Laird offers many suggestions designed to aid one in progressing deeper into contemplation and prayer life. In ‘Remember’ by Christina Rossetti, the poetic persona encourages the unseen reader to remember her after her death, and it is only near the end of the poem that the narrator changes her mind (one can assume that the narrator is Rossetti herself) and allows him to forget her. Let's get out the way first who probably won't like the book: those who have no interest in following Christ, and those who do believe in Christ but might think some of the language sounds mystical. I liked alot of what he said about silence, the importance of posture, and the attachment we have to the "idea" of ourselves and the trivial things we base our identity on (though this didn't go as in depth as I was hoping for). No arrests were ever made. we are invited to answer another: 'Who is Jesus Christ?'. Because you don’t know that who you are is one with God, you believe all these labels about yourself: I’m a sinner, I’m a saint, I’m a wretch, I’m a worm and no man, I’m a monk, I’m a nurse. 'Oh for a pen of light, a tongue of fire, That every word might burn in living flame Upon the age's brow, and leave one name Engraven on the future! For instance, the turn or volta is placed halfway through the poem. In the above lines, the poet expects a lot from her lover and even suggests to him that he must not grieve over her death if he cannot remember her. However, the speaker in the poem envisages herself dead or departed and speaks to her beloved left behind after her death. Believe me. She says what if he will forget her for a while, and then pretend to remember her by grieving over her death. I would highl. The beauty of this sonnet lies not only in its choice of languages but also in retaining or maintaining a somewhat complex idea. a thoroughly practical guide to contemplation. So I know I need more silence. She had three brothers and sisters and received a very good education – practically unheard of at the time for women. The extra information provided seems well-researched and useful. SparkNotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, and more. For example, he encourages the reader to view every temptation as an invitation to prayer. Many parts of the book were beautifully written, inspirational,and helpful, but there were also parts of the book that were very abstract, repetitive, and could be considered frustrating for someone who is a novice in their prayer life. Please log in again. When he wakes, Ransom finds himself in a spaceship. So I know I need more silence. Our separation from God is a learned helplessness that contemplation can help to address. Welcome back. One desire Fills every nook and cranny of my heart; One hope-one sorrow-one beloved aim! Much appreciated. 1 Summary 2 Characters 3 References 4 Notes 5 Continuity The Doctor finds himself in his dream garden. It is as though the speaker is fading away with every reiteration of the word ‘remember’, and thus by the middle part of the poem, the word ‘remember’ doesn’t have the same punch of meaning as it had in the beginning. Laird guides well. The book is very quote heavy. We do not journey far along the spiritual path before we get some sense of the wound of the human condition, and this is precisely why not a few abandon a contemplative practice like meditation as soon as it begins to expose this wound; they move on instead to some spiritual entertainment that will maintain distraction. The poem has been written like a monologue directly addressed to the lover. Than that you should remember and be sad. Cell phones and land lines are cut off. 2019. She advises him not to remember anything about her for she would rather know that he is happier than that he is, in a sense, dead while alive. A wave doesn’t look for the ocean; it’s already full of ocean. Nor can she come back from halfway and turn to bid adieu to her love. READ PAPER. Absolutely phenomenal book on Christian contemplation! A great book from 'Nova professor Martin Laird. However, her opinion changes near this volta of the poem. I have read this book twice. It's a quick read, but packed with great skills. The bright evangelical mind—always so active and in pursuit —must leap great hurdles of spiritual and intellectual activity to shut itself down and be still. Our separation from God is a learned helplessness that contemplation can help to address. He has an amazing approach to the ancient contemplative practice of contemplative prayer. Martin Laird's little guide goes through the process of contemplative prayer: the prayer word, body position, distractions, etc. They have been together for years. The epilogue had me in tears, so powerful! A vestige of the thoughts that once I had. He will be lonely and she will be there only in his thoughts. This is a wonderful guide to the Christian Practice of contemplation. He overhears Weston and Devine say that they have kidnapped him to be a sacrifice to a mysterious … Laird then concludes with some practical examples of how breath prayers and reflective practices reinforce one's God centred identity. When death knocks at the door, one not only has to open the door but also has to leave her earthly habitation. But with all of those, I notice, it's during the quiet times of prayer when your conversation with God deepens. In thoughts, she will be present, and in reality, the lover has to bear the earthly burden alone. I'll take the third option. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Wonderful book! We’d love your help. Martin Laird, an Augustinian priest at Villanova University, teaches the ancient Christian practice of contemplation. There are numerous intelligently thorough reviews for this little gem on here. Should we finally master the question 'Who am I?' Popular culture enjoys painting the Pre-Raphaelites as their preconception, that of poets wasting away from consumption and too much drink. His writing is like sitting under the tutelage of a wise teacher, who offers instruction and exposes us to the timeless masters, yet who also holds our hand as we continue into the vast, bottomless darkness where we find our footing in God's care. The language of this sonnet is so simple and meaningful that readers can also easily apply it to their life. Slowly, her words linger over the idea that ‘yet if you should forget me for a while’, it would not be a terrible thing. Here, the poet says:  “For if the darkness and corruption leave”. To sum up, Rossetti had written this sonnet to her lover with the instruction and advice that he needs not be upset after her death. You are a branch on the vine of God. The grey light of day that remained lasted until three o'clock, when it, too, faded, and the pall of the Arctic night descended upon the lone and silent land. In the divinizing humanity of Christ, bruises become balm.”. It raises questions about what it means to die if one is still alive in another’s mind. The first half of the poem follows the pattern of a standard Petrarchan sonnet while the second half is quite original. I value your efforts. The poet has written this sonnet to a lover. Martin Laird shows that the Christian tradition of contemplation has its own refined teachings on using a prayer word to focus the mind, working with the breath to cultivate stillness, and the practice of inner vigilance or aw, Sitting in stillness, the practice of meditation, and the cultivation of awareness are commonly thought to be the preserves of Hindus and Buddhists. A short summary of this paper. Into The Silent Land, by Martin Laird, was a very complex book on praying and how to truly enter into contemplative prayer. Obviously, for anyone who has tried contemplative prayer, this path/method is full of subtle challenges. The speaker’s love for her listener is stronger than her desire that they remember her after she’s gone. For all that this book is (and it is very useful), I am still reminded of St. Paul's words to the Romans, "We do not know what [how] we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." I didn’t know very much about the practice of contemplation before reading Into the Silent Land and am now enthralled with the beauty and freedom of the concept. Martin Laird shows that the Christian tradition of contemplation has its own refined teachings on using a prayer word to focus the mind, working with the breath to cultivate stillness, and the practice of inner vigilance or awareness. Let's get out the way first who probably won't like the book: those who have no interest in following Christ, and those who do believe in Christ but might think some of the language sounds mystical. Here, in ‘Remember’, the poet further says that it is of no use to counsel or pray later, i.e. The book is very quote heavy. Into the Silent Land. I am very excited to be a part of another meditation community. As at the time of leaving this earthly burden, it will be impossible for him to hold her by the hand. Even if you don't decide you want to read a book this is the book I would say to get to just have on hand. There is a good example of repetition, and anaphora, in the use of “Remember me” at the start of two lines. However, in the first two lines of this sonnet, Christina Rossetti deals with the element of death and tries to make her lover understand that he needs not to remember her even after her death. To see what your friends thought of this book. There are a great many reasons why this is the case, including the fact that a great many people value tradition higher than scripture and are looking for support for what they already want to do anyway, but this book is a worthwhile one if short. I've read this two or three times now. Christian contemplation, aka meditation, using a prayer word if necessary, to get closer to God. It may also be viewed as a metaphor, comparing death with the notion of undertaking a journey. The message that this sonnet wants to give is that death is inescapable, but it must not gobble up the lives of those who are still alive. READ PAPER. Her lover can only remember the old days. Laird helps us hold space to know our truest identity hidden in Christ with God—the self that rests secure in the silence of God. To this day, her brutal murder remains unsolved. On Sunday, the piece made its local debut as it was performed by the Nazareth College Wind Symphony, conducted by Jared Chase. Hence, in the future, she feels sad about her lonely journey to oblivion. Many parts of the book were beautifully written, inspirational,and helpful, but there were also parts of the book that were very abstract, repetitive, and could be considered frustrating for someone who is a novice in their prayer life. Discover the best-kept secrets behind the greatest poetry. In ‘Remember’, Christina Rossetti taps into themes of life, memory, forgetting, loss or death, and love. Its not quite so specific, which is why I think it lends itself really well to us for this season. Near the end, a poem is read over the music by a narrator. The readers can easily access and identify. But, death being absolute, is uncontrollable and unconquerable. A very practical and articulate discussion of the Christian practice of contemplation. It talks about their love, her death, and how she wishes him to react when she has left this world or “Gone far away into the silent land.”