[Poetry Chaikhana] Hadewijch - Love has subjugated me:

November 9, 2009

From Ivan

Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana --

Love has subjugated me:

By Hadewijch(13th Century)

English version by Mother Columba Hart

Love has subjugated me: To me this is no surprise, For she is strong and I am weak. She makes me Unfree of myself, Continually against my will.She does with me what she wishes;Nothing of myself remains to me; Formerly I was rich,Now I am poor: everything is lost in love.

-- from Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, Edited by Jane Hirshfield

Amazon.com / Photo by Anlex Basilio /

============

Thought for the Day:

Which storyare you telling yourselfnow?

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Here's your Daily Music selection --

Peter Ross

Primitive Heart

Listen / Purchase

More Music Selections

Hi Alan -I know this poem can trigger a bit of a fear reflex. Although it speaks of Love, it seems to be about loss, loss of everything, loss of will, even loss of self. But I thought this might be a good follow-up to Friday's poem, so let's look a little deeper...This verse uses such strong language that it is almost violent. Yet it is so intimate, it has an uncomfortably sexual element -- "She does with me what she wishes..."This is a mystic ravished by Love.Hadewijch implies both a struggle, but also a supreme yielding. She is "subjugated" by Love. She is made "unfree."And this process of being overtaken by Love results in a complete loss:Nothing of myself remains to me;Formerly I was rich,Now I am poor: everything is lost in love.We must remember that this is the mystic, in sacred ecstasy -- but the words are the voice to

the little self, the ego. The expanded self, however, is flooded with bliss. This real self has lost nothing, and instead has gained a wholeness of being difficult to put into words. Yet the little self that clings to fragments of reality... well, those fragments are lost in the unity. The more all-encompassing that unity, the more complete the ego's loss.So that is where the loss is, in the small self. It is the ego's will that is thwarted. It is the ego that is weakened and impoverished. The new sense of being is much too big for the ego, and the ego-self is stretched into transparency. Finally, the ego loses even itself in the overwhelm of Love.I know, those Medieval types had a special knack for making the most glorious insights sound gloomy. :-) But remember the truth behind the words. The next time you cringe at some ancient religious tract praising poverty, loss of self, enslavement -- remember. A deep mystic knows the bliss, the

giddy freedom -- and the immense flood of Love -- contained in the words.Every "thing" is lost, yes. But, in that rush of expansive Love, a whole universe enters your embrace.==Hadewijch -- often called Hadewijch of Brabant or sometimes Hadewijch of Antwerp -- lived in the 13th century in what is now Belgium. She is rightly called one of the greatest names in medieval Flemish and Dutch literature.Little can be said for certain about the life of Hadewijch. Unlike many other women mystics of the time, no biography was written about her, so all we know is what scholars have been able to deduce from her writings themselves. Hadewijch was probably the head of a Beguine community. The Beguines were a sect of devout women in Belgium, Holland, Germany and northern France. Beguines did not take vows, but they gathered together to live in simplicity and service. Many Beguines were mystics and poets of the highest

order.Hadewijch's poetry has a rich love mysticism. Like her contemporary, St. Francis of Assisi, Hadewijch was clearly inspired by the courtly love poetry of the Troubadours and Minnensingers. The fact that she was familiar with this courtly art form suggests that Hadewijch was probably born to a noble family.The writings of Hadewijch were gathered and studied by the Flemish Christian mystic John Ruusbroec in the 1300s, but later fell into obscurity until rediscovered in the 1800s by scholars.==Have a wonderful day!Ivan

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Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers.

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Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading this HTML formatted email, please let me know and I can send you plain text emails instead. Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply reply to this email and change the Subject to "Cancel".

November 9, 2009

---- Original message ----

>Date:Â Â Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:38:59 +0000 (GMT)

>Â Â Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs

>Subject:Â Â Re: [Poetry

Chaikhana] Hadewijch - Love has subjugated me:

>To:Â Â

>

> From Ivan

>

> Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana

> --

>

> Love has subjugated me:

> By Hadewijch

> (13th Century)

> English version by Mother Columba Hart

>

> Love has subjugated me:

> To me this is no surprise,

> For she is strong and I am weak.

> She makes me

> Unfree of myself,

> Continually against my will.

> She does with me what she wishes;

> Nothing of myself remains to me;

> Formerly I was rich,

> Now I am poor: everything is lost in love.

