originally posted by Drakedouay
Howdy, I'm a newbie.
I've said this before, elsewhere. I thought I'd say it again ;
What would happen if Arithon s'Ffalen directed his COMPASSION towards and
at…himself ?
All of the time.
What would happen in his life ? ( slyly)
originally posted by HJ
Hi Drakedouay,
I think he does.
A lot.
That's most of his problem.
That's why his life, generally, has been so tortuous.
originally posted by Drakedouay
Hey HJ.( grin)
You say that Arithon directs his " super-power " of Compassion
TO and FOR and AT himself a lot ?
Where ?
Self-Pity and Compassion are not the same thing.
I've never seen Arithon deliberately use his Compassion on himself…anywhere.
When did this happen, then ?
( Uneasy grin )
originally posted by Hannah
A "super-power" of Compassion? That's an… interesting interpretation.
The definition of compassion is: Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it. Empathy is much the same ("understanding and entering into another's feelings"). Those terms cannot, strictly speaking, be applied to one's self. You can't empathize with yourself.
You're wondering what would happen if Arithon freely forgave himself, or was lenient (tolerant) with himself as he is in the habit of being with others.
I don't know that his incredible patience with other people and their foibles springs SOLELY from his gift of empathy, however. I believe there are other aspects of his personality and experience that cause that effect (e.g., his bardic training, his mage training, his personal life experience…)
In fact it may be because of the advanced training he's received that he holds himself to a higher standard of behavior than he holds other people to. In the trite words from Spiderman "With great power comes great responsibility."
It's a learned skill, to forgive yourself for mistakes made. The F7 have mastered it, I'd think. You don't see them wasting away from grief and guilt over even the mistakes they've made since CotM (the Curse itself, for instance, that they could have caught but failed to).
Arithon is still young for the amount of power he has. He'll probably be better able to manage his conscience with more experience. If he has the chance…
Hannah
originally posted by Ryan Gohl
Didn't Arithon turn his compassion inward in the tunnels of Kewar? Not literally, but he did forgive himself for the events from his past.
originally posted by motley
No, he couldn't forgive and let go by himself, instead he accepted absolution from the Paravian - which is the same thing in the end.
Self-compassion is actually key to healing - otherwise compassion for others is a sham. How can you be compassionate towards others if you are hard on yourself?
That's why he's so different after Kewar - because he's realised, he can be compassionate with himself.
In Kewar he reviews his whole life, and accepts that he's had it pretty hard with difficult choices. He grieves it all out.
He then faces the choice of what to do in the present - and having accepted absolution, is no longer shackled to making the same bad choices.
So he chooses the unknown future.
In that choice, he is faced with his compassion - spirits picking at him and overwhelming him with their need… he frames a statement of self instead.
He can do this now because he's free from old patterns.
Well, something like that. 