Originally Posted by
Nonsensical 
The beast living in my head has intent. In fact, that's pretty much it's entire raison d'etre. I see very few external forces with the same intent that the beast living in my head has.
I realize we all conceptualize our Beast in whatever way works for us, but my take on the Beast is that it is
incapable of intent.
To my perspective, Beast activity is pure basal human urges, the underlying human need to achieve homeostasis. The Beast is mindless, incapable of thought, but with powerful resources to
drive intent. The AV acts as the intention, the means by which to satisfy the basal urges. It is the concept of homeostasis that becomes warped, and the drives abnormal. The AV becomes its spokesperson.
I mentioned before the concept of "PICA," the compulsion for humans to consume inedible and even poisonous substances. It does not derive from intention at all -- oftentimes there is underlying anemia or other pathologic processes that drive the abnormal urge to eat stuff like tar, clay, dirt, and the like. Sometimes I wonder if a few alcoholics have something akin to pica that drives an insatiable drinking habit.
Pica may be an extreme example of basal urges, but other urges -- i.e. sex drive, actual hunger, etc. -- serve other survival needs, and those urges lack actual intention as well. Abnormal or pathologic basal urges can and do sometimes to lead to unspeakably horrific behaviors such as rape, violence, etc. Normal humans may
think about doing such things but never do them.
The collective Beast (or collective Pain Body) is cumulative as more Beasts cluster in the same vicinity. The basal urges are multiplied, and intention gathers strength with numbers. It therefore makes sense to me why recovery centers advise people in recovery NOT to become romantically involved with others still in recovery. And yet, they are deliberately gathered together all the time, in HUGE Beast clusters.
Interesting to me is how the Beast may grow in strength with other Beasts around, but why does the AV? Does it?
Also interesting to me is how my Beast really abhors others' Beasts. Or, perhaps better said, since my Beast is incapable of intent, my rational mind supersedes Beast activity. So, at least for me, the collective Beast has the opposite effect. I just want to get farther away.
Just my thoughts.