Florilegia from Chapter 7
Jul. 2nd, 2020 05:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pobble_readsFlorilegia/Florilegium (I find Latin plurals confusing) is the practice of collecting “sparklets” (or particularly beautiful blossoms for the metaphor in the flori part of Florilegium - our modern idea of a flowery words is a bit different and prolly not a compliment) from the text. Words, phrases and sentences that particularly resonate with us personally and seem particularly important and or beautiful.
Which is obviously something that has been practiced in any time and place where there has been the idea of a Sacred Text! I’m thinking about being a teenager and coping out fragments of song lyrics into a notebook or people choose quotes to make into jewellery or even get tattooed onto their bodies. But this way of practicing Fliorilegia is particularly influenced by medieval Christian Monks copying sparklets from rare and precious handwritten manuscripts and some Jewish approaches to the psalms.
Once we’ve founds our sparklets we can share why they are particularly important to us and then try putting them together to create a new mini Sacred Text. Seeing how they fit together in different orders can be interesting and illuminating.
There’s obviously an overlap with the idea of Marginalia and looking at what people underline and write into there books as a potentially Sacred way of engaging with the text.
As ever there’s a bit more detail over on the HPST Resources page but even though it’s a really common practice I don’t think that historically there’s been as much discussion of and meta-commentary on it as a Sacred Practice as there has been with say Lectio Divina...
On the HPST Podcast each host chooses one sparklet each from the chapter and obviously that way of engaging with each other’s ideas leads to a richer understanding of the text. Here I think it’ll work best if I choose a couple of sparklets to post here and then write more about them (and try flirting them together) in the comments. Hopefully some of you will also share your own sparklets and we can discuss them further in the comments.
So from this chapter I’ve chosen/found resonance with:
And
Which is obviously something that has been practiced in any time and place where there has been the idea of a Sacred Text! I’m thinking about being a teenager and coping out fragments of song lyrics into a notebook or people choose quotes to make into jewellery or even get tattooed onto their bodies. But this way of practicing Fliorilegia is particularly influenced by medieval Christian Monks copying sparklets from rare and precious handwritten manuscripts and some Jewish approaches to the psalms.
Once we’ve founds our sparklets we can share why they are particularly important to us and then try putting them together to create a new mini Sacred Text. Seeing how they fit together in different orders can be interesting and illuminating.
There’s obviously an overlap with the idea of Marginalia and looking at what people underline and write into there books as a potentially Sacred way of engaging with the text.
As ever there’s a bit more detail over on the HPST Resources page but even though it’s a really common practice I don’t think that historically there’s been as much discussion of and meta-commentary on it as a Sacred Practice as there has been with say Lectio Divina...
On the HPST Podcast each host chooses one sparklet each from the chapter and obviously that way of engaging with each other’s ideas leads to a richer understanding of the text. Here I think it’ll work best if I choose a couple of sparklets to post here and then write more about them (and try flirting them together) in the comments. Hopefully some of you will also share your own sparklets and we can discuss them further in the comments.
So from this chapter I’ve chosen/found resonance with:
I suppose the coach can be mended, and the horses seem as fresh as ever
And
please, oh please, kind sir, don’t take us away without our little cat
I suppose the coach can be mended, and the horses seem as fresh as ever
Date: 2020-07-02 09:06 pm (UTC)I chose this quote from Gobbolino after the Brothers have crashed the coach and he has run panicked towards them to check them for injuries and told them off. It’s what he says as soon as the Brothers have apologised and explained that their reckless actions were motivated by not wanting to be separated from him. I find it amazingly optimistic - I would still be stuck in feeling angry and concerned about the damage - and worried about how the Lord Mayor would react. I’m not very good at looking on the bright side!
I’m also touched that Gobbolino is concