Dragons and Princesses
The other day I was reminded of Rilke's beautiful quote: Perhaps all the dragons of our lives are princesses who are waiting to see us, just once, beautiful and brave. Perhaps everything that frightens us, is in its essence, something helpless that wants our love.
I wrote this quote on a piece of paper that I'm now keeping on my work desk as a reminder. This quote was sent to me after I shared with a group of creators of the 100-Day Project, my fears and resistance about not being sure I could write every day a blogpost, not being sure this was worth the while and telling myself that this thing that I'm committing doing is not adding any value to the world.
One week ago I committed to start writing a blog post every single day for at least the next 100 days. Today is day seven. One full week of showing up and writing something that was on my mind or stayed present with me for the day, one full week has flown by.
As I was going through my process of creating, setting thoughts and words free, or erasing, doubting, resisting and so on and so forth, Rilke's words landed on my desk in a synchronistic way. This phrase can only come from someone of Rilke's caliber, whose mind and soul has gone and seen far beyond duality and the five senses. Wouldn't we typically want to fight the dragons and praise the princesses? But what if they are the same being in one, two parts of the same creature just separated by the chasm of transformation?
This is basically what Rilke is offering, in simple and crystal clear language, yet so deep. He has said it all. I'll keep entertaining my contemplations about this little phrase just because I like it beyond words. The chasms of transformation exist within us. We are terrified of all our internal abysses, meaning our fears, resistances and dragons whom we have never dared to give our hand, offer some help to cross on the other side, and maybe transform them into their beautiful other-self. This is what my fear and resistance in writing this blog reminded me personally. This is what my fellow creator that sent this quote my way, and what Rilke himself reminded me - to keep embracing my dragons and to show them a modest act of love by showing up every day, and maybe by doing so bringing a little bit of transformation in every single step.
This quote also always leaves me with a fussy feeling of a Disney movie with dragons and princesses that has a happy ending. I know, I'm smiling now. Who doesn't like those kinds of Disney movies?
Except that this one is not an ending, but just the beginning of happy discoveries.
I wrote this quote on a piece of paper that I'm now keeping on my work desk as a reminder. This quote was sent to me after I shared with a group of creators of the 100-Day Project, my fears and resistance about not being sure I could write every day a blogpost, not being sure this was worth the while and telling myself that this thing that I'm committing doing is not adding any value to the world.
One week ago I committed to start writing a blog post every single day for at least the next 100 days. Today is day seven. One full week of showing up and writing something that was on my mind or stayed present with me for the day, one full week has flown by.
As I was going through my process of creating, setting thoughts and words free, or erasing, doubting, resisting and so on and so forth, Rilke's words landed on my desk in a synchronistic way. This phrase can only come from someone of Rilke's caliber, whose mind and soul has gone and seen far beyond duality and the five senses. Wouldn't we typically want to fight the dragons and praise the princesses? But what if they are the same being in one, two parts of the same creature just separated by the chasm of transformation?
This is basically what Rilke is offering, in simple and crystal clear language, yet so deep. He has said it all. I'll keep entertaining my contemplations about this little phrase just because I like it beyond words. The chasms of transformation exist within us. We are terrified of all our internal abysses, meaning our fears, resistances and dragons whom we have never dared to give our hand, offer some help to cross on the other side, and maybe transform them into their beautiful other-self. This is what my fear and resistance in writing this blog reminded me personally. This is what my fellow creator that sent this quote my way, and what Rilke himself reminded me - to keep embracing my dragons and to show them a modest act of love by showing up every day, and maybe by doing so bringing a little bit of transformation in every single step.
This quote also always leaves me with a fussy feeling of a Disney movie with dragons and princesses that has a happy ending. I know, I'm smiling now. Who doesn't like those kinds of Disney movies?
Except that this one is not an ending, but just the beginning of happy discoveries.
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