On individual vs. communal research

[pillarofruin]

Some people begin, as alchemists, by wanting to honour the divine that they see everywhere in this world. Some people begin by glimpsing the divine and wanting to transmute this world into it. To begin by raising what is below, or bringing down what is above-- depending on one's temperament, one impulse or another may be dominant

Comments

[kowai_yo_ne]

...Is this going to be on the test?

[pillarofruin]

Not as such. There have certainly been great alchemists who have achieved remarkable, even shocking, results by working on their own. It's merely my theoretical standpoint.

[exceedinglife]

Awww, but that's no fun....

[pillarofruin]

I could test you on it if you'd like. *raised eyebrow*

[thewishfire]

But the worst danger, I think, is forgetting that these two processes can and must be undertaken together.

Hmm, that's... perhaps part of the meaning of "as above, so below", right? That whatever is done above must also be done below, and vice versa? That if you want to change one thing, you can't neglect the other?

I think I sort of understand what you mean... if all you cared about when it came to the below was bringing it up, then you'd just sort of be at risk of neglecting it and treating it badly until it was what you wanted it to be, right? But if you only cared about the above in terms of what it could do for the things we know now... I don't know, that would seem... very limiting... like bringing everything down to your level, going against the flow of transformation, maybe?

Haha, I always learn so much from your lectures, sensei. You're so strict, but... I always come away feeling like I was told something I really needed to know.

[pillarofruin]

That is part of it, yes. But also, we must remember the power of what we're accomplishing. The ability to change the world so fundamentally must be taken with an equally strong understanding.

Remember that, Vayne. Using a power strong enough that it changes the very nature of things, so that even the balance this world rests on is capable of being upset, may be devastating if not tempered with divine perfection. It isn't something you can be complacent about using.

[thewishfire]

Devastating.... Ahaha, no one ever tells me things like this. I mean, I know Jess is liable to blow things up sometimes, but the idea that what we're doing could be dangerous.... I mean, it's such a positive thing, isn't it? Transcendence... making the world a better place... it all just feels so pure and beautiful. I guess I never thought of it like this before.

A power that strong... yet not tempered with divine perfection.... Can such a thing even make sense...?

I will remember, though, Isolde-sensei. Thank you... I don't know what I'd do without your teaching.

[pillarofruin]

It is always the imperfections that cause problems, not the transcendence itself. Living in an imperfect world is what really causes the problems; we want to improve things, yet improving something halfway, or failing to take into account the reactions it will have with its surroundings, is not really perfecting it.

Can such a thing make sense? I hope that it couldn't happen. That would, of course, be ideal.

[exceedinglife]

I think it'd be pretty interesting if we could have a quiz on this! Like, if we took a test that could tell us what impulse was dominant in us, like one of those personality tests.... Please, Isolde-sensei? I really want to know!

[pillarofruin]

You'll have to look inside yourself for that one. Answering questions about your personality won't tell you nearly as much as what you are drawn to and what makes you uncomfortable. Do you most relish what you see and experience in this world, or do you feel most satisfied looking beyond and thinking about that which is greater?

[exceedinglife]

Hmmmmm... you're right. There's something even more to be gained from looking at yourself rather than having someone tell you, right? So....

I think... definitely, I'm more drawn to what's beyond. It's not that I don't like what I see in this world-- I mean, not at all! I have so much fun just doing even simple things. But I'm always just wanting greater and greater stuff. Alchemy's exciting to me because it has that promise... of worlds, of wonders beyond this one. I've always wanted to know what alchemists saw on the other side of reality, what could make them do and say the amazing things they did and said, where that came from. So, I guess that's my answer!

So does that mean I should focus on stuff in this world more? I mean, I think I try....

[pillarofruin]

I think as long as you value and cherish the things in this world, you should be fine. Conjunction involves the equal meeting of opposites.