Friday 5 April 2013

For the love of a book - Kierkegaard's The Purity of the Heart

 

Do you remember the feeling you get when opening a book, you're longing to read?  A kind of eagerness to swallow the first pages and to get deep with it - Like meeting an old friend, you haven't seen for a while. Holding the book in your hands, feeling the cover and the worn pages ... going through the memories of the place and the situation of life the last time you read it.



I had this feeling the other week, as I picked up Søren Kierkegaard's The Purity of Heart is to will one thing. I bought this book from a library sale under my studies in Continental Theological Seminary in Bruxelles -96. The book was hidden behind a stock of commentaries in the lowest shelf - waiting to be discovered. I picked it up and sank in a deep armchair, forgetting the time and the place ... Clearly, this was love at first sight.
 

Kierkegaard is authentic with his questions about the true longing and motives of one's heart - sharpening the focus as you turn the pages. Am I willing to seek the Good / God? Am I ready to give what it takes to be completely open and honest? Do I dare to see the double-mindedness of my self in the eyes ... Would I rub off the dust and stains from the mirror of my heart, to be able to see the reflection of my self in His clear light?


The honesty of Kierkegaard's own reflections about the condition of his heart gives the reader courage to give himself in the proces. At the same time the reader feels being safe, since Kierkegaard confidently assures and reasons, that  when we are willing to seek wholeness and healing, God will meet us where we are, expecting nothing else than honesty and willingness to recieve.




Kierkegaard's philosophical approach requires that the reader is alert and willing to go with him in to the rhetoric discussions and arguments about the condition of one's heart. Concluding in the end, that the good  is all that comes from God.



I keep returning to Kierkegaard's book The purity of the heart is to will one thing. Each time reading it is a new experience ... relating to my current situation in life & the condition of my heart.
This makes the book is ageless, crossing the boundaries of time and place - bringing your heart and The Good / God in focus.
 
PS. I photographed this series as my final assignment to the Art of Composition-class by Tracey Clark / Big Picture Classes.


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21 comments:

  1. Beautiful thoughts today, Nina on your special find in the book sale! I have not read Kierkegaard, but now I must - thank you for sharing and your photographs are very lovely.
    (New Follower)
    xoxo
    Karen (Beatrice Euphemie)

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    1. Thank you Karen, I envy the beautiful view you have from your house to the Mountains ... so beautiful! There's something about old books, I often find something when going to an old book sale :)

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  2. It's a wonderful feeling to find that book that feels like an old friend. I'm not familiar with Kierkegaard, but this book sounds very inspirational. You captured this feeling well with your lovely photos!

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    1. Thank you Karen, Yes - it's a peculiar way how our mind is storing the memories, and how they get activated Again by picking up a book or hearing a song.

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  3. Nina - your prose and photography left me speechless. What an incredible, introspective and philosophical writer you are. Your spiritual words touched me deeply today. And your photography is utterly amazing! I'm so glad that you stopped by Heaven's Walk and left your comment there. I'm following you here and on Facebook because I don't want to miss a word from your tender heart!

    xoxo laurie

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    1. Thank you so much, Laurie!
      Your encouraging words mean a lot to me, I often feel that my way with words is pretty inadequate - trying to find the right words to capture the thoughts, at the same time keeping it short, can be a challenge ... Therefore I'm glad for the camera - behind the lens there's less words, or rather an opportunity to "skip" the words, letting the viewer choose them self - if necessary.
      ps. I just made the Facebook page, so happy to hear that it's useful :)

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  4. That book sounds so interesting! I wonder if I could find a copy? I love old books!

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    1. Hi Debbie, I hope you can find a copy somewhere ... if not elsewhere, the library might have one :)

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  5. i will have to look into it to see more about it. ( :

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    1. Hi Liz, my hubby recommended thatI should read it in Danish, so I'm hunting now for that version :)

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  6. Sounds like the book is very interesting. I love your pictures.

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    1. Thank you Dawn, I enjoyd taking these pictures - enjoying the sunny weather and the bright light.

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  7. Loving your images Nina -- books can bring so much to our lives.

    Thank you for sharing at R5F this week dear. xo

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    1. Thanks Nancy - I'm so happy for receiving your Scripted texture Set - I look forward of using them on the pictures of the spring flowers I captured yesterday. And your sky-textyres are lovely, it's rare to find so vivid Black & White textures - thank you for sharing the fruits of your creativity!
      xx

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  8. Oh for the love of a good book...and book sale;) I never pass up a book sale!
    Great post!

    Aloha. Stop by for a visit.

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    1. Aloha, I enjoyed visiting your blog - and was inspired to do some crafting with postcards :)

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  9. Thanks for sharing. The contents must be good. Sounds very interesting.
    Have a nice week.
    I'm visiting from Sew Crafty Angel's blog hop.

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    1. Hi Marge, thank you for popping by, and for sharing the creative idea og repurposing the dvd-case - whem mine get's empty, I know it's time to start crafting :)

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  10. I have always loved picking up a good book. There is just something about getting lost in a amazing book that is just lovely. I especially love when I find a book that I love that has sequels. I wish I could make so I could read books for the first time all over again!

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    1. Hi Yolanda, I think I know what you mean by wishing to be able to read the book for the firts time ever - sometimes I keep prolonging the reading, taking some pauses, in order to keep the end-pages further away ...

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  11. Finally linking up with my Friday Flash Blog community. Thanks for linking up and sharing in the fun! Have a terrific week and see you on Friday.

    Jennifer
    www.TheJennyEvolution.com

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Thank you so much for taking time to leave a comment! I read and enjoy them all and I'll do my best to to hop on over to your blog for a visit.

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