg:
> However, as I beleive I have said before (and in contrast to the ravings
in HW), it is essentially impossible for modern >organizations (dojo, whatever)to properly duplicate this.

Yes, now, after our insightfull previous discussion, I have another perspective for Gloranthan mysticism (thought I'm not sure you agree with me, but in fact, you helped me ;-)

IMG, there is no "true" mystical school, path, dojo or anything. Because all of them use different tecniques, teachings, philosophies and things like that, and mysticism means 'pure' trascendental experience, without intermediations. All religions, magics and practices offer a 'limited', not direct, (almost always mythical) view of trascendental things (or Thing). So, in my book, mystical experience is a direct experience of Trascendence and means almost nothing in the games. So, mystical experience, without intermediations, and ineffable may appear (or not appear) in many different religions and places (malkioni, orlanthi, kraloli, etc.) Mystics can't talk about it (the Tao that we are talking about is not the permanent one ;-))

I don't know what happens with mystics -if they really exists ;-))- perhaps they disappear of the world, perhaps they are a sort of Enlightened Masters, but they can't communicate their experience with words, perhaps they combine their 'strange spontaneus' experience with 'normal' religion (pseudo-Dyonisus Aeropagyte?). In fact, I DON'T KNOW WHO ARE THE MYSTICS, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER.
> As a result, the martial art practices of almost everyplace in Glorantha
are some kind of theistic, sorcerous or animist magic >toobtain their martial arts. Many of the CLAIM to be mystical, but they are not using mystical forces.
> WHY? Because mystical forces can not enter into the WORLD OF EVERYTHING
without being tarnished, diminished or >re-interpreted. WHY? Because the world is made of magic, and everything in it is magical, and mysticism is not magical in >any way.

I agree completely, but I wasn't talking about mysticism, but of another kind of mixed magic similar to the Lunar Way.

-I mean, the moon or this moon or whatever is made of everything, so you can concentrate your magic in the moon and use a mixture of spells, feats, spirits and talents.
-In a similar way, your mind, or your psyque or yourself or whatever ALSO IS MADE OF EVERYTHING. Why not some schools concentrating in self-knowledge and using a mixture of spells, feats, spirits and talents? Really, it is NOT trascendental direct practice.

So, you go to the myths for heroquesting, and you are 'aware' that myths are a map of your mind. So, the gods, demons and characters are part of you (similar to modern jungian archetypes, I suppose), and actions are processes in your mind. You come back with power. Well, no direct trascendental stuff. You were going in a HQ but your perspective is different than orlanthi one.

So, you go to the sorcery plane, and you 'know' that this simply an image for your rational and abstract thinking. You learn spells. Not trascendental stuff, you were in the sorcery plane.

But you can't learn any kind of spells, feats, spirits. You are concentrated in some particular perspective, derived of your philosophy, in a similar way than other religions and practices and orders, but you mix different otherworlds. And also, many of them CLAIM to be mystics, as you say. But they have not the absolute trascendental, fragmented Truth, only a perspective (from their school, philosophy, etc.) as other religions and practices. And probably some of them condemns the other, different practices.

>So, while YGWV (and I encourage that) I do want to stress that the "real"
mystical powers are exceptions to the rules and >will be gien in a future supplement,

Well, IMG there are NOT real mystical powers. I've understood that mystical forces in the world are not yet mystical forces. It's magic, maya, illusion. Trascendental thing in the world is a part of the world is not direct. You may use some deeper magic (Cult Secrets) but there is intermediation.

>and that whatever disucssion you wish to pursue is most likely to end up as
a unofficial variant, not the published rules.

Of course! I have not intended to propose official rules, only explaining my own particular view ;-)))

Regards,

Antonio

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