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Ok #TwitterOfTime. I said I had a theory/speculation thing that I was working on, so here it is. Let me know if there's something I'm not considering that will change my thoughts, but here's what I have worked out so far. Long thread incoming. 1/?
2/?
So as my bio says, I'm blind. Whenever I come across a magic system that fascinates me, I always try to figure out how it would work for a blind person, and channeling is definitely not an exception to this.
So as my bio says, I'm blind. Whenever I come across a magic system that fascinates me, I always try to figure out how it would work for a blind person, and channeling is definitely not an exception to this.
3/?
There are obviously no cases of a blind person channeling given in WoT, so almost all of what follows is pure speculation based on little facts we're given about the One Power throughout the series.
There are obviously no cases of a blind person channeling given in WoT, so almost all of what follows is pure speculation based on little facts we're given about the One Power throughout the series.
4/?
It's stated that a channeler needs to be able to see their weaves and surroundings in order to operate the OP, but it's also stated that they need to use unnecessary hand motions to make the weaves work. If hand motions aren't strictly needed, why is sight?
It's stated that a channeler needs to be able to see their weaves and surroundings in order to operate the OP, but it's also stated that they need to use unnecessary hand motions to make the weaves work. If hand motions aren't strictly needed, why is sight?
5/?
If the hand motions are really nothing more than a helpful tool, I can't think of a reason why needing to see can't be the same thing. Sighted people rely on their eyes to do things that can be done using other senses all the time, so why is using the OP different?
If the hand motions are really nothing more than a helpful tool, I can't think of a reason why needing to see can't be the same thing. Sighted people rely on their eyes to do things that can be done using other senses all the time, so why is using the OP different?
6/?
It would be very difficult for a blind channeler to learn in the beginning, but I can think of a way around that also. If the weaves can be seen, then it makes sense to me that they can be felt also.
It would be very difficult for a blind channeler to learn in the beginning, but I can think of a way around that also. If the weaves can be seen, then it makes sense to me that they can be felt also.
7/?
Again, we're given no evidence of this in the books, but they were written by 2 sighted people who, as far as I know, had little to no interaction with blind people. They don't/didn't understand how we use our other senses to do things.
Again, we're given no evidence of this in the books, but they were written by 2 sighted people who, as far as I know, had little to no interaction with blind people. They don't/didn't understand how we use our other senses to do things.
8/?
So assuming that the weaves can be felt, a blind channeler would just have to find the right instructor(s) to teach them. At that point, their learning process would probably be very similar to that of a sighted channeler. They'd just feel the weaves in stead of seeing them.
So assuming that the weaves can be felt, a blind channeler would just have to find the right instructor(s) to teach them. At that point, their learning process would probably be very similar to that of a sighted channeler. They'd just feel the weaves in stead of seeing them.
9/?
There are probably still things that would be more difficult or impossible for the blind channeler to do, but I think channeling is a lot more flexible than most people seem to give it credit for. Just look at Androl for an example of that.
There are probably still things that would be more difficult or impossible for the blind channeler to do, but I think channeling is a lot more flexible than most people seem to give it credit for. Just look at Androl for an example of that.
10/?
"But RChanneler," I hear you thinking, "what about channeling at a distance? How could a blind person possibly do that?"
Well, I have an idea about that also.
It involves using some combination of all the powers in a unique way.
"But RChanneler," I hear you thinking, "what about channeling at a distance? How could a blind person possibly do that?"
Well, I have an idea about that also.
It involves using some combination of all the powers in a unique way.
11/?
I'm thinking that a blind channeler could come up with some weave using at least air, water, fire, and earth, and probably spirit as well, to basically do an OP version of echolocation, but better.
I'm thinking that a blind channeler could come up with some weave using at least air, water, fire, and earth, and probably spirit as well, to basically do an OP version of echolocation, but better.
12/?
I think that a weave like this could give this person a sense of everything near them. The area covered by this sphere of influence would depend on the person's strength in the power, but I believe it could be very effective.
I think that a weave like this could give this person a sense of everything near them. The area covered by this sphere of influence would depend on the person's strength in the power, but I believe it could be very effective.
13/?
Using this method, the blind channeler would be able to affect anything within this sphere of influence just like a sighted channeler. Things outside would be harder, but I imagine that if the blind person focused only on air for example, they could extend the sphere more.
Using this method, the blind channeler would be able to affect anything within this sphere of influence just like a sighted channeler. Things outside would be harder, but I imagine that if the blind person focused only on air for example, they could extend the sphere more.
14/?
There would still be times when the blind channeler would be at a definite disadvantage, but they would also be far from helpless. It would just take creativity and adaptability to make it work, and that is more than plausible I think.
There would still be times when the blind channeler would be at a definite disadvantage, but they would also be far from helpless. It would just take creativity and adaptability to make it work, and that is more than plausible I think.
15/15
So that was a lot longer than I thought it would be, but that's one of the main things I've been considering lately. I'm really interested to hear what y'all think about this. Again, this is almost all pure speculation. There's no way to know how this would work inworld.
So that was a lot longer than I thought it would be, but that's one of the main things I've been considering lately. I'm really interested to hear what y'all think about this. Again, this is almost all pure speculation. There's no way to know how this would work inworld.