. It would allow her lover to be happy, and the speaker overcomes her fear of being forgotten to admit that this would be an ideal situation for them. Into the Silent Land. 110 likes. Laird presents an ancient skill famili, This is a wonderful guide to the Christian Practice of contemplation. However, in the first lines of this poem, the speaker begins by asking the listener, who is presumably her lover, to remember her when she dies. Miraculously, Jake and Zoe dig their way out from under the snow - only to discover the world they knew has been overtaken by an eerie and absolute silence. The speaker of ‘Remember’ is scared, not of death, but of her lover forgetting her. Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay. If you struggle with who God is and who you are, feel separate from God, from other people and creation, this guide may help reground you; that is if you are willing to hone the practice of stillness. A practical guide to the silent art of Christian meditation, for both beginners and advanced students; Shows how the wounds we loathe become vehicles of the healing silence we seek, beyond technique and achievement Accessible to Christian believers and doubters alike. He continually brings it all back to relationship with God. When we look back on this kind of life however, we often come to realize that it is the Spirit at work in us helping us to truly live this life of prayer. “This is why most people do not stick with a contemplative discipline for very long; we have heard all sorts of talk about contemplation delivering inner peace but when we turn within to seek this peace, we meet inner chaos instead of peace. I personally don't use the "Jesus" prayer every time, but found it helpful. This is just her assumption. However, it is not just the theme of memory that is in play here; by ‘remembering’, the narrator hopes to overcome death. Into the Silent Land. In Into the Silent Land, we see the ancient wisdom of both the Christian East and West brought sharply to bear on the modern-day longing for radical openness to God in the depths of the heart. Taglines; Plot Summary; Synopsis; Plot Keywords; Parents Guide No final answers here, indeed it is in acknowledging our unknowing that we are able to go deeper into God in "complete incomprehension." Despite the different rhyme schemes, there are other aspects of this poem that should be familiar to lovers of sonnets. Refresh and try again. It is very similar to centering prayer but just uses a little bit different language. Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand. The poet here is very excited and says that he should not take her death and his subsequent memory as a burden to him. Many parts of the book were beautifully written, inspirational,and helpful, but there were also parts of the book that were very abstract, repetitive, and could be considered frustrating for someone who is a novice in their prayer life. Prayer is a great mystery, and Laird suggests that silence before God (and immersion into the silence of God) represents the pinnacle of prayer life (this type of prayer is transformative). For instance, the transition between lines five and six as well as seven and eight. This can be taken as the narrator losing her will to force her lover to remember her, by hook or by crook. Along with that, she might have also used the term “silent land” in place of heaven or hell as she is not aware of which eternal life she is destined to live in. Self-awareness begins with coming to grips with the fact that we are. Laird first convinces the reader that God is not someone you go looking for; God is the ground of our very being. Thank you for your feedback. Whatsoever, she is at times erroneously related to the women’s suffrage movement but she always liked and loved her place in life and believed that women’s rights were and Christianity at odds. Accessible to Christian believers and doubters alike. No motive was ever determined. And why the "Christian" contemplation discussed here is so different from the biblical one is something that is worth saying, because while this book does quote a great deal from the Bible, it does not do so in the way that one would expect, in terms of looking at passages and stories, but rather it cites the Bible the way it cites various Hellenistic Christians of the monastic variety whose practices are far more in line with heathen forms of meditation than with biblical forms. I liked alot of what he said about silence, the importance of posture, and the attachment we have to the "idea" of ourselves and the trivial things we base our identity on (though this didn't go as in depth as I was hoping for). I'm not going to argue whether it is or it is not: I just know some of my friends will not like the idea of contemplation. One of these is ‘How do I love Thee’, also known as ‘Sonnet 43’ by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Christina is also said to spend several years of her life in seclusion and bid adieu (died) to this world in 1894 as a well-known poet. The prose is clear. A bit serious, and ends with an odd little fable about a "failed monk," but insightful, useful guidance and advice on mental or contemplative prayer. Be the first to ask a question about Into the Silent Land. One could take this poem, ‘Remember’, contextually, as being spoken to a loved one while on a deathbed, which could count for the slow, lilting pace of the poem, growing slower and slower as it reaches towards the volta. You tell me of our future that you plann’d: The above two lines of ‘Remember’ suggest that Rossetti and her lover should have got married so that they could show their love for each other. This is the book I will be referencing the most I think. Find sample tests, essay help, and translations of Shakespeare. I don’t remember how this book was recommended to me but I’m certainly glad it came across my path. ‘Remember’ by Christina Rossetti is an amazing poem with simple language and a great theme. Loyola Marymount University. As someone who reads a great deal about the issue of contemplation and meditation, I have to say that this is the sort of book that I view as important even if it is one that I deeply disagree with. Remember me when I am gone away, / Gone far away into the silent land; / When you can no more hold me by the hand, / Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay 37 Full PDFs related to this paper. But what I found the most helpful was reading the second half of the book, where Laird gives guidance on practicing with afflictions, dealing with the wounds of sin, temptations, definitions on humility, and looking at our failures as focal points of growth. A branch doesn’t seek the vine; it’s already part of the vine. Their hotel is devoid of another living soul. On March 15, 1989, the lifeless body of a seventeen year old girl named Tracey Kirkpatrick was found lying in a pool of blood at her job. It belongs alongside Keating, Merton, and the classics from which it draws so deeply and richly. I would highly recommend it, especially if you want to be able to read the full commentaries I will be referencing. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published There is a sense of realism as well as the fear of death in the speaker’s tone. Moreover, the poet here makes use of a euphemism in the very first line when she says, “Remember me when I am gone away.” The euphemism here refers to the poet’s death. Although Keats, Byron, Coleridge, Wordsworth, Blake, and Shelley, dominate the Romantic era, there was a smaller group of poets who, influenced by the Romantics, demanded just as much attention. She freed her ideas to speak up for themselves. I took this out of a library and I'm going to buy myself a copy now. Discover and learn about the greatest poetry ever straight to your inbox, To create the home of poetry, we fund this through advertising, Please help us help you by disabling your ad blocker. These are all labels, clothing. by Charles Sangster. At every turn Laird moves beyond instruction to a deeper pastoral treatment. This is the journey that starts from one world to the next, which, of course, relates to the main theme of the poem. It is written in very simple language. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. The perspectives offered here constantly encouraged and convicted me so much. When it comes to your mystery and thriller reading, do you tend to go for the known culprits or the whodunit? This is something that she repeats several times always hoping that he won’t forget her when she’s gone. Here, the speaker transitions away from her pleas for remembrance and into the realization that her memory might bring her lover pain and that they should, therefore, forget her. Contemplative prayer is just one way a Christian can find that silence. Don't make the mistake of thinking you are the weather ...good weather, bad weather, stormy weather...you are the mountain, God's dwelling place. In this famous sonnet, ‘Remember’, the poet introduces the themes of love, death, and reaction to one’s death. Apart from that, the poet has thought about the ultimate many times before writing this poem. That is very kind. Into the Silent Land Travels in Neuropsychology, Paul Broks, 2004, Psychology, 246 pages. The book seemed to have a lot of good practical advice, and I was just waiting for it to get to the depth and beauty of contemplation - then chapter 4 and 5 happened. The drink turns out to be drugged, and Ransom has a strange dream of meeting aliens while under its influence. July 1st 2006 The sections are based on the speaker’s desire to be remembered. They were the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, who milled around Romantic fame and produced work that has experienced a resurgence of interest in modern times. It is to be noted here that the notion of eternal life is depicted as a ‘silent land’ which hints at the lost connection between the dead and living, kept only in the memory that’s fluid, transient, and insubstantial. Time, but of her poems around numerous themes starting from love to Christian!, prayers, lines of the word ‘ remember ’, Christina Rossetti poems here Christina... Will no longer be able to communicate with her beloved very gifted, loving family, and has. Most clearly through the description of death as the “ silent land ' shot on 16mm Happisburgh... Her ideas to speak up for themselves story in the silence that I am excited! Sparknotes are the most helpful study guides around to literature, math, science, in. 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