leonardcohenforum.com

Stunning photo.


~ Lizzy

Thank you Jack, BoHo and Tom for your contributions. I’m still hoping for other regulars and new participants to join/rejoin us. With a paraphrase on LC’s line “Where are you Judy, Where are you, Anne?”, I’d say “Where are you, Simon, Where are you, Joe?” (and James, and Mat, and Lizzy, and Diane, and…). Hope to see you here soon.

BoHo,
Your quote from Shulman was really great. I’m ashamed to say that I was not aware of an earlier connection made between the prayer shawl and Ishmael, which comes to show how limited is one’s own knowledge of one’s own tradition, and how much more we still have to learn. Thanks for teaching me.

The other link, about the Sefirot, I’m less impressed by. When I’ve made my small introduction on Kabbalah in the first stage of this thread, I apologized for not introducing any links, because after checking many sites, I couldn’t find one which was really satisfactory. This one, for example, has a major blander when he says that “The ten sefirot are 10 attributes that G-d created through which He would project Himself”; the very essence of the idea of the Sefirot is that they were emanated and not created.

And finally, on a less serious mode, your following quote compels me to make one of my own:

"[V. Woolf possesses] an impressive name . . . She married her wolfish husband purely in order to change her name. Virginia Stephens is not a name for an exploratory authoress . . . I shall write a book some day about the appropriateness of names. Geoffrey Chaucher has a ribald ring, as is proper and correct, and Alexander Pope was inevitably Alexander Pope. Colley Cibber was a silly little man without much elegance and Shelley was very Percy and very Bysshe."
— James Joyce, cited in Frederic Prokosch's 1983 _Voices_

That’s a great quote all around, and I also love to play around with names. But the forgotten Cibber brought to mind these immortal lines from the great treasury of English unrespectable verse, by Alexander Pope:

Cibber! Write all thy Verses upon Glasses,
The only way to save ‘em from our Arses.

And may it serve as a warning to us all.

Thanks for the re-invitation, Doron... however, as the saying goes, "If it ain't broke... don't fix it." I look forward to each one of your contributions ~ without exception ~ or more positively stated, everyone included ~ and unless I get overwhelmingly inspired [I wink because I'm so satisfied with the status quo here... well, except it'd be nice to see the others mentioned re-enter], I'll just keep reading... and thanking all of you for writing... though, that'll pretty much have to go as understood because I'm not going to keep saying "Thank you" after each posting .


~ Lizzy

I.14

Blessed are you who, among the numberless swept away in terror, permitted a few to suffer carefully. Who put a curtain over a house so that a few could lower their eyes. Blessed be Ishmael, who taught us how to cover ourselves. Blessed are you who dressed the shivering spirit in a skin. Who made a fence of changing stars around your wisdom. Blessed be the teacher of my heart, on his throne of patience. Blessed are you who circled desire with a blade, and the garden with fiery swords, and heaven and earth with a word. Who, in the terrible inferno, sheltered understanding, and keeps her still, beautiful and deeply concealed. Blessed are you who sweetens the longing between us. Blessed are you who binds the arm to the heart, and the will to the will. Who has written a name on a gate, that she might find it, and come into my room. Who defends a heart with strangerhood. Blessed are you who sealed a house with weeping. Blessed be Ishmael for all time, who covered his face with the wilderness, and came to you in darkness. Blessed be the covenant of love between what is hidden and what is revealed. I was like one who had never been caressed, when you touched me from a place in your name, and dressed the wound of ignorance with mercy. Blessed is the covenant of love, the covenant of mercy, useless light behind the terror, deathless song in the house of night.

Ishmael, first son of Abraham and his hand-maiden Hagar, is traditionally considered the father of the Arab nation.

The terror that Leonard is talking about is the lack of spiritual understanding. It is the talk without the walk.
The terror is being brought up in a tradition and life by the unknowing mob who have the stories, but missed the plot.
." Who defends a heart with strangerhood" and the only defence, the only way out of the shackles of the unknowing mob, is to remain a stranger within that mob (religion) or as they say, to be a stranger in ones' own land.
To become one with God; one must make ones'-self a stranger among ones' own clan. This is the only way out of that "terrible inferno", ignorance.
Ignorance of what? You may ask.
Ignorance of the role of ones' own soul/spirit.

. Blessed are you who dressed the shivering spirit in a skin.
"Oh bless this continuous stutter
the word being made into flesh"
...Oh tangled up matter an Ghost

and the "she", the feminine in 1.14 is always Leonard's soul. Soul is always the feminine in mystical tradition.

...gentle this soul, gentle this soul


Enter Ishmael!

The method of Ishmael, is the method of intuitive introspection brought on by closing others out by wrapping ones'-self in darkness; en- shrouding through love into the " deathless song in the house of night."
The "deathless song", being eternal life.
God sometimes wraps us in the pain of loss, loss of family and friends and this brings us closer to Him.

Blessed, Blessed, Blessed, is repeated in 1.14 and in nearly all cases Leonard is referring to the cause of all things, God.
Blessed are you who sealed a house with weeping.
. Blessed are you who binds the arm to the heart
Blessed are you who... permitted a few to suffer carefully
. Blessed be the teacher of my heart, on his throne of patience

If you read carefully 1.14 again and interpret God as the Blessed one, you will read a new story.
If you make Leonard's soul/spirit "she", it will make more sense.
And if you understand that the "Love" is discovered among the darkness; "of love between what is hidden and what is revealed " you will see how God in his mercy blessed the lover, Leonard, once he went away from the world of others and into himself, wrapped in unknowing darkness, enshrouded, like Ishmael, and, behind and before that dark ignorance is the light that seems no use to the world, the Light of knowing God by experiencing God through "her", his soul; " beautiful and deeply concealed".
" useless light behind the terror" of ignorance.
God, hidden from us in the darkness of our own lack of understanding: But patiently waiting there all the same.


Matj

mat james wrote: and the "she", the feminine in 1.14 is always Leonard's soul. Soul is always the feminine in mystical tradition.

Matj

In this case following the flow of the words do you not think that "she" could be understanding?

Jack
P.S. If you ever write something about the song "Nightingale" I would be curious to see what you wrote.

Blessed are you who, among the numberless swept away in terror, permitted a few to suffer carefully.

The care is permitted.

This line took me back to the beginning of the book where he begins with:

"I stopped to listen"

That is how he begins the book, but after he finishes it and is talking about why he wrote it to Peter Goddard of the Toronto Star he says

"There are times when you feel yourself stopped and silenced, and you have to penetrate to that source of mercy, that source of forgiveness in your own life. That's what these psalms are about - trying to locate that source of mercy that enables you to re-enter the world."

What is noticeable is that somewhere along the way the "I" seemed to disappear. Going from "I stopped" to "feeling yourself stopped"

Boho wrote:

Also, I remember the view LC was viewing while writing _Book of Mercy_, because I lived in exactly the same villa at Vaucluse in Villefranche-sur-mer on top of a mountain above the Mediterranean and Tom Sakic has pics of the view I gave him (in case you wish to view the view he was viewing which I also de-ja-viewed and, no, this is not a case of deja-voodoo neither, hehehehe . . .). Joe will probably understand why I think Stations of the Cross, though, I'd bet tickets to Glass on that one!

Judith, I confess that I'm not quite sure...is it the self imposed exile? The depression?

I'm sorry that I disappeared for a time, but I was off with an errant ski, looking for (and finding) some saints. Let me apologize in advance for disappearing all of next week also.

So many rich things have been written already about 1-14 that it is hard to know where to start. Let me start by saying that it seems that the narrator has adopted the language of the Bible and here, more so than in most passages it has a decidely New Testament form..."Blessed." It is as if, a new series of Beatitudes is being developed which casts doubt on Leonard's statement, "The staggering account of the Sermon on the mount, which I don't pretend to understand at all."

Because that was about power (or lack of power).

How much power did Abraham or Sarah have over Hagar? This handmaiden to whom an Angel appeared to re-assure her that all would be well again-that God would provide for her and her forsaken child, Ishmael, in their exile. Perhaps the same Angel who assured Abraham and Sarah that God would provide a child to them in their old age. And when Isaac came, and Abraham in his certainty of obedience, believes that God is channeling His power through Abraham's ax, he raises it above his son's head (and who among you believe that he would not have completed this sacrifice?).

Boho, the "Evangeline" was beautiful and the imbedded story of the young girl executed for the "stolen" necklace that was eventually found in the magpie's nest, echoes this theme.

Might took the place of right, and the weak were oppressed, and the mighty
Ruled with an iron rod

.

To quote Auden:

What reverence is rightly paid to a divinity so odd
That he allows the Adam that He made perform the acts of God.

Perhaps it is a divinity that wraps spirit in flesh...that honors "Men of action" in the Bhagavadgita rather than the dreamers who rise against them.

Perhaps it is a covenant people who've "got to have your word on this or none of it is true."

Or this quote from Northrop Frye:

...since the fall of Adam human life has been cursed with a built in inertia that will forever prevent man from fulfilling his destiny without divine help, and that such help can be described only in terms of the external and the objective. From our present vantage point we can characterize this conception of original sin more precisely as man's fear of freedom and his resentment of the discipline and responsibility that freedom brings.

Joe

P. S. Doron, we need more info on Kabbalah, it is very difficult to understand-even imprecise explanations might help.

P. S. S. One last quick story about "covering." When I went in for eye surgery, Anne drove me. It was a morning with a winter storm, early morning traffic was bad and she changed lanes frequently. After all the preliminary's of the surgery, the doctor took my blood pressure and noted that it was "high."

"Have we made you nervous?" He said.

"No, I think it was the ride in with my wife, actually." I replied.

"Now, we're going to cover your mouth so you can't say any more bad things about your wife." Said the Nurse.

That's what these psalms are about - trying to locate that source of mercy that enables you to re-enter the world."

Leonard Cohen quote posted by Jack L.

Thanks for the posting Jack.
It is good to hear it from the horses mouth, so to speak.
Leonard is implying that he can "re-enter the world" now that he has been blessed by God's mercy.
He has been strengthened by some form of direct contact, (which his psalms suggest ) via his soul/spirit.
Until that "union"/ yoga of the mind, he was unsatisfied and unhappily lost in the unknowing of those around him. Once he experienced god, after "longing" and "mercy" (his God acknowledging him in some personal way) he no longer felt compelled to reject his tradition, and the half knowledge of those around him, but, rather he understood those traditions more deeply and fruitfully .

Hence he felt he could " re-enter the world" ; healed.

I was like one who had never been caressed, when you touched me from a place in your name, and dressed the wound of ignorance with mercy.

Matj

Mat,
Your spiritual interpretation to I.14 is intriguing as always. It gives a whole new dimension to the text, and, in my view, one of several possible interpretations.

Joe,
It’s always pleasure to read your comments. The “new series of Beatitudes” is also an intriguing idea. However, I feel that in this case the subject he addresses is God and not the people (as in the Sermon on the Mount). It echoes the usual Jewish practice of thanking God many times a day with the formula “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, God of the Universe, who… [gave us bread, drink etc. etc. according to the occasion]". You are right about the Kabbalah being such a difficult subject; I can’t recommend any Internet site, but I can certainly recommend good books, some of which may be found in your university’s library. If you can find books by Gershom Scholem, or his articles in the Encyclopedia Judaica, they are the best introduction, but there are other useful books (I believe Tom had read a few recently).

Jack,
Could you please give a reference for the Toronto Star interview you’ve quoted? I couldn’t find it anywhere. Thank you.

DBCohen wrote: Jack,
Could you please give a reference for the Toronto Star interview you’ve quoted? I couldn’t find it anywhere. Thank you.