>

oh yes...

Love is not to be taken lightlyâ€¦.

Courageous one

Wishing to enter this play

Know: there are

No conditions nor limits.

One rule: it is all or nothing.

No regrets. No returns.

The only requirement is

Losing your self

Totally and completely

Leaving no trace

Of " I " or " mine " â€¦

In the game of love,

The loser

Gets it all.

yosy

nnb

>

> %7Boption%7D -- from Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43

> Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women,

> Edited by Jane Hirshfield

> Amazon.com %7Boption%7D

> %7Boption%7D

>

> / Photo by Anlex Basilio /

>

> ============ Here's your Daily Music

> Thought for the Day: selection --

> Which story %7Boption%7D

> are you telling yourself Peter Ross

> now? Primitive Heart

> ============ Listen / Purchase

> More Music Selections

>

> Hi Alan -

>

> I know this poem can trigger a bit of a fear

> reflex. Although it speaks of Love, it seems to be

> about loss, loss of everything, loss of will, even

> loss of self. But I thought this might be a good

> follow-up to Friday's poem, so let's look a little

> deeper...

>

> This verse uses such strong language that it is

> almost violent. Yet it is so intimate, it has an

> uncomfortably sexual element -- " She does with me

> what she wishes... "

>

> This is a mystic ravished by Love.

>

> Hadewijch implies both a struggle, but also a

> supreme yielding. She is " subjugated " by Love. She

> is made " unfree. "

>

> And this process of being overtaken by Love

> results in a complete loss:

>

> Nothing of myself remains to me;

> Formerly I was rich,

> Now I am poor: everything is lost in love.

>

> We must remember that this is the mystic, in

> sacred ecstasy -- but the words are the voice to

> the little self, the ego. The expanded self,

> however, is flooded with bliss. This real self has

> lost nothing, and instead has gained a wholeness

> of being difficult to put into words. Yet the

> little self that clings to fragments of reality...

> well, those fragments are lost in the unity. The

> more all-encompassing that unity, the more

> complete the ego's loss.

>

> So that is where the loss is, in the small self.

> It is the ego's will that is thwarted. It is the

> ego that is weakened and impoverished. The new

> sense of being is much too big for the ego, and

> the ego-self is stretched into transparency.

> Finally, the ego loses even itself in the

> overwhelm of Love.

>

> I know, those Medieval types had a special knack

> for making the most glorious insights sound

> gloomy. :-) But remember the truth behind the

> words. The next time you cringe at some ancient

> religious tract praising poverty, loss of self,

> enslavement -- remember. A deep mystic knows the

> bliss, the giddy freedom -- and the immense flood

> of Love -- contained in the words.

>

> Every " thing " is lost, yes. But, in that rush of

> expansive Love, a whole universe enters your

> embrace.

>

> ==

>

> Hadewijch -- often called Hadewijch of Brabant or

> sometimes Hadewijch of Antwerp -- lived in the

> 13th century in what is now Belgium. She is

> rightly called one of the greatest names in

> medieval Flemish and Dutch literature.

>

> Little can be said for certain about the life of

> Hadewijch. Unlike many other women mystics of the

> time, no biography was written about her, so all

> we know is what scholars have been able to deduce

> from her writings themselves.

>

> Hadewijch was probably the head of a Beguine

> community. The Beguines were a sect of devout

> women in Belgium, Holland, Germany and northern

> France. Beguines did not take vows, but they

> gathered together to live in simplicity and

> service. Many Beguines were mystics and poets of

> the highest order.

>

> Hadewijch's poetry has a rich love mysticism. Like

> her contemporary, St. Francis of Assisi, Hadewijch

> was clearly inspired by the courtly love poetry of

> the Troubadours and Minnensingers. The fact that

> she was familiar with this courtly art form

> suggests that Hadewijch was probably born to a

> noble family.

>

> The writings of Hadewijch were gathered and

> studied by the Flemish Christian mystic John

> Ruusbroec in the 1300s, but later fell into

> obscurity until rediscovered in the 1800s by

> scholars.

>

> ==

>

> Have a wonderful day!

>

> Ivan

>

> Share Your Thoughts on today's poem or my

> commentary...

