Hello All--
First, and most importantly, I hope that this note finds you well and enjoying the liberating freedom and relaxation that comes with summer vacation. I am sorry that I have not posted anything sooner, but I have been living the quiet life in Wyoming-working with my hands, living with the land instead of laboring at a computer, staring at a screen.
Let me begin by saying that this blog is designed for us to practice self-cultivation. Posting your thoughts on Rilke is encouraged by not required. I share this space with you because I have found that reflecting upon what I have read helps me more fully metabolize the essential ideas of a text and allows me to understand them on a more personal, intimate, level. Your posts do not have to be well-wrought 5 paragraph essays that open with a thesis, implore textual support, and answer the question fully.
INSTEAD, I would encourage you to let your writing wander and to see where the process of thoughtful reflection takes you--simply, write what you feel, probe what you are curious about, and examine what you do and do not know. Below is an idea I have been thinking about while reading, and I offer it to you in the hope that it will be the catalyst for our growth and a fruitful discussion, I will surely learn from.
Thought No.1--Franz Xaver Kappus' Introduction
Discussing his reasons for writing, and seeking the advice of Rilke, Kappus says: "Not yet twenty, and close on the threshold of a profession which I felt to be entirely contrary to my inclinations, I hoped to find understanding...And without having intended to do so at all, I found myself writing a covering letter in which I unreservedly laid bare my heart as never before and never since to any second human being."
I have been thinking deeply about this declaration and wondering: why is it so hard for us as individuals, friends, students, etc. to ask for help? Why is it sometimes easier to reach out, 'lay bare our hearts,' to strangers; why do we hide things that mean the most to us from those people we are closest to?
Perhaps, we are fearful, timid when it comes to seeking out advice, because the answers that might be given could lead to the painful process of self-cultivation (personal growth). However, no matter the individual case, the practice self-cultivation is a process that we cannot undertake alone; instead, it is a mode of development that requires us to find a guide, a teacher, and maybe this is the role Rilke assumes in the life of the young Kappus.
Perhaps the greatest teacher and guide that history has known is Socrates. In a conversation with a young student he says: "Do you intend to remain in your present condition, or practice some self-cultivation? . . . . I’m right in saying that we stand in need of self-cultivation. Actually, every human being needs self-cultivation, but especially the two of us.”
I believe that asking, thinking about, and answering questions is a form of self-cultivation that uses the primary tool of the written word. I believe, like Socrates, that every human being needs self-cultivation, but especially the two of us. So, as a result, I ask--what are the things you want to better understand in your own life? Who are the people that can help guide you in better understanding these things? Is it possible to find true understanding, peace of mind, and happiness without a guide--can we live a truly successful life if we travel alone, solo?
I do not know the answer to any of these questions, and I am hoping that your words will help guide and teach me.
Until next time--here is to happy reading and illuminating writing,
AK
When I started reading this book I didn't like it and I still struggle with it. In honesty, I would much rather be reading something more like Harry Potter. I do have a comment on the question you asked in the end of this post, "can we live a truly successful life if we travel alone, solo?" Well, I don't know. However, in one of the letters that I have read, Rilke mentions that he was suffering from fatigue and a bit of depression. He also writes a lot about being alone as an artist. I think the depression and the loneliness go hand in hand. I'm not sure whether this has an effect on success, but it does contribute to happiness.
ReplyDelete-Dana
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ReplyDeleteOf course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?
ReplyDelete- Albus Dumbledore
Curiosity is not a sin.... But we should exercise caution with our curiosity... yes, indeed.
- Albus Dumbledore
Dana--
Thank you for sharing your honest words. Your post reminded me of a quote from Albus Dumbledore:
"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."
Perhaps, Dumbledore is Harry's guide, and throughout Mr. Potter's explorations and adventures he is able to find success because of the assistance his guru, Dumbledore, is able to offer? Maybe it is only because of Dumbledore that Harry is able to assume his position of a hero, a wizard, a savior?
Thus, I wonder if Rilke is no different from Dubledore? If both of these men are guides, mentors, and, above all else, teachers? More specifically, is it Rilke that gives our young author the encouragement and support to write?
Lastly, I wonder if writing (or any act of creating or becoming) is a task associated with fatigue? However, is it also a process that allows us to fight off the loneliness and depression? Can we ever be 'alone' and/or depressed if we are working to help someone else, if we are serving a common good much larger than ourselves?
Your post has given me a lot to think about--so I thank you again. I hope that the courage your implored by being the first to post will help guide others and encourage them to share some of their thoughts.
Until next time...here is one more thought from someone much more magical with words than me:
"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"
- Albus Dumbledore
What you wrote is really interesting, and helped me look at these letters differently. I agree with what you said about Rilke being a Dumbledore like character, however, having just finished letter number six, I'm looking at their correspondence as the correspondence between Harry and Sirius Black. Harry trusts Sirius as he does Dumbledore, but Harry is much quicker to go to Sirius for advice.
ReplyDeleteWhen Rilke says in the seventh letter that it is good to be lonely, I could kind of see why, because it takes strength to not be too dependent of others. That was the first time that I understood why Rilke wrote a lot about being alone as a writer.