A Treatise on Consent and Suffering
- A Study of the Teachings of Lady Nifilhema, Queen of Insufferable Cruelty

Written by Isabel, Prophet to Lady Nifilhema

INTRODUCTION AND NOTES

My name is Isabel, and I follow the Queen of Insufferable Cruelty. The
following is a collection of my thoughts -- though I am Her prophet, there is
always room to learn more, as well as to teach. Philosophy is perhaps my
greatest strength, as far as academia goes, and this is but one of my theories.

A rather controversial topic for a first publication, is it not? Consent --
rape is a crime punishable by castration within the Fold, and non-consentual
acts without just cause are frowned upon. My elders tell me tales of times
Magnagora was not so soft, and more controversial lessons and standards were
kept.

This, however, is a hypothetical study. Unless one is well aware of the
consequences, I cannot recommend this route, though the discussion of the topic
is nonetheless fascinating. Consent, a topic not spoken of -- yet all knowledge
is treasured, by the teachings of many a religion. Furthermore, if not already
made obvious, this is a study with regard to Lady Nifilhema's teachings, and
will assume at least a basic knowledge of Her tenets. The scroll "On Nifilhema"
by Azrion provides a basic grounding should one be required, though it is only
one of many interpretations. A much more detailed study of rituals and artistry,
allowing insight into the philosophy, can be found within "Daughters of the
Amaranth", scribed by Sthai d'Murani.

THE NATURE OF SUFFERING

"Pain is pleasure, pleasure is pain."

Perhaps the most well-known of the Lady's teachings is that of pain: the glory,
the strength, and the beauty of it. One has but to journey to Her within the
cosmic plane of Nil to witness the delightful play on the senses. The idea that
pain and pleasure are one is simple, yet draws so very many interpretations. The
details, however, are beyond the scope of this study -- for now, let us assume
that, in one way or another, pain is essentially equivalent to pleasure.

Let us turn our attention now to suffering: what is it? In common parlance, the
term refers to a generic state of being in pain or otherwise being under the
influence of things unwanted. Look closer, and the meaning remains, though the
nuances change: suffering is a state of unpleasantness, or the act of enduring
experience forced upon one's being.

A layperson would simply say that the two points of view are alike -- after
all, pain is unpleasant, and having it forced upon you would constitute
suffering. However, the mindset of a follower of the Lady is quite different.
Pain, depending on one's interpretation, is either a sensation to be enjoyed or
rendered harmless, though again, the former is the preferred definition for the
purposes of this study. Both lead to a rather uncharacteristic response; that
is, pain is no longer unpleasant, and thus having it forced upon you would not
constitute suffering.

To word the idea in a more palatable form, let us literally replace the word
"pain" with "pleasure". If suffering is a state of unpleasantness, then a state
of pleasure can hardly be said to remotely resemble suffering. Pleasure is
something that the flesh yearns for; it is not a sensation to be merely
tolerated, but to be yearned for.

A question that some readers may have, be they of the Fold or otherwise, is why
should suffering be sought after so? Is pain not simply a show of devotion, and
the matter of pleasure completely unrelated? My answer is that there are many
elements of the amaranth, many petals that may be explored. One such is, of
course, pain and the joy of it, the sheer beauty that accompanies the pleasured
screams.

There are others for which 'unpleasant suffering' is required, however.
Empowering one's self by transforming torment into a thing not worth mentioning
is one. By learning to enjoy pains of all sorts, an individual can be rendered
immune to the torments of their enemies, thus rendering opposing efforts to make
the Daughter or Son of the Amaranth miserable ineffective. In order to do so,
limits must be pushed, and truly unpleasant suffering must be experienced.

Yet another road of faith is suffering as an aesthetic. While pain, clean and
pure, is a wondrous thing, there is something to be said of the struggles and
torment of those experiencing that which they do not want. It is a different
kind of art, but one that is no less important than the others. Naturally, when
venturing down this particular path, the body will become immune to that which
once was considered excruciating. For the ideal subject, an alternative mens of
inducing suffering must be found.

The possible topics are endless, and each Son and Daughter may serve the Queen
in their own ways.

Thus, we come upon a predicament. How can a Daughter or Son of the Amaranth
truly suffer, if what serves as suffering is instead pleasure?

In more pragmatic situations, the answer is simple, and in fact touches on the
teachings of the Queen's love, Lord Gorgulu. Mortals are far from perfect, and
all types of pain will not register as something sought after except for,
perhaps, particularly devout Priests and Prophets of Her. As such, the level of
pain or torment can simply be increased, leading to an endless cycle reminiscent
of Lord Gorgulu's insatiable hunger. Once a level of pain is no longer
sufficient to induce suffering in one's self, layer on some more.

