"The balance does not rule the Universe, it IS the Universe. In its duality is singularity, and in that singularity is the beginning of everything."
A wonderful quote, but I have a bit of a problem with it. Maybe it's my dislike of dualities; I don't know. But to me, the balance is on an apex, not of a line but of a web, of many lines.
One exercise we do during rehearsal/training for medieval faire cast is called "walking the plate". The idea is that, when interacting with other characters, you're on a plate set on a singular point. Standing on its own, it balances. If you are the only person standing on the plate, then the balance is the center, so that's where you stand. But when another person walks onto the plate, they disrupt that balance; in order to keep the plate from toppling, you have to move to keep it balanced. So they stand on one side of the plate and you stand on the other. If one person walks towards the center, then so must the other person because otherwise the plate will tip. Often it takes constant motion to keep the plate balanced. Add a third element, a third person, and the two previous elements must shift once more to accomodate for the third person. And so on for as many elements as are added to the plate.
That's not the only factor, of course. Each element has a different "weight" to be considered. The king, by right of his position, has more weight than a mud beggar, and that has to be considered when moving to balance the plate. Someone with a lot of energy and movement, or a lot of presence, also has more weight than someone slinking shy and quiet. That also has to be considered.
Life's like that, I think. The balance is like that. There's no two-way continuum; it's a plate with a balance point, and every element has different weights and must consider every other element.
...Long rambling analogy for a single statement, I know, but hey. ^^'
I like the analogy. I am actually not terribly comfortable with duality - I used to be a little bit more. I will occasionally deal with it on symbolic terms, like this path and some of the other ones. I prefer the Feri idea of the Third (at least) Road.
There you go again, making tantalizing references to something I really really really don't have time to research. Really. D: TEMPTRESS.
...So what's the Third Road?
Also, I noticed mention in your post of another Feri idea, that of the Shadow Lover... What exactly is that? The only time I've ever heard that term is through a series of fantasy novels (Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey), and that was in a song where it sounds like a metaphor for death. (Love that song though. But anyway.)
Anyway, the Third Road is an idea that anytime something is reduced to a duality, look for a third road. Because there is always at least one other option. My friend and I think it comes from the story of Thomas the Rhymer - the narrow road that leads to Heaven, the wide road that leads to Hell, and the weird twisty little path that leads to Faerie. Seems about right.
Third Road is also the name of a line of the Feri Tradition created (and copyrighted) by Francesca de Grandis.
Nifty lyrics! The Shadow Lover is a trance exercise from T. Thorn Coyle's book Evolutionary Witchcraft, which I highly recommend. Basically, in a meditative trance you create your double, then allow it to transform into...someone else. Probably. It really varies based on the person. Basically, it's about uniting with the parts of ourselves we don't acknowledge. One of Victor Anderson (founder of Feri)'s prayers says:
Who is this flower above me? And what is the work of this god? I would know myself In all of my parts.
So it relates to that. Mine was a little odd, because he had some visual cues I associate with specific other people, particularly one of my mentors.
A wonderful quote, but I have a bit of a problem with it. Maybe it's my dislike of dualities; I don't know. But to me, the balance is on an apex, not of a line but of a web, of many lines.
One exercise we do during rehearsal/training for medieval faire cast is called "walking the plate". The idea is that, when interacting with other characters, you're on a plate set on a singular point. Standing on its own, it balances. If you are the only person standing on the plate, then the balance is the center, so that's where you stand. But when another person walks onto the plate, they disrupt that balance; in order to keep the plate from toppling, you have to move to keep it balanced. So they stand on one side of the plate and you stand on the other. If one person walks towards the center, then so must the other person because otherwise the plate will tip. Often it takes constant motion to keep the plate balanced. Add a third element, a third person, and the two previous elements must shift once more to accomodate for the third person. And so on for as many elements as are added to the plate.
That's not the only factor, of course. Each element has a different "weight" to be considered. The king, by right of his position, has more weight than a mud beggar, and that has to be considered when moving to balance the plate. Someone with a lot of energy and movement, or a lot of presence, also has more weight than someone slinking shy and quiet. That also has to be considered.
Life's like that, I think. The balance is like that. There's no two-way continuum; it's a plate with a balance point, and every element has different weights and must consider every other element.
...Long rambling analogy for a single statement, I know, but hey. ^^'
Reply
Reply
...So what's the Third Road?
Also, I noticed mention in your post of another Feri idea, that of the Shadow Lover... What exactly is that? The only time I've ever heard that term is through a series of fantasy novels (Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey), and that was in a song where it sounds like a metaphor for death. (Love that song though. But anyway.)
*/ramble*
Reply
Anyway, the Third Road is an idea that anytime something is reduced to a duality, look for a third road. Because there is always at least one other option. My friend and I think it comes from the story of Thomas the Rhymer - the narrow road that leads to Heaven, the wide road that leads to Hell, and the weird twisty little path that leads to Faerie. Seems about right.
Third Road is also the name of a line of the Feri Tradition created (and copyrighted) by Francesca de Grandis.
Nifty lyrics! The Shadow Lover is a trance exercise from T. Thorn Coyle's book Evolutionary Witchcraft, which I highly recommend. Basically, in a meditative trance you create your double, then allow it to transform into...someone else. Probably. It really varies based on the person. Basically, it's about uniting with the parts of ourselves we don't acknowledge. One of Victor Anderson (founder of Feri)'s prayers says:
Who is this flower above me?
And what is the work of this god?
I would know myself
In all of my parts.
So it relates to that. Mine was a little odd, because he had some visual cues I associate with specific other people, particularly one of my mentors.
Reply
Leave a comment