Re: "Proactive" spirits?

From: julianlord <julian.lord_at_0xDwMr62peH00rcyYd9yhbKmU1Aovc7QKMwzMH_NtdTA1YXKE-SbGkrj51X6vNMb>
Date: Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:27:58 -0000

> ...
> > Power then. Is it really so important to a spirit? Maybe. Is
interaction
> > with the mundane world going to help them achieve whatever it is
they need
> > to do in their own world, as is the case in reverse?
> ...
>
> I don't know how this works in "official" Glorantha, but in my
> Glorantha, Otherworld spirits are bound by the Compromise and don't
> really change what they are.

Greg, in a VERY illuminating short description of the dfferences between sorcery, theism, and spiritism came up with the following quick distinctions (paraphrased) :

Theism is something that you are, sorcery something that you do, spirits something that you have.

Consequently, I would suggest that "proactive" spirits per se are usually malign spirits, seeking to act or to be instead of seeking to belong or to own (owning and belonging being really a single concept in shamanism).

Spirits would not normally focus on being nor doing as the core of their natures, in my own interpretation of Greg's insight ; hence the notion of power as such within spiritism would be intricately linked with the notion of ownership --- hence for exemple the Praxian and Pentan emphasis on owning many cattle, slaves, spirits, et cetera ... and conversely the notion of belonging to family, herd, clan, tribe, master, tradition, Great Spirit, et cetera...

The Great Compromise per se IMO is less important here than the mixed nature of mortals, and the fact that they can not just own and belong as spirits ; but also to be and to do.

YGWV of course...

Julian Lord            

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