>

> Support the Poetry Chaikhana

>

> You can also

> support the

> Poetry

> Chaikhana, as

> Donations to well as the

> the Poetry authors and

> Chaikhana in %7Boption%7D publishers of

> any amount are Click here sacred poetry,

> always by purchasing

> welcome. Thank some of the

> you! recommended

> books through

> the links on

> this site. Thank

> you!

> A small amount

> each month makes

> a big

> %7Boption%7D difference.

> Click here Become a

> voluntary

> Subscriber for

> just $2/mo.

> Help the Poetry

> Chaikhana reach

> %7Boption%7D more people.

> Click here Become a

> Supporter for

> just $10/mo.

>

> Poetry Chaikhana Home

> Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by:

> Theme | Commentary

>

> Blog | Forum | Facebook | Twitter

>

> www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com

>

> Poetry Chaikhana

> P.O. Box 2320

> Boulder, CO 80306

>

> Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and

> M. Granger.

> All other material is copyrighted by the

> respective authors, translators and/or publishers.

> ============

> Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading

> this HTML formatted email, please let me know and

> I can send you plain text emails instead.

> Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this

> Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply

> reply to this email and change the Subject to

> " Cancel " .

November 10, 2009

Great Poem Yosy - better than Hadawitch. Love, Alan--- On Mon, 9/11/09, yosyflug <yosyflug wrote:

yosyflug <yosyflugRe: Re: [Poetry Chaikhana] Hadewijch - Love has subjugated me: Date: Monday, 9 November, 2009, 23:06

---- Original message ---- > Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:38:59 +0000 (GMT) > Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs@ .co. uk> > Re: [Poetry Chaikhana] Hadewijch - Love has subjugated me: > > > > > From Ivan > > Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana > -- > > > Love has subjugated me: > By Hadewijch > (13th Century) > English version by Mother Columba Hart

> > > Love has subjugated me: > To me this is no surprise, > For she is strong and I am weak. > She makes me > Unfree of myself, > Continually against my will. > She does with me what she wishes; > Nothing of myself remains to me; > Formerly I was rich, > Now I am poor: everything is lost in love. > oh yes... Love is not to be taken lightlyâ€¦. Courageous one Wishing to enter this play Know: there are No conditions nor limits. One rule: it is all or nothing. No regrets. No returns. The only requirement is Losing your self Totally and completely Leaving no trace Of "I" or "mine"â€¦ In the game of love, The loser Gets it all. yosy nnb > > %7Boption%7D -- from Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 > Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, >

Edited by Jane Hirshfield > Amazon.com %7Boption%7D > > > / Photo by Anlex Basilio / > > ============ Here's your Daily Music > Thought for the Day: selection -- > Which story > are you telling yourself Peter Ross > now? Primitive Heart > ============ Listen / Purchase > More Music Selections > > > Hi Alan - > > I know this poem can trigger a bit of a fear > reflex. Although it speaks of Love, it seems to be > about loss, loss of everything, loss of will, even > loss of self. But I thought this might be a good > follow-up to Friday's poem, so let's look a little > deeper... > > This verse uses such strong language that it is > almost violent. Yet it is so intimate, it has an > uncomfortably sexual element -- "She does with me > what she

wishes..." > > This is a mystic ravished by Love. > > Hadewijch implies both a struggle, but also a > supreme yielding. She is "subjugated" by Love. She > is made "unfree." > > And this process of being overtaken by Love > results in a complete loss: > > Nothing of myself remains to me; > Formerly I was rich, > Now I am poor: everything is lost in love. > > We must remember that this is the mystic, in > sacred ecstasy -- but the words are the voice to > the little self, the ego. The expanded self, > however, is flooded with bliss. This real self has > lost nothing, and instead has gained a wholeness > of being difficult to put into words. Yet the > little self that clings to fragments of reality... > well, those fragments are lost in the unity. The > more all-encompassing that unity, the more

> complete the ego's loss. > > So that is where the loss is, in the small self. > It is the ego's will that is thwarted. It is the > ego that is weakened and impoverished. The new > sense of being is much too big for the ego, and > the ego-self is stretched into transparency. > Finally, the ego loses even itself in the > overwhelm of Love. > > I know, those Medieval types had a special knack > for making the most glorious insights sound > gloomy. :-) But remember the truth behind the > words. The next time you cringe at some ancient > religious tract praising poverty, loss of self, > enslavement -- remember. A deep mystic knows the > bliss, the giddy freedom -- and the immense flood > of Love -- contained in the words. > > Every "thing" is lost, yes. But, in that rush of > expansive Love, a whole universe

