Yes, but you can be not-panicked and not calm of body - Edit 1
Before modification by LadyLorraine at 08/12/2010 06:40:42 PM
Take for instance the Void when rand is fighting with a sword. He is entirely calm, despite the fact someone is trying to skewer him (I count someone trying to kill you as a stressful situation). However he is a flood movement.
If someone is clearly showing panic, like running around like a kicked chicken, then yes, that belies a lack of calm in the mind. But going "jee, I'm going to RUN to that person bleeding profusely on the floor across the room instead of WALK" is not being MORE calm. The assumption that to be calm of body means you are not being calm in mind, in any scenario, gives no credit to the fact that, sometimes, speed is precisely what is needed! Some stressful scenarios REQUIRE action, and quickly! It's not like Nynaeve saw a chicken get its head cut off for dinner and started running around the room frantically trying to heal it. She acted in total accordance to the scenarios presented to her.
Calm is not a state of body in this test, calm is being MEASURED as a state of body in this test, and a state of body that doesn't even mean the individual is calm!! Walking doesn't mean your calm. Walking means your emotions are in check or you're shell shocked. You can be walking and totally unable to channel due to the mental stress you are under. Not to say that if you're walking, you're plainly NOT calming. Only that walking does not mean someone IS calm.
It's an inaccurate parameter for a misleading measurement of calmn. If they are calm enough to channel the weaves correctly, then they are calm enough to be effective.
Honestly, demanding anything else is damned hypocritical! For such a "Serene/calm" group of people, they sure are spastics!! Last thing I want is a physically calm surgeon if my carotid blows!! I want a mentally calm but physically quick and effective surgeon.
As you pointed out in Nynaeve's case, she did not panic, she took initiative. Well sometimes that requires a speed faster than a walk!! That doesn't mean you're panicking about something!
If someone is clearly showing panic, like running around like a kicked chicken, then yes, that belies a lack of calm in the mind. But going "jee, I'm going to RUN to that person bleeding profusely on the floor across the room instead of WALK" is not being MORE calm. The assumption that to be calm of body means you are not being calm in mind, in any scenario, gives no credit to the fact that, sometimes, speed is precisely what is needed! Some stressful scenarios REQUIRE action, and quickly! It's not like Nynaeve saw a chicken get its head cut off for dinner and started running around the room frantically trying to heal it. She acted in total accordance to the scenarios presented to her.
Calm is not a state of body in this test, calm is being MEASURED as a state of body in this test, and a state of body that doesn't even mean the individual is calm!! Walking doesn't mean your calm. Walking means your emotions are in check or you're shell shocked. You can be walking and totally unable to channel due to the mental stress you are under. Not to say that if you're walking, you're plainly NOT calming. Only that walking does not mean someone IS calm.
It's an inaccurate parameter for a misleading measurement of calmn. If they are calm enough to channel the weaves correctly, then they are calm enough to be effective.
Honestly, demanding anything else is damned hypocritical! For such a "Serene/calm" group of people, they sure are spastics!! Last thing I want is a physically calm surgeon if my carotid blows!! I want a mentally calm but physically quick and effective surgeon.
As you pointed out in Nynaeve's case, she did not panic, she took initiative. Well sometimes that requires a speed faster than a walk!! That doesn't mean you're panicking about something!