If we step back and instead view the question from either an ideal of
philosophical standpoint, it is far more difficult to answer. All pain is
pleasure, and all pain is sought after -- what, then, can possibly constitute
suffering? As the very title of this study suggests, I offer consent, or lack
thereof, as a means of rectifying the situation.

THE NATURE OF CONSENT

It is here that we come upon the necessities of definition. Language is a weak
point in all philosophical debate -- one man's reality is another's sensory
input, so on and so forth. Thus, defining elements in question can hopefully
alleviate any confusion and disagreement.

Consent, as it is readily understood, is the act of allowing something to
occur, usually in the form of a verbal permission. However, this need not be the
case. Here, I put forth a separate model for consent, one which hopefully covers
the spectrum of this intangible subject.

I propose that there are, in fact, three kinds of consent: positive, negative,
and neutral. Positive consent is defined as consent that adds to the action, or
helps it along. Negative consent is just the opposite, consent that takes away
from the action. Neutral consent is just as it sounds -- consent that neither
helps nor hinders the action in question. The terms 'positive' and 'negative'
are not to be taken as 'good' or 'bad' here. Instead, they refer to additive and
subtractive effects, as is common parlance in the fields of philosophical and
mental science.

Positive and neutral consent are perhaps the ones that we are most accustomed
to in our daily lives. The former is easily seen, for after all, if an
individual is helping an action come to fruition, are they not allowing it to
happen? Neutral consent is also seen in the begrudging allowances of those who
are displeased. Though they may not wish for the action in question to occur,
they allow it to nonetheless; other times, they may simply not care one way or
the other.

Negative consent is most likely the one most alien to one's ears -- after all,
how can consent be had if the person in question is fighting every step of the
way? The answer lies in the subtle contradictions that can exist within the
struggling mind.

There has likely been a time in all our lives when we truly did not want
something, yet resigned ourselves to its occurrence nonetheless. It may be as
simple and unimportant as the barring of sweets in our youth, or as dramatic as
the loss of a loved one. Though we do not wish it to happen, and will fight for
it all the way through, there is often a portion of the mind that has accepted
that it will happen regardless of what we do, particularly for inevitable
events.

It is in these moments that is is most simple to find the subtle, secret kind
of consent that lies within our minds. For though the body fights and the heart
screams, the mind has given the unwanted a silent permission to proceed. This is
negative consent, which is perhaps closest to acceptance in nature, though it is
a type of consent nonetheless. Most notably, this is a state of mind that is
free of fear.

A note, however, is undoubtedly required here, for there is a distinct
difference between negative consent and no consent at all. An abusive husband or
wife is not given permission by the abused, even if they do not call out for
help. A rapist is not given permission by the raped by the fact that they are
too frozen with fear to go to those who could bring justice. There is fear in
these mindsets, and nothing close to the kind of mental acceptance that can
exist with the simple pains in life.

A MEANS OF ENHANCEMENT

There are a number of kinds of strength that can be gained from exposing one's
self to this level of struggle and suffering, the most obvious of which is the
simple expansion of experience. Just as repeated exposure to pain eventually
renders it ineffective as a tool to be used against you, the exposure to more
types of pain, as well as more severe strains, will only strengthen the will.
Another notable type is the reduction of fear. By becoming accustomed to the
state of negative consent, it becomes easier to reach the mental peace of it
even when in dire straits. A mind trick, but one that may work should one be
tortured in ways unbefitting of a Daughter or Son of the Amaranth, such that the
mind remains whole and is not lost to despair and grief.

Similarly, there is an element of defeat. By fighting against what you have
consented to, it becomes easy to lose one's weakness to fear of loss. Through
its practice, some may even truly understand that there is no winning or losing,
there is merely beauty to be found. Then, in battle, be it in debate or by the
sword, fear of loss no longer has its crippling hold.

There is also the aesthetic quality to be considered. Just as painters of
simple canvas have a multitude of styles, the painter of the flesh has these
options as well. Though perhaps not as well explored as the contained elegance
of beauty that the Queen Herself seems to display, there is an art to struggle.
Unlike with the contained elegance, there is no sense of despairing beauty
granted upon the viewer, but instead fiery rebellion to be crushed. Truly, it is
the defeat of the spirit that is most exquisite in this art, though the battle
is an aesthetic all its own.

CONCLUSION

Within this work, an alternative and perhaps more extreme method to induce
suffering has been discussed. I have also offered a new categorization of
consent as well as explored its nature. With these foundations, I have suggested
outcomes of experiencing this kind of suffering and the ways it can benefit and
transform a practitioner. It is also, in a sense, a first look at one element of
my own meditations upon the Lady Nifilhema, as well as a look at the art of the
pain of the flesh, an exploration into its possibilities.

And so it is done.