Rite of Convergence
The Rite of Convergence is a spiritual practice performed by the Elves, based on meditation, to communicate with the goddess Simha. Despite being quite logical and pragmatic, the Elves have always sought the peace that their inability to feel love prevents them from obtaining.
While humans tend to associate Simha with love, passion, joy, and optimism—feelings the elves see as counterproductive in the long run—peace is the only emotion I have seen them envy in us. The only way to break their cycle of fear-anger-disgust-sadness-surprise is through the peace that Simha can grant them.
There were several attempts at rapprochement by both sides during the War of a Thousand Years, gradually starting to understand each other. At first, we mistook their caution for arrogance, their excitement for interest, their apathy for acceptance. But slowly, we began to comprehend their cycles: fear, then anger, and finally surprise is their positive cycle, while disgust, then sadness, and finally fear is their negative cycle. No wonder Simha is so fervently venerated by them; she provides the only escape from eternal cycles that stretch on in a practically eternal life.
Much of the ritual seems unattainable for a human since the first step involves understanding a life without love, something the elves do innately. The second step is even more complicated: surrounding oneself with symbiotic beings. These beings are those with whom, through the Ether, one can tune into their different Mana, something no human is capable of doing.
Once harmony is generated among all beings, one must "open up and wait." Let the emotions continue their cycles while the symbiotic beings ensure that the harmony does not break down. "Eventually Simha will come and grant you the miracle of peace," as some elves often say. We understand this is the closest thing to what happiness means for some humans.
While humans tend to associate Simha with love, passion, joy, and optimism—feelings the elves see as counterproductive in the long run—peace is the only emotion I have seen them envy in us. The only way to break their cycle of fear-anger-disgust-sadness-surprise is through the peace that Simha can grant them.
There were several attempts at rapprochement by both sides during the War of a Thousand Years, gradually starting to understand each other. At first, we mistook their caution for arrogance, their excitement for interest, their apathy for acceptance. But slowly, we began to comprehend their cycles: fear, then anger, and finally surprise is their positive cycle, while disgust, then sadness, and finally fear is their negative cycle. No wonder Simha is so fervently venerated by them; she provides the only escape from eternal cycles that stretch on in a practically eternal life.
Practice
Much of the ritual seems unattainable for a human since the first step involves understanding a life without love, something the elves do innately. The second step is even more complicated: surrounding oneself with symbiotic beings. These beings are those with whom, through the Ether, one can tune into their different Mana, something no human is capable of doing.
Once harmony is generated among all beings, one must "open up and wait." Let the emotions continue their cycles while the symbiotic beings ensure that the harmony does not break down. "Eventually Simha will come and grant you the miracle of peace," as some elves often say. We understand this is the closest thing to what happiness means for some humans.
Fascinating take on a concept that is hard for humans to understand.