In Between

Challenges, Photo Rehab, Photos, , , , , , , , , , 68 Comments

When reading the ‘Weekly interestingness digest newsletter”, Brain Pickings from Maria Popova  I discovered the book (and read it avidly) of the Buddhist scholar, environmental activist, and pioneering philosopher of ecology, Joanna Macy: A Year with Rilke: Daily Readings from the Best of Rainer Maria Rilke.

I’ve always appreciated Rilke, and this book synthesizes his work brilliantly.

Rather than Rilke, I cannot think of anyone describing so clearly the mysterious transition we misunderstand the most: Life and Death.

We dread death. Many of us have experienced losses of beloved ones though. Much has been written about how we react to it. I single out one common life changing situation that occurs when someone experiences near-death or death.

We become more aware of what matters in life. We value life more purposefully.  That has happened to me.

Rilke’s words speak to my heart and make death – or any difficult moment we go through in life, feel light, normal, and acceptable.

“Death is our friend precisely because it brings us into absolute and passionate presence with all that is here, that is natural, that is love.”

Macy explains: Rilke’s grasp of the transient nature of all things is critical to his capacity to praise and to cherish.

“In the face of impermanence and death, it takes courage to love the things of this world and to believe that praising them is our noblest calling. Rilke’s is not a conditional courage, dependent on an afterlife. Nor is it a stoic courage, keeping a stiff upper lip when shattered by loss. It is courage born of the ever-unexpected discovery that acceptance of mortality yields an expansion of being. In naming what is doomed to disappear, naming the way it keeps streaming through our hands, we can hear the song that streaming makes.”

And here I share one of his poems on death and consciousness.

THE SWAN

This laboring of ours with all that remains undone,
as if still bound to it,
is like the lumbering gait of the swan.

And then our dying — releasing ourselves
from the very ground on which we stood —
is like the way he hesitantly lowers himself

into the water. It gently receives him,
and, gladly yielding, flows back beneath him,
as wave follows wave,
while he, now wholly serene and sure,
with regal composure,
allows himself to glide.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Biography

Widely recognized as one of the most lyrically intense German-language poets, Rainer Maria Rilke was unique in his efforts to expand the realm of poetry through new uses of syntax and imagery and in the philosophy that his poems explored. With regard to the former, W. H. Auden declared in New Republic, “Rilke’s most immediate and obvious influence has been upon diction and imagery.” Rilke expressed ideas with “physical rather than intellectual symbols. While Shakespeare, for example, thought of the non-human world in terms of the human, Rilke thinks of the human in terms of the non-human, of what he calls Things (Dinge).” Rejecting the Catholic beliefs of his parents as well as Christianity in general, the poet strove throughout his life to reconcile beauty and suffering, life and death, into one philosophy. As C. M. Bowra observed in Rainer Maria Rilke: Aspects of His Mind and Poetry, “Where others have found a unifying principle for themselves in religion or morality or the search for truth, Rilke found his in the search for impressions and the hope these could be turned into poetry…For him Art was what mattered most in life.”

Rilke was the only child of a German-speaking family in Prague, then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

I am posting for Silver Threading Event, Writer’s Quote Wednesday. If you love quotes, it is the place to be. 

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I am also posting for the Photo101 Rehab, the event for everyone who loves photography (hobbyists, amateurs, pro-shooters, or just curious , anyone is welcome), and wants to join a community of like-minded people, who are also fun to connect with.

Want to know how to join? Check below.

Here is what ‘The Clinic Photo Rehab is:

This blog hosted ‘The Photo101 Rehab Clinic’ from 04 to 31 December 2014 and featured over 170 photos made by Photobloggers Andy Townend, Mara Eastern, Cardinal Guzman, DesleyJane, Justine, Amy, Teresa, Albert, Terri, Giving Thought, Ellen, Nalinki, Mariangeles, DwayCrafts, Lucy, Terri, Bampa’s Views, PeaceCrafting, Dreaming of Leaving and Project Easier.

As former patients informed me that the withdrawal symptoms remained active, and new patients recognized the same symptoms, The Clinic – Photo Rehab  reopened its doors.

