River of the Soul

About

The River of the Soul is a metaphor, but also a philosophy of learning, growth, and even mental well-being.

The Sildaryn believe that the soul's experience is like a river. It starts off fast and rushing towards the lowlands, what starts as a small trickle gathers more water. The longer it flows, the wider it becomes, and the slower the pace. In middle of its path it becomes more meandering, and may encounter blockages, or dams along its route, but the flow continues past such obstacles, the stream slows as it becomes a river, and the river slows further and widens as it collects more water from the streams and rivers which join it along its course. Near the end of it's journey, a river becomes very broad and slow moving, It remembers its raging youth, when it pushed boulders aside in its eagerness to grow and rush to the sea. As it gets closer to that end it slows to reach a subtle pace, barely noticeable as a flow at all, a stillness overcomes the river.

This is how the mind of a Sildaryn develops. In their youth they are impatient, and every experience is new. They have very little experience and time seems to race by. As they age, the other people they encounter add to the richness of knowledge and experience they have accumulated, causing growth both physically and spiritually. They come together in unions to produce children. They spend times gathering strength as lakes and ponds before moving onwards. A blocked river will find a way to keep flowing, even it it means dangerous flooding, or washing away dirt and soil. In the end a river gently washes into the sea, leaving the realm of the forests, and joining the whole. Similarly a soul's story has been written, its songs sung, and it passes from the world in peace.

Body and Soul

The Sildaryn understand the brain as an organ is important to the thinking mind, from study of injury and ailments they have made the association between the mind and brain. However as a deeply spiritual folk they belief the self occupies more than the brain. A soul is something fluid and intangible that exists beyond the physical realm. Ones body is just the vessel that carries the self through the world, just as the bed of the river carries the water on its journey. A body's health will reflect in the quality of that journey, but a healthy soul will nourish and shape the body.

Death and Rebirth

The concept of death and rebirth is not a true reincarnation like some other peoples believe, but a seeding of new spirits, like the seeds of trees produce new young trees over generations. The Sildaryn bury their dead to give back to nature. The vessel which carried them through life and the soul it contained are permitted to join the forest around them. To continue indefinitely and watch over the successive generations of children in their journeys. A soul's course is from a start to an end, but the waters will return again as rain, to begin new streams and new rivers in turn.

See Also

Dalfyn