Nature of Elvish Consciousness

[easterlinge]

I wonder about the consciousness of Elves. It seems that the boundary between memory, thought, dream and reality is pretty blurred for the Elves.

Gimli remarked that he heard that for Elves, memory is like living experience. Legolas is capable of dreaming while walking. Can an Elf always distinguish past memory from present reality, or does he have to learn?

Elves are also able to project their thoughts on reality: Elvish songs can be "seen" and "experienced" by listeners.Craftsmen put their thought into what they make and imbue it with special qualities. Elvish minds can influence the very reality around them, it seems.

Samwise remarked that when he was in Lorien, he felt as if he "were in a song". Maybe Nenya amplified Galadriel's natural Elvish talent of projecting her thought on reality? In which case for the most powerful Elves, the boundary separating thought from reality must be tenuous indeed.

The boundaries of memory, thought, and reality must be even more tenuous for the Valar/Ainur, when you consider that the entire Universe is made of the Music of the Ainur.

When the Three Rings were disrupted and Lorien's "dream" ended, was Galadriel hurt or weakened? A blow to Lorien was a blow to her mind, as Lorien was partly her idealized mental projection on reality. Maybe the Valar were so reluctant to intervene directly because it might end up hurting themselves?

One last thing.... THingol's first meeting with Melian the Maia in Nan Elmoth forest. Thingol seemed pretty smitten by Melian, which is natural, perhaps. But Melian herself was entranced by Thingol's presence. What was going on? Was it a feedback thing? THingol saw Melian, and projected what he saw, and Melian's beauty was sort of enhanced by Thingol's perception/projection. This feedback locked Thingol in for years.

Melian probably had heard about the Children of Iluvatar, but her first meeting with one of them gave her a very good impression: Elves were more good-looking than she expected. She projected her response on reality, and being a Maia, the effect was even more powerful: THingol was enhanced in her eyes.

This projection thing is not just a psychic effect on the mind of the observer, it alters reality itself. THingol may have ended up more powerful than ever because of Melian's love.