This month I have been spending much of my time contemplating the idea of “deep time” or perhaps the concept is better explained as circles of time. The idea, at least to me, seems a bit like the ripples created when you drop pebbles in a pool of water. The water ripples out further and further…and that place where those ripples interconnect… well, that is where time for me has gotten very interesting!
Rilke, of course, has give me some incredible inspiration… dear, dear Rilke.
Widening Circles
by Rainer Maria Rikle
I live my life in widening circles
that reach out across the world
I may not complete this last one
but I give myself to it.
I circle around God, around the primordial tower.
I’ve been circling for thousands of years
and I still don’t know: am I a falcon,
a storm, or a great song?
Published in Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God. Translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy. (You can listen to Joanna read it here. Her voice and these words…perfection!)
And so I have been thinking about the circles of time in my life this month. I brought Andri Snær Magnason along with me as I have been reading his brilliant work, On Time and Water. He has provided volumes to think about in this small yet weighty book! I have been slowly savoring it. I have kept going back and rereading parts as I contemplate his thoughts and the circles of my life and the depths of time. As I ponder my circles, my children’s circles, my grandchildren’s and their children and grandchildren’s circles… will they have any time at all? All these thoughts on circles of time has made me think about how interconnected I am to the past, the present, and yes… especially to the future, because things I do today will absolutely send out a ripple.
I “give myself” gladly to the circle I am in… and whether I complete this circle or not, it will interconnect with another circle and so on and so on… for thousands of years. And I think that just might be the great song of my life.
And time is like an image painted half by water —— and half of it by me. — Steinn Steinarr
I would like to thank Carolyn for keeping a space for us to share our thoughts, our progress, our struggles, our hopes!
See you all back here on Wednesday.
“Circles of time” – what a great concept!! I really like that poem by Rikle as well and her question at the end. Why not ALL three? A storm, a falcon and a song!
There are lots of big ideas here to think about!
I’ve never thought about circles of time before – I guess I think of time as linear and the circle is much more attractive because it can be continuous!
This post took my breath, Kat. And what a beautiful translation. (As I was reading it, I was thinking to myself, ‘This HAS to be a Joanna Macy translation! The day you sent me that podcast link forever changed how I’ll read Rilke.)
I like what Karen says — thinking of time as linear vs. circular.Yes! The circle is MUCH more appealing. (Thank you for that.) And more endemic to the concept of Time, really?
Thinking about time as a circle really makes sense when you think of life as being interconnected with others. And really it makes just as much sense as thinking of it in a linear way, right? Thank you for giving me some great food for thought on this Monday.
Oh my gosh. Spiraling out and out reading this. Imagine boing with your family to have a photo taken of you, your three children and a son in law. 7 decades later your grandson’ wife shows her grandchild that picture. She is your Gt Gt granddaughter. Blew my mind this week!
I really like the notion of time-in-a-circle. It makes so much sense to me! What a great word — love the way you’re exploring it, Kat. XO
A circle of time feels like a healthier way to approach time. Thank you for reminding me of Macy’s translation of Rilke. I keep meaning to find some of that work. What a beautiful poem as well as much to think about in this post.
I always think of time and the calendar and the seasons as a big circle – or wheel, really. I think your approach is very logical.