Ghanima Atreides (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
atreideslioness) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2009-07-12 09:05 pm
atreideslioness) wrote in fandomhigh2009-07-12 09:05 pm
Entry tags:
Destiny & Free Will, Week II [Monday, Period 4]
The class met in the Danger Shop today, as handwavily ordered. The room was set to a giant circle, with plenty of overstuffed pillows for laying on in the center. Along the edges were small round tables, each with two chairs and various items placed upon them.
Once the bell rang, Ghanima looked up from where she was sprawled on the floor playing with some cards and smiled. "Destiny," she began with preamble, dropping the cards and pushing to her feet. "Refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe."
"Destiny may be seen either as a fixed sequence of events that is inevitable and unchangeable, or that individuals choose their own destiny by choosing different paths throughout their life." Ghanima paused to smile at them briefly. "Confusing, isn't it?"
"Many Greek legends and tales teach the futility of trying to outmaneuver an inexorable fate that has been correctly predicted. This form of irony is important in Greek tragedy, as it is in Oedipus Rex or Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey, where in spite of all the character's attempts otherwise, it does not preclude a horrible fate," she said, wandering the room to pass out a handout on Oedipus.
"Some believe that one's destiny may be ascertained by divination. In the belief systems of many cultures, one's destiny can only be learned about through a shaman, babalawo, prophet, sibyl, saint or seer. In the Shang dynasty in China, turtle bones were thrown ages before the I Ching was codified. Arrows were tossed to read destiny, from Thrace to pagan Mecca. In Yoruba traditional religion, the Ifá oracle is consulted via a string of sixteen cowries or oil-palm nuts whose pattern when thrown on to a wooden tray represents the 256 possible combinations whose named "chapters" are recited and verses interpreted for the client by the babalawo." Ghanima grinned and waved her hand in the international 'blah blah blah' manner. "Every society has their own way of fortelling a future, from worm entrails to crystal balls. My empire put its fate in the hands of a family that can walk the veils of time, forward and back, to see what lies beyond, and now they're stuck with the future that the Mahdi chose. Oracles can be a tricky bunch, and you must always assume that they may have a hidden agenda of their own."
"Today, it's time for you to face your destiny." Ghanima gestured to the tables ringing the room. "Pair up, wander around, and pick a method of divination that speaks to you. Read your own destiny, or that of your partner, and then discuss if you agree or disagree with the results you obtained."
[OOC: OCD UP. Up way-early, so I don't miss it tomorrow.]
Once the bell rang, Ghanima looked up from where she was sprawled on the floor playing with some cards and smiled. "Destiny," she began with preamble, dropping the cards and pushing to her feet. "Refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. It is a concept based on the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe."
"Destiny may be seen either as a fixed sequence of events that is inevitable and unchangeable, or that individuals choose their own destiny by choosing different paths throughout their life." Ghanima paused to smile at them briefly. "Confusing, isn't it?"
"Many Greek legends and tales teach the futility of trying to outmaneuver an inexorable fate that has been correctly predicted. This form of irony is important in Greek tragedy, as it is in Oedipus Rex or Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey, where in spite of all the character's attempts otherwise, it does not preclude a horrible fate," she said, wandering the room to pass out a handout on Oedipus.
"Some believe that one's destiny may be ascertained by divination. In the belief systems of many cultures, one's destiny can only be learned about through a shaman, babalawo, prophet, sibyl, saint or seer. In the Shang dynasty in China, turtle bones were thrown ages before the I Ching was codified. Arrows were tossed to read destiny, from Thrace to pagan Mecca. In Yoruba traditional religion, the Ifá oracle is consulted via a string of sixteen cowries or oil-palm nuts whose pattern when thrown on to a wooden tray represents the 256 possible combinations whose named "chapters" are recited and verses interpreted for the client by the babalawo." Ghanima grinned and waved her hand in the international 'blah blah blah' manner. "Every society has their own way of fortelling a future, from worm entrails to crystal balls. My empire put its fate in the hands of a family that can walk the veils of time, forward and back, to see what lies beyond, and now they're stuck with the future that the Mahdi chose. Oracles can be a tricky bunch, and you must always assume that they may have a hidden agenda of their own."
"Today, it's time for you to face your destiny." Ghanima gestured to the tables ringing the room. "Pair up, wander around, and pick a method of divination that speaks to you. Read your own destiny, or that of your partner, and then discuss if you agree or disagree with the results you obtained."
[OOC: OCD UP. Up way-early, so I don't miss it tomorrow.]
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
He reached out and cut the cards, two cards (http://www.tarotexperts.com/images/tower.gif) tumbling (http://www.tarotexperts.com/images/Le-Pendu--The-Hanged-Man.jpg) out before he blushed and leaned over to grab them off the floor.
"Sorry about that."
He placed them back on the top of the deck and cut it again.
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
"Okay," Ben said, reaching for his handouts. "The first one for the past and is the Five of Winds, which represents a stressful situation that brought out the best in people."
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
"...are they supposed to be sarcastic?"
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
He consulted his handouts again. "That apparently means that right now your life is in suspension because you're selfish and untrusting, and ignoring what your inner voice is saying."
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
"That is a lot of cock," he swore, grumbling. He realized only afterwards how it might sound and winced apologetically at Ben.
"Sorry. I know it's not anything you're saying; it's what's in the handouts and such."
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
He put down the final card, the King of Pentacles. "Okay, this one means that you'll become a pillar of practicality and dependability, embracing tried and tested methods, and possessing an innate understanding of the material reality."
He blinked. "Okay, you've got to be bi-polar or something for all of this to really be true."
Re: Activity: Pair Off!
Or it's the past.
The Hanged Man seemed to be... could that be Elphaba? Yes, yes, it certainly could be. The stressful situation... was there a more stressful one than arranging an act of terrorism? And the King of Pentacles, the way the picture seemed to look towards the Hanged Man.
The cards were supposed to spell out his future, but instead they were portions of his past. They weren't what he was becoming but what had come to make him be.
Strange, very strange.
He shook it off and waved a hand.
"Exactly," he agreed with Ben, "so should I do you now?"
Re: Activity: Pair Off!