enters your > embrace. > > == > > Hadewijch -- often called Hadewijch of Brabant or > sometimes Hadewijch of Antwerp -- lived in the > 13th century in what is now Belgium. She is > rightly called one of the greatest names in > medieval Flemish and Dutch literature. > > Little can be said for certain about the life of > Hadewijch. Unlike many other women mystics of the > time, no biography was written about her, so all > we know is what scholars have been able to deduce > from her writings themselves. > > Hadewijch was probably the head of a Beguine > community. The Beguines were a sect of devout > women in Belgium, Holland, Germany and northern > France. Beguines did not take vows, but they > gathered together to live in simplicity and > service. Many Beguines were mystics and poets of > the

highest order. > > Hadewijch's poetry has a rich love mysticism. Like > her contemporary, St. Francis of Assisi, Hadewijch > was clearly inspired by the courtly love poetry of > the Troubadours and Minnensingers. The fact that > she was familiar with this courtly art form > suggests that Hadewijch was probably born to a > noble family. > > The writings of Hadewijch were gathered and > studied by the Flemish Christian mystic John > Ruusbroec in the 1300s, but later fell into > obscurity until rediscovered in the 1800s by > scholars. > > == > > Have a wonderful day! > > Ivan > > > Share Your Thoughts on today's poem or my > commentary.. . > > > > Support the Poetry Chaikhana > > You can also > support the > Poetry > Chaikhana,

as > Donations to well as the > the Poetry authors and > Chaikhana in %7Boption%7D publishers of > any amount are Click here sacred poetry, > always by purchasing > welcome. Thank some of the > you! recommended > books through > the links on > this site. Thank > you! > A small amount > each month makes > a big > difference. > Click here Become a > voluntary > Subscriber for > just $2/mo. > Help the Poetry > Chaikhana reach > %7Boption%7D more people. > Click here Become a > Supporter for > just $10/mo. > > > > Poetry Chaikhana Home > New | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | Contact > Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: > Theme | Commentary > > Blog | Forum | Facebook | Twitter > > www.Poetry-Chaikhan

a.com > > Poetry Chaikhana > P.O. Box 2320 > Boulder, CO 80306 > > > > Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and > commentaries are Copyright Â© 2002 - 2008 by Ivan > M. Granger. > All other material is copyrighted by the > respective authors, translators and/or publishers. > ============ > Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading > this HTML formatted email, please let me know and > I can send you plain text emails instead. > Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this > Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply > reply to this email and change the Subject to > "Cancel".

November 10, 2009

ï»¿

Dear Alan

Dear Yossi

thank you.....

LOVE is an expression of GD

michael

Great Poem Yosy - better than Hadawitch. Love, Alan--- On Mon, 9/11/09, yosyflug (AT) isdn (DOT) net.il <yosyflug (AT) isdn (DOT) net.il> wrote:

yosyflug (AT) isdn (DOT) net.il <yosyflug (AT) isdn (DOT) net.il>Re: Re: [Poetry Chaikhana] Hadewijch - Love has subjugated me: Date: Monday, 9 November, 2009, 23:06

