Re: Mysticism and Dream Magic

From: Peter Metcalfe <metcalph_at_wAmHWxs5y6wm4CVDiGP5Ptr1_mnOM2lmdIeeaqUo8jIgXgWuT1iIUzCCBMfhzJxquHD>
Date: Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:07:06 +1300

At 10:48 a.m. 3/03/2008, you wrote:

>I have a few problems with Peter's take on mysticism when it comes to
>the EWF. Mysticism in it's pure form probably means seeking liberation
>from the mortal world. Whether this means actually seeking non-being
>I'm not enlightened enough to say.
>
>But the EWF "mysticism" is based on the philosophy of the Dragonewts.
>The EWF mystics seek their inner dragon, and the more common members
>seem to have worhipped draconic entities or draconic aspects of
>heortling deities.

And so in my opinion, Draconism is not true mysticism. One can follow Draconism to seek the goals of mysticism as the Kralori do and at least some of the EWF did.

>Additionally an EWF mystic manifesting some draconic trait (like a
>warrior using draconic strenght, or sprouting wings) obviously doesn't
>freeze his/her development at that early stage,

Several points.

1. the EWF are not mystics and their practice of draconism differs from the Kralori version.
2. Ingolf, the only EWF hero which we know about in detail, suffered spiritually from the manifestation of his draconic traits to the extent that he was worried about going to a terrible hell.
3. I said the draconists can manifest draconic traits without manifesting their own dragon - they do this through by manifesting the magic of the elder dragons (i.e. those in the void) through their own souls. This avoids spiritual entrapment or so the Kralori believe.

>any more than a
>dragonewt using dragonmagic condems itself to remain on that stage
>forever.

Dragonewts do harm themselves spiritually through improper use of dragon magic.

--Peter Metcalfe