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But that is my point: it wouldn't be merely force of will. RugbyPlayingAshaman Send a noteboard - 13/12/2011 09:40:17 PM
This would not be like a women randomly believing that she could make herself stronger if she got angry enough. What I am describing is a woman's individual destiny being that at one particular moment in her life, she will be strong enough to do whatever the Pattern needed her to do. The Pattern's most direct way to do this would be through making her a t'a'veren for that one moment. We might even see this same circular reasoning in how one gains strength in the Power; it could be said, philosophically, that individual gains in the Power are meant to make sure each individual is capable of fulfilling what the Wheel wills at that moment. You could almost attribute an almost biblical quality to what seems like a mechanical process: the Pattern gives you strength in a direct portion to what you need to accomplish in a given life.

The scene in which Rand visits Egwene in the Hall is interesting when I think of the metaphysical underpinnings of the One Power; in this moment, even if every single Aes Sedai wove a Shield and meant to hold Rand, something about his soul had changed, and they sensed it on a higher level (i.e. the Pattern). They sensed the possibility that despite all notions of reality, in that moment, he was so powerful that they couldn't hold him despite every one of them trying. Despite this, it almost seemed that his fate was in Egwene's hands, and the Pattern hinged on if she would allow him to leave or decided to hold him. Could they have held him if they wanted to? I don't think we can say his "strength", as we've been discussing it, has increased, but it seems very definitive that his channeling is much more powerful than it used to be. I tend to think that what the Ashaman saw was Rand channeling the One Power directly through his eternal soul, and only partially filtered through his body as is usually the case.

I'm not disagreeing with you, entirely: I basically don't think we can quantify what the One Power really is, and when we talk about "strength", it is something more gross and connected to physical limitations or mundane judgments (i.e. the volume, mass, etc. you had mentioned) but if the Pattern needed you to be stronger and/or on some deep level you felt that you needed to put forth all of your strength to accomplish some mission, you could connect to a higher plane of your metaphysical existence to do it. Kind of like a woman whose child is pinned under a car suddenly finding the strength to lift the car and push it away; in that moment, there was a connection between her divine, eternal spirit that exceeded height, weight, volume, etc.
"Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness."
This message last edited by RugbyPlayingAshaman on 13/12/2011 at 09:42:39 PM
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Underestimating Forsaken strength - 11/12/2011 05:57:22 AM 1860 Views
Ah, my favourite topic makes a return... - 11/12/2011 07:45:29 AM 758 Views
Re: Ah, my favourite topic makes a return... - 11/12/2011 10:25:03 PM 774 Views
Yes, you are probably correct - 12/12/2011 06:26:07 AM 874 Views
Re: and some of the information given to us is flawed - 12/12/2011 07:38:59 PM 677 Views
The real question is - What percentage of her full strength did Nynaeve achieve by Book 4? - 12/12/2011 08:31:30 PM 713 Views
I find that unlikely - 12/12/2011 09:28:07 PM 680 Views
Easy question for you: Based on the evidence, what percentage of her strength was Nynaeve at in tSR? - 13/12/2011 07:09:56 AM 649 Views
Well.... - 13/12/2011 01:12:48 PM 717 Views
Well there we have it - 13/12/2011 01:36:45 PM 719 Views
Re: Well there we have it - 13/12/2011 02:06:14 PM 749 Views
Re: Well there we have it - 13/12/2011 02:12:10 PM 685 Views
Alivia may not even be stronger than Nynaeve... - 14/12/2011 03:14:06 AM 757 Views
That wouldn't surprise me actually *NM* - 14/12/2011 07:46:47 AM 398 Views
Where would you place Egwene though? - 14/12/2011 09:13:46 AM 662 Views
Re: Where would you place Egwene though? - 14/12/2011 12:53:49 PM 666 Views
Bonfire next to a candle indeed. Hehehe... - 14/12/2011 05:50:34 PM 801 Views
- 14/12/2011 06:56:40 PM 620 Views
The same "step" you refer to seperates Egwene from normal Aes Sedai according to RJ... - 14/12/2011 07:14:55 PM 649 Views
Yes! And...? - 15/12/2011 02:53:37 AM 658 Views
Yes I would agree with that - 14/12/2011 08:24:35 PM 808 Views
Alivia with an angreal > > > Cyndane - 14/12/2011 08:50:41 PM 580 Views
No - 14/12/2011 09:10:34 PM 666 Views
That makes no sense. - 14/12/2011 09:13:48 PM 735 Views
Correct. - 14/12/2011 09:43:53 PM 681 Views
Re: Correct. - 15/12/2011 05:54:37 AM 670 Views
So many instances of logical laziness in that post... - 14/12/2011 10:01:45 PM 1115 Views
Re: So many instances of logical laziness in that post... - 15/12/2011 06:16:01 AM 598 Views
Only slight diffence I have is regarding general AS strength - 30/12/2011 04:45:49 PM 690 Views
I think it was just Aes Sedai hyperbole - 15/12/2011 09:51:00 PM 540 Views
And entirely based off your shared assumption. - 14/12/2011 05:15:51 AM 745 Views
Actually that's a lot of logical assumption. *NM* - 13/12/2011 01:28:00 PM 331 Views
But... - 14/12/2011 03:06:15 AM 547 Views
And - 30/12/2011 05:07:13 PM 648 Views
Yes - 13/12/2011 04:16:40 PM 797 Views
Re: Yes - 13/12/2011 04:47:17 PM 705 Views
Nah. Beyond the realm of possibility. Sorry, - 13/12/2011 05:12:40 PM 762 Views
There are a number of comments from Q&As that shows that this is possible and more complex. - 13/12/2011 08:23:49 PM 729 Views
None of which I disagree with, but a far cry from women being weaker just due to believing it... - 13/12/2011 08:39:40 PM 630 Views
But that is my point: it wouldn't be merely force of will. - 13/12/2011 09:40:17 PM 626 Views
What Rand is doing... - 14/12/2011 03:43:08 AM 748 Views
That would make sense given Min's vision - 16/12/2011 04:37:56 PM 549 Views
Wait.. I DIDN'T write that! - 14/12/2011 03:02:04 AM 618 Views
Reply to your question of - "Why use Logain gateway comparison as evidence:" - 17/12/2011 03:08:19 PM 715 Views
You're basically saying "correlation equals causation"... - 18/12/2011 06:18:47 AM 663 Views
On gateways - 18/12/2011 07:17:09 AM 706 Views
Might assume that Elayne is stronger in the Power than Aviendha. - 19/12/2011 02:40:46 PM 895 Views
I suspect he knows that... - 19/12/2011 05:53:00 PM 615 Views
Nope...some maths problems in your post. - 19/12/2011 07:41:29 PM 666 Views
But 64 square feet is not Elayne's maximum... - 20/12/2011 02:46:50 AM 614 Views
But Shielding is also relative. - 27/12/2011 09:35:11 PM 1877 Views
Re: Underestimating Forsaken strength - 22/12/2011 05:24:53 PM 662 Views

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