Simone Weil

[Mole]

Simone Weil (pronounced Vey) was a French mystic who was the first woman to graduate from the Sorbonne and who wrote the Constitution of France only to have it rejected by Charles de Gaulle as too mystical.

Simone sacrificed herself for others all her life, Simone devoted herself to the love of others, but neglected to love herself. Simone was indeed a very lovable person, but she never realised that she, herself, was such a lovable person.

And I wonder how much we are like Simone. Are we failing to realise what a lovable person we are? I think the answer is yes, for the secret hidden in narcissism is self hatred. Of course narcissism looks like self love, but this is a naive mistake, and narcissism is self hatred.

But we live in a society that runs on narcissism. We are constantly encouraged to buy because, "we deserve it". We wage continual war abroad and continual narcissism at home. And like Simone Weil we don't realise how lovable we are.

 

[Lark]

I dont think it was self-loathing that drove Simone Weil, you know she was a socialist and influenced by Catholicism Victor?

Anyway, I agree with your sentiments about narcissism. People are going to get tired of it but I've got an Erich Fromm recommendation in relation to this topic, his book Man For Himself (from Every Man For Himself), his "therapeutic method", if he can be said to have had one, included becoming aware of and working on your narcissism as one of its prescriptions, I think there's about six or seven, I dont remember them all off hand a lot of them are similar to buddhist or zen ideas. Its listed in another book called The Art of Listening.

Bertrand Russell's Conquest of Happiness makes some similar prescriptions to those of Fromm but coming from a philosophical direction and rejecting self-absorption.

 

[garbage]

Yup.

We crave vulnerability, which comes from letting our guard down and showing our whole--but we're afraid to do so because we're not sure whether we'll be loved for who we are.

Narcissism ties in as it's a huge form of self-delusion. It's how we deflect unwanted criticisms and stick to battles that we know that we'll win.

Yes, I'm reading Fromm on one of [MENTION=7280]Lark[/MENTION]'s recommendation. How timely that I discovered this thread.

 

[Mole]

I dont think it was self-loathing that drove Simone Weil, you know she was a socialist and influenced by Catholicism Victor?

Anyway, I agree with your sentiments about narcissism. People are going to get tired of it but I've got an Erich Fromm recommendation in relation to this topic, his book Man For Himself (from Every Man For Himself), his "therapeutic method", if he can be said to have had one, included becoming aware of and working on your narcissism as one of its prescriptions, I think there's about six or seven, I dont remember them all off hand a lot of them are similar to buddhist or zen ideas. Its listed in another book called The Art of Listening.

Bertrand Russell's Conquest of Happiness makes some similar prescriptions to those of Fromm but coming from a philosophical direction and rejecting self-absorption.

Yes, Simone Weil had a direct and personal experience of Christ as well as a Jesuit spiritual advisor, although she never became baptized.

Most find her to be a very lovable person, but the one person she didn't look after was herself.

 

[Lark]

Yes, Simone Weil had a direct and personal experience of Christ as well as a Jesuit spiritual advisor, although she never became baptized.

Most find her to be a very lovable person, but the one person she didn't look after was herself.

Victor how many of Simone Weil's books have you read and how do you know what you're repeating in the second line of this post?

 

[Mole]

Victor how many of Simone Weil's books have you read and how do you know what you're repeating in the second line of this post?

I haven't read many of her books but fell in love with her right away.

I do know that many others, including the Pope, find her lovable.

Also she identified with the sufferings of others to such an extent that she starved herself when they were starving. This led to her very early death - far too early.

 

[Lark]

I haven't read many of her books but fell in love with her right away.

I do know that many others, including the Pope, find her lovable.

Also she identified with the sufferings of others to such an extent that she starved herself when they were starving. This led to her very early death - far too early.

Yes I'm aware of her fate.

I'm just a little unsure as to how you, as you say, fell in love with her when you dont appear to be that acquainted with her books.

 

[Mole]

I'm just a little unsure as to how you, as you say, fell in love with her

It was soul speaking to soul.

Just as Mole and Ratty quivered at the flute of Pan, so I quivered at the sound of her voice.

 

[Lark]

It was soul speaking to soul.

Just as Mole and Ratty quivered at the flute of Pan, so I quivered at the sound of her voice.

Meow see here, are you saying that you hear voices meow?

 

[Mole]

Meow see here, are you saying that you hear voices meow?

Each post reveals a voice. Lark has his voice on Central, as does Victor.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

You are very lovable Victor.

And I will read aloud to you as well. If you let me...

 

[Mole]

You are very lovable Victor.

And I will read aloud to you as well. If you let me...

OK, how would you like to read aloud with me?

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

OK, how would you like to read aloud with me?

That's even better. Will you not fall asleep?

 

[Mole]

That's even better. Will you not fall asleep?

For me reading aloud turn and turn about is a spiritual dance. And so we choose a happy book to read together, because just as the dancers may become the dance, we may become the book.

 

[Mole]

To read aloud turn and turn about is being invited on an adventure quite like Bilbo Baggins in, "The Hobbit".

To meet Bilbo click on - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOGsB9dORBg

And note, if we come back, we won't be the same - quite like Bilbo Baggins.

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

To read aloud turn and turn about is being invited on an adventure quite like Bilbo Baggins in, "The Hobbit".

To meet Bilbo click on - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOGsB9dORBg

And note, if we come back, we won't be the same - quite like Bilbo Baggins.

Well, I'm quite Frodo.

Will you be my Merry?

 

[Stanton Moore]

 

[Mole]

Well, I'm quite Frodo.

Will you be my Merry?

And if I am Mole are you the Water Rat?

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

And if I am Mole are you the Water Rat?

Don't remember those characters.

I identify with Frodo.

 

[Mole]

I identify with Frodo.

Tell me Frodo what you see, tell me what you hear, tell me how you are standing, sitting or moving.