You can find the quote from it on page 325 of
Leonard Cohen
Prophet of the Heart
L.S. Dorman and C.L. Rawlins

on the same page you can see that he said something about the guilt that the book was addressing.

"People should not be afraid that they are feeling guilt; It is the only way they know they are on the wrong track"

I am still following here, mostly clueless to contribute, but appreciative of the read. Thanks all. I just love reading these stunning psalms, which would have remained tucked away on my bookshelf were it not for this thread.

I notice that in this psalm, there are many references to items that contain/cover, and likewise form a boundary: Curtain; skin; fence; blade; fiery swords; a word, gate and (sealed) house. 'Understanding' also is described as being sheltered and concealed (contained within something).

Then comes: "Blessed be the covenant of love between what is hidden and what is revealed." And then: "Blessed is the covenant of love, the covenant of mercy." To me, this means that God/mercy cannot be revealed, because once it is revealed it is no longer hidden within something else; no longer contained or bounded by anything, and therefore outside of our understanding. Love, mercy, and God, are at the location of the boundary, perhaps. (Sorry Mat, I have repeated some of what you have already said.)

Incidentally, and this has nothing to do with BoM, references to the name 'Ishmael' immediately remind me of Moby Dick's famous first sentence, "Call me Ishmael". Melville's Ishmael is an outcast, same as the original Ishmael, and also "covers" himself in wilderness (the sea), to seek a clarity he could never find.

Great picture of the Aborigine, Jack.

Diane

Diane wrote: Great picture of the Aborigine, Jack.
Diane

I put it there for a reason. I was thinking of bringing forward some thoughts I was having about aboriginals. I am a little timid to do so because it might seem to many so far off topic but it is where some of the writing is leading me.
It has to do with the difference between written and oral traditions. I have heard it said to me that the oral tradition flowed from a much more intimate relationship with the Creator.
Now I can think of many very good reasons for thinking a written tradition would be better and the advantages for the people with it are certainly many in political and and other ways.
Yet I have sat with some indian elders and they have said some things to me that certainly equal or better what has been offered by many who have a significent knowledge of Scripture.
To find out about a people's written tradition you get this idea that you can do so by reading their book. It is not really so with an oral tradition.
One time I was living on a reserve and I wanted the elders to talk to me and found that it led to me doing some very strange things. A little more interesting than reading a book though. It had to do with showing that I was someone that they can talk to in a certain way.
In North America the aborignal people have been treated pretty badly and their culture doesn't have a lot of physical signs of containing much of value. I am wondering about the level of interest there is in oral traditions.

Jack

"My errors and my wrecks lie about me" Ezra Pound

Hi Jack ~

I would hope you would know that there are a number of people here interested in the paths your thoughts take you. This is, after all, the unedited version of the BoM discussion. So far, your 'tangential' commentaries have led to some very interesting, as well as relevant, conclusions. Carry on, as far as I'm concerned. The picture is as intrigueing as what you've just said about sitting with elders. There have been plenty of times where oral traditions have been of the greatest value. I'm only curious as to what you mean with your comment that "In North America the aborignal people . . . their culture doesn't have a lot of physical signs of containing much of value."


~ Lizzy

lizzytysh wrote: This is, after all, the unedited version of the BoM discussion.
~ Lizzy

What is meant by "unedited version" ?
If someone answers, and if you think that the answer might lead to all kinds of other thorny questions, you can save time by answering them too.
Is there going to be some kind of dross hunt happening in the future?

Is there going to be some kind of dross hunt happening in the future?

Well. We can always hunt for dross... but doesn't mean we'll find it. There will always be dross hunts, I think.

My comment, of course, referred to the two times editing has been mentioned here... once in regard to Tom's publishing, on his website, the edited version of this entire discussion; once in regard to BoHo's comment that this discussion was worthy of publishing, period... if not 'out in the world,' at least with online availability... and, as I recall, she offered some help in bringing that idea to fruition.


~ Lizzy