---- Original message ---- > Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:38:59 +0000 (GMT) > Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs@ .co. uk> > Re: [Poetry Chaikhana] Hadewijch - Love has subjugated me: > > > > > From Ivan > > Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana > -- > > > Love has subjugated me: > By Hadewijch > (13th Century) > English version by Mother Columba Hart > > > Love has subjugated me: > To me this is no surprise, > For she is strong and I am weak. > She makes me > Unfree of myself, > Continually against my will. > She does with me what she wishes; > Nothing of myself remains to me; > Formerly I was rich, > Now I am poor: everything is lost in love. > oh yes... Love is not to be taken lightlyâ€¦. Courageous one Wishing to enter this play Know: there are No conditions nor limits. One rule: it is all or nothing. No regrets. No returns. The only requirement is Losing your self Totally and completely Leaving no trace Of "I" or "mine"â€¦ In the game of love, The loser Gets it all. yosy nnb > > %7Boption%7D -- from Women in Praise of the Sacred: 43 > Centuries of Spiritual Poetry by Women, > Edited by Jane Hirshfield > Amazon.com > > > / Photo by Anlex Basilio / > > ============ Here's your Daily Music > Thought for the Day: selection -- > Which story > are you telling yourself Peter Ross > now? Primitive Heart > ============ Listen / Purchase > More Music Selections > > > Hi Alan - > > I know this poem can trigger a bit of a fear > reflex. Although it speaks of Love, it seems to be > about loss, loss of everything, loss of will, even > loss of self. But I thought this might be a good > follow-up to Friday's poem, so let's look a little > deeper... > > This verse uses such strong language that it is > almost violent. Yet it is so intimate, it has an > uncomfortably sexual element -- "She does with me > what she wishes..." > > This is a mystic ravished by Love. > > Hadewijch implies both a struggle, but also a > supreme yielding. She is "subjugated" by Love. She > is made "unfree." > > And this process of being overtaken by Love > results in a complete loss: > > Nothing of myself remains to me; > Formerly I was rich, > Now I am poor: everything is lost in love. > > We must remember that this is the mystic, in > sacred ecstasy -- but the words are the voice to > the little self, the ego. The expanded self, > however, is flooded with bliss. This real self has > lost nothing, and instead has gained a wholeness > of being difficult to put into words. Yet the > little self that clings to fragments of reality... > well, those fragments are lost in the unity. The > more all-encompassing that unity, the more > complete the ego's loss. > > So that is where the loss is, in the small self. > It is the ego's will that is thwarted. It is the > ego that is weakened and impoverished. The new > sense of being is much too big for the ego, and > the ego-self is stretched into transparency. > Finally, the ego loses even itself in the > overwhelm of Love. > > I know, those Medieval types had a special knack > for making the most glorious insights sound > gloomy. :-) But remember the truth behind the > words. The next time you cringe at some ancient > religious tract praising poverty, loss of self, > enslavement -- remember. A deep mystic knows the > bliss, the giddy freedom -- and the immense flood > of Love -- contained in the words. > > Every "thing" is lost, yes. But, in that rush of > expansive Love, a whole universe enters your > embrace. > > == > > Hadewijch -- often called Hadewijch of Brabant or > sometimes Hadewijch of Antwerp -- lived in the > 13th century in what is now Belgium. She is > rightly called one of the greatest names in > medieval Flemish and Dutch literature. > > Little can be said for certain about the life of > Hadewijch. Unlike many other women mystics of the > time, no biography was written about her, so all > we know is what scholars have been able to deduce > from her writings themselves. > > Hadewijch was probably the head of a Beguine > community. The Beguines were a sect of devout > women in Belgium, Holland, Germany and northern > France. Beguines did not take vows, but they > gathered together to live in simplicity and > service. Many Beguines were mystics and poets of > the highest order. > > Hadewijch's poetry has a rich love mysticism. Like > her contemporary, St. Francis of Assisi, Hadewijch > was clearly inspired by the courtly love poetry of > the Troubadours and Minnensingers. The fact that > she was familiar with this courtly art form > suggests that Hadewijch was probably born to a > noble family. > > The writings of Hadewijch were gathered and > studied by the Flemish Christian mystic John > Ruusbroec in the 1300s, but later fell into > obscurity until rediscovered in the 1800s by > scholars. > > == > > Have a wonderful day! > > Ivan > > > Share Your Thoughts on today's poem or my > commentary.. . > > > > Support the Poetry Chaikhana > > You can also > support the > Poetry > Chaikhana, as > Donations to well as the > the Poetry authors and > Chaikhana in %7Boption%7D publishers of > any amount are Click here sacred poetry, > always by purchasing > welcome. Thank some of the > you! recommended > books through > the links on > this site. Thank > you! > A small amount > each month makes > a big > difference. > Click here Become a > voluntary > Subscriber for > just $2/mo. > Help the Poetry > Chaikhana reach > %7Boption%7D more people. > Click here Become a > Supporter for > just $10/mo. > > > > Poetry Chaikhana Home > New | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | Contact > Poets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: > Theme | Commentary > > Blog | Forum | Facebook | Twitter > > www.Poetry-Chaikhan a.com > > Poetry Chaikhana > P.O. Box 2320 > Boulder, CO 80306 > > > > Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and > commentaries are Copyright Â© 2002 - 2008 by Ivan > M. Granger. > All other material is copyrighted by the > respective authors, translators and/or publishers. > ============ > Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading > this HTML formatted email, please let me know and > I can send you plain text emails instead. > Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this > Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply > reply to this email and change the Subject to > "Cancel".