You can do a self-examination. If you detect any of the following symptoms, as carefully described by Albert from the blog Passionately Curious, come and join us: “Withdrawal symptoms may include the incessant need to carry your camera everywhere with you, the need to wake up in the wee hours to take photos during the golden hour, and checking up on others you met during the course to see what their newfound knowledge has brought fruit to.”

How to join:

Time: The Clinic is open 24 x 7 until the healing process ends.

Camera: You can use any camera, from DSLR, mirrorless, compact, to smartphones.

Theme: Bring your creativity and photograph a theme of your liking in B&W or Color. With or without edition. We like learning techniques as well, if you want to share it with everyone.

Who can join: Anyone can join; and not only former Photo 101 bloggers. All you need is passion. Passion to speak up through images – or words, if you may want to add your thoughts to it as well – showing what you see and how much that is important to you.

Thanks for joining and enjoy it.

The Clinic – Photo Rehab 

 Here is the link to  add your photos. Knock the wall… and click on the image below:

Even if you don’t want to join in, click above and appreciate the beautiful photos of the former and current participants. Go and check their wonderful blogs as well:

ACBistro

AngelineM’s blog

Angle and Views

Andy Townend 

Artishorseshit

Artistic License of Life 

Atelier Azure

Bad Fish Out of Water

Belgian Streets

Beespeak

Deb’s World

Eclecticoddsnsods

ForestWoodFolkArt

Giving Thought Giving Sight 

Lisa Dorenfest

Mara Eastern 

Musings from a Frequent Flying Scientist

My Story by Teresa

My First DSLR Camera

nty6x

Oosterman Treats Blog

Perelincolors

Perspectives on

Restart Urgently Needed

Snapshots Snippets and Scribbles 

Silver Threading 

The Light Inside Us.

Viaja2

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Sharing sights & insights captured with diverse angles. Ex-corporate, now my own boss. Cycling, hiking, cooking, reading, yoga, writing and photography, are no longer only hobbies listed on my resume. It's what I do when I want.

68 thoughts on “In Between”

  1. ‘..with regal composure, allows himself to glide.’ I think these are some of the most beautiful words I have ever read. Not just about death, but about life, too.

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  5. Hi Lucile. What a lovely and moving post! Rilke is one of my favorite poets. But I’ve never seen his philosophy expressed so succinctly as in this quote: “In naming what is doomed to disappear, naming the way it keeps streaming through our hands, we can hear the song that streaming makes.” Your interpretation and the photo are a perfect compliment to Rilke’s words and artistic ideals. Thanks for a lovely and inspiring post!–Patti

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  9. What a great post about one of my favourite poets. And what a great translation of his poetry. I have read him in English but it was a rather technical translation. This one though is brilliant and I enjoyed your thoughts about life, death and Rilke very much. Thanks!

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    1. You’re very kind and considerate, Morgaine. Thank you.
      You may like to read Macy’s book. She’s kind of his official translator.
      Although you read German and get the best already.
      Thanks for reading!
      Cheers.
      Lucile

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

            1. Well…*coughs*
              I tried to improve my writing…
              It was interesting but I need a different type of course. The Blogging U courses are not much in depth and feedback is away weak, as people are either learning like you, or don’t dare to say you wrote a crap of a post! The editors don’t interact nor comment. How to learn?

              Liked by 1 person

              Reply

                    6. haha.. I prefer to differ. Because whatever he does, he is doing it sincerely. So I don’t want to see it as a cleaver business tactic.

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                    7. You may. I’m not saying it as bad thing, otherwise I wouldn’t call it clever but sneak.
                      He has a business and that is a way to attract people to his art and courses. He gives back with this tactic. It’s not a bad one at all, and I think he does wholeheartedly and with meaningful and instructive comments.
                      I’m a fan of Otto.,
                      He writes very well too.

                      Liked by 1 person

  12. Pingback: Writer’s Quote Wednesday Weekly Wrap-Up from 5/6/13 | Silver Threading

    1. My dear, thank you so much. Your comment makes me very happy, even if my words and images make you a wee jealous. This is for a good cause. 😉
      But seriously, you are very talented, and I love what you do.
      Thanks!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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