What is the Void in The Wheel of Time?

I'm reading the second book now of WOT, The Great Hunt. And in this book Rand has increasingly started saying how he feels the Void forming around him and saidin is just shining brightly next to him.

I understand what saidin is, it's his source of being able to cast magic, however, I don't understand what the Void is. I read at one point that he said to somebody how Tam taught him to use the Void. Also at another part he used the Void to shoot that 3 eyed creature in the center of the eye, multiple times.

Answer

The Flame and the Void is a concentration technique used for focus in combat that Rand also uses for channeling. The basic idea is to think of all the emotions and distractions as going into the flame at the center of the void. Done properly, this allows the mind to fully concentrate on what's important in combat. And to make logical choices rather than emotional ones.

It is possible that some of the characters believe in a literal Void (e.g. as the eternal resting place for the Old Ones). But I believe that it is more accurate to think of it as purely a meditation technique. It makes it easier for Rand to control his channeling if he treats saidin as the Flame, but it's not necessarily true. It may simply be how he perceives it when concentrating.

There is no evidence that others who use the Flame and the Void perceive the Flame as saidin as Rand does. So there is no reason to be sure that there is a literal Void and not just a mental perception of one. You can of course prefer a more literal interpretation if you like. The books won't contradict that (although individual characters might).

Comments

harry potter - Was Barty Crouch Jr. an Occlumens?

An Occlumens is a practitioner of Occlumency , while Occlumency means closing the mind. Despite being in the same school with two great Legilimens (Dumbledore and Snape), he was only discovered to be an impostor after the last round of the Triwizard Tournament in Goblet of Fire : “Moody,” Harry said. He was still in a state of complete disbelief. “How can it have been Moody?” “This is not Alastor Moody,” said Dumbledore quietly. “You have never known Alastor Moody. The real Moody would not have removed you from my sight after what happened tonight. The moment he took you, I knew — and I followed.” Does this mean that Barty Crouch Jr. is an Occlumens? Because if not, then Snape or Dumbledore would have found it out earlier, right? Answer It is not stated anywhere in the books that Legilimency was applied to fake Moody/Crouch jr. The conclusion Dumbledore made (quoted in the question) is based on pure logic, not Legilimency or any other magical means. So unless any other canon inform

game of thrones - Who were the Kingsguard escorting Cersei?

Now to the question... During the scene where Cersei sits on the Iron Throne and is "sworn in" we see her escorted by seven members of the Kingsguard. Now this is what I would expect as that is the correct number. However, I have no idea who they are ! [embedded content] The books pay more attention to detail in this area, but the show is also diverging and outpacing in this regard. We can see that a few of the names are not possible on the show. I have listed the names from the books and given why the reason they could not be members on the show in bold. Ser Jaime Lannister, Lord Commander - Stripped of title Ser Loras Tyrell - Dead and also was never a KG on the show. Ser Osmund Kettleblack - Possible, but not mentioned by name Ser Balon Swann - Possible, but not mentioned by name Ser Meryn Trant - Dead Ser Boros Blount - Possible, but not mentioned by name Ser Robert Strong (aka Zombie Mountain) - Confirmed I know it can be confusing mixing the books and shows, but the qu

character motivation - Why do Hastur & Cthulhu hate each other?

Everything's in the title. Hastur & Cthulhu are both Great Old Ones, yet the former lives on Aldebaran whereas the latter lives in R'lyeh. And both of them hate the other, taking it to the point where Hastur even helps humans who do not worship him if it could bother Cthulhu. My question is : What happened between Hastur & Cthulhu that made them "fight" ? In some stories, they are depicted as half-brothers or at least relatives. Is it written in any story involving one or both of them ? If so, is it possible to get the name of this story ? Answer No relationship between Cthulhu and Hastur was mentioned in any of Lovecraft's original stories (I think Lovecraft only once mentioned Hastur in a list of names of powerful entities in The Whisperer in Darkness, see the quote here ), this rivalry was created by August Derleth in his own "Cthulhu Mythos" stories written after Lovecraft's death. This entry at a Mythos wiki says: Although Cthulhu is

tolkiens legendarium - What real-world substance most closely corresponds to mithril?

While reading descriptions of mithril in The Lord of the Rings, it struck me that its properties might well correspond to a real material, possibly as an alloy with other metals. Is there such a real-world substance? Answer The problem with Mithril as chain mail is not ductility. Even if each link perfectly holds its shape, when a cave troll puts his bulk behind a spear, you have a spearhead-shaped piece of Mithril piercing your chest cavity nearly as deeply as the spearhead would have. Effectively, you have reduced the sharpness of the edge, but the pounds per square inch have not been reduced sufficiently to withstand the mass of a pissed-off cave troll and convert a potential puncture into a mere bruise. Frodo should at least have had broken ribs and crushed organs; squished like a bug. More likely, he'd have had a deep wound with Mithril chain mail stuffed into it. The problem is the weave. Nothing is both flexible enough to behave as seen in the movie when held up and exami

Blog

Search This Blog