Consciousness and becoming a Cognitive shadow

[Eternal Khol he/him]

On 4/29/2025 at 4:23 PM, Oraiyu said:

And so - I believe that one's OG consciousness is either drawn to the Beyond (or dissolved into it, as you pointed out as a possibility). A cognitive shadow's consciousness and self-awareness is formed by concentrated investiture conforming to the mold.

It seems to me that the getting drawn into the Beyond happens after one dies, obivously, and their spiritweb starts to “dissolve”. Their dissolving Spiritweb being the last thing holding/tying them to the Cosmere

A things presence in the three realms, Spiritual mostly, is kind of what gives it existence/meaning/form in the cosmere. And after one dies, their spiritweb, what made them, them…. start to dissolve away, and when none is left, their mind, it feels like to me, who know what it is, is sucked to the Beyond.

its possible that when a Shadow is made, nothing is actually sent to the beyond at that time and their reinvoigoration through Investiture just firmly latches their mind/being back to the Cosmere. They are changed, of course, but could maybe still be the same person.
 

If the OG does get sucked to the beyond and the Shadow is just a “copy” i have this idea in my head of after a Shadow dies(if Shadows also go Beyond after they “die”), going to the Beyond and just…. Meeting and chilling with the OG, theirself, and recounting all they had done after the OGs death XD

Edited June 13, 2025 by Eternal Khol

[Oraiyu]

On 6/13/2025 at 3:11 PM, Eternal Khol said:

A things presence in the three realms, Spiritual mostly, is kind of what gives it existence/meaning/form in the cosmere. And after one dies, their spiritweb, what made them, them…. start to dissolve away, and when none is left, their mind, it feels like to me, who know what it is, is sucked to the Beyond.

This is absolutely a possibility I have thought about, and I think it's a valid option in the conversation.

 

On 6/13/2025 at 3:11 PM, Eternal Khol said:

its possible that when a Shadow is made, nothing is actually sent to the beyond at that time and their reinvoigoration through Investiture just firmly latches their mind/being back to the Cosmere. They are changed, of course, but could maybe still be the same person.

It's possible. However, If we assume that if the OG person's own spiritweb indeed dissolves and the current Cognitive Shadow is not the same person practically speaking, I disagree. I would think that there's little chance the Investiture that made it up will be the same as what now Invests the Cognitive Shadow. Imagine it like a cup of water spilled into a bucket, then using water from the bucket to fill the cup. It's  possible some molecules will be the same, but practically impossible that all  the molecules are the same.

 

On 6/13/2025 at 3:11 PM, Eternal Khol said:

If the OG does get sucked to the beyond and the Shadow is just a “copy” i have this idea in my head of after a Shadow dies(if Shadows also go Beyond after they “die”), going to the Beyond and just…. Meeting and chilling with the OG, theirself, and recounting all they had done after the OGs death XD

BEOYND PARTYYYY!!!!!