Rhythms of the Week: And Other Explorations of Time

by Wolfgang Held

The week has a remarkable rhythm that does not fit exactly with either the month or the year. Yet most of humanity keeps faith with this sevenfold rhythm. Why did the seven-day week triumph over the many other ways that existed of subdividing the month in ancient times? The answer, as Wolfgang Held shows, is rooted in the human being. Just as activity and passivity alternate during the course of a day, the human soul resonates from day to day in seven differing moods. Deepening our understanding of the characteristic weekly rhythm can give us strength and inspiration for the way we live our lives. Why is the present always also informed by the future? When are we best able to discover new questions? Why do we grow a little weary every four hours? How long can we concentrate for? Why does it make a difference whether we think about something in the evening or the morning? Wolfgang Held introduces us to the diverse rhythms at work in our from tiny seconds to the great cosmic divisions of the Platonic year. Just as we have learned to orient ourselves in space, so we can develop our potential through a conscious relationship with time. This practical and inspirational book contains discussions from two separate German editions, Der siebenfache Flügelschlag der Seele ( The Soul's Sevenfold Wingbeat ) and Vier Minuten Sternenzeit ( Four Minutes of Star Time ), offering us fascinating insights into how we can live in harmony with time.

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[WhizKid · Rating 5 out of 5]

To cultivate Sunday means allowing it to become a sun in our lives. Strengthened by Sunday rest, allow this calm, inner composure to flow throughout the week. Little ‘Sunday moments’ is when an athlete composes himself before the race starts. Rest is needed before AND after an activity. Sunday rest can invoke inner expectancy and excitement.

Monday can be the killjoy because of so many changes. Requires openness and devotion (to the outer world). The more easily and without obvious effort we manage to hold back our own response, the more richly and trustingly a conversation can develop. Yet attending to the new things that Monday brings is only possible when we look forward to seeing ideas from Sunday can be realized or pie in the sky. Allow our being to grow quiet and engage in the greatest activity and attention.