I always appreciate your nuanced and measured view on things, Hrvoje, and this piece was no exception.
The idea that a kettlebell (or any sort of hard physical exercise) can be as mentally cleansing or helpful as the best self-help books is something I most certainly agree with. Sometimes there is just no thinking ourselves out of our rut, and yet, sometimes, a hard workout seems to do the trick.
This spoke to me in many ways; I forgot I loved Monet as a younger woman. The art here is calming and apropos. Suffering for its own sake is romanticized, and also a dangerous path; however, it also is a great teacher, within reason. If the weight is too heavy, the lesson can be lost. Also, like you, I alternate between reading deep texts with 'more straightforward' and practical guides of one sort or another. I had to research what a Kettlebell is ~ and hopefully it absorbed; it's weight of a certain kind that looks like a kettle, and is also a metaphor for 'resistance training' (ie, life), and resilience.
I also read this with a simple meal of organic Ramen, green beans, spices, an apple, a banana and some camomile tea, alongside a candle. I do believe that complexity can be resolved with its antidote: simplicity, and thus, achieve a metaphysical balance. Often when things are too complex, the intellect and ego are dominating, and the heart is disengaged. How can we invite the heart and gratitude in? We may just make a list of things that we are grateful for in the day, which I just did, thanks to you. Thank you.
Thank you for reading and commenting. As my wife would say, the balance is key. I think we more often make a mistake of picking a weight that is too light, rather than picking the weight that is too heavy.
Thank you, Hrvoje ~ you are correct, perhaps we are stronger than we think we are, and there’s something important there to respect and acknowledge, within reason, and perhaps beyond it. It is also important for us to know that resistance training is like reading a difficult book ~ or skiing on a sheet of ice. It wakes us up, and requires steadfast attention. After that, reading a simpler book, and skiing on snow packed powder on a sunny day after a storm, reminds us that joy is possible, and difficulties may pass.
I like how you pick up on Doestevesky's use of the mundane in his books. He was a master of the small trivial details to bring you into an otherwise gated story.
His novels are phenomenal and The Brothers Karamazov is the best novel I’ve ever read. The characters truly come alive for me because of the depth of his writing. His non-fiction, on the other hand, is not that impressive, and his political stances make it a real challenge to read. Thank you for reading.
I always appreciate your nuanced and measured view on things, Hrvoje, and this piece was no exception.
The idea that a kettlebell (or any sort of hard physical exercise) can be as mentally cleansing or helpful as the best self-help books is something I most certainly agree with. Sometimes there is just no thinking ourselves out of our rut, and yet, sometimes, a hard workout seems to do the trick.
Thanks for the reverie :)
Thank you for reading, Michael, and thank you for supporting me for so long. I appreciate you.
Thank you for writing genuine essays :)
I hadn’t thought of that Emerson quote for a very long time. But it is such a good one. Thank you for the reminder.
I’m glad Michael Edward pointed me your way.
Thank you for reading, Holly. Emerson is a constant source of inspiration for me.
This spoke to me in many ways; I forgot I loved Monet as a younger woman. The art here is calming and apropos. Suffering for its own sake is romanticized, and also a dangerous path; however, it also is a great teacher, within reason. If the weight is too heavy, the lesson can be lost. Also, like you, I alternate between reading deep texts with 'more straightforward' and practical guides of one sort or another. I had to research what a Kettlebell is ~ and hopefully it absorbed; it's weight of a certain kind that looks like a kettle, and is also a metaphor for 'resistance training' (ie, life), and resilience.
I also read this with a simple meal of organic Ramen, green beans, spices, an apple, a banana and some camomile tea, alongside a candle. I do believe that complexity can be resolved with its antidote: simplicity, and thus, achieve a metaphysical balance. Often when things are too complex, the intellect and ego are dominating, and the heart is disengaged. How can we invite the heart and gratitude in? We may just make a list of things that we are grateful for in the day, which I just did, thanks to you. Thank you.
Thank you for reading and commenting. As my wife would say, the balance is key. I think we more often make a mistake of picking a weight that is too light, rather than picking the weight that is too heavy.
Thank you, Hrvoje ~ you are correct, perhaps we are stronger than we think we are, and there’s something important there to respect and acknowledge, within reason, and perhaps beyond it. It is also important for us to know that resistance training is like reading a difficult book ~ or skiing on a sheet of ice. It wakes us up, and requires steadfast attention. After that, reading a simpler book, and skiing on snow packed powder on a sunny day after a storm, reminds us that joy is possible, and difficulties may pass.
I like how you pick up on Doestevesky's use of the mundane in his books. He was a master of the small trivial details to bring you into an otherwise gated story.
His novels are phenomenal and The Brothers Karamazov is the best novel I’ve ever read. The characters truly come alive for me because of the depth of his writing. His non-fiction, on the other hand, is not that impressive, and his political stances make it a real challenge to read. Thank you for reading.
I don’t think I’ve read the Brothers Karamazov, I’ll have to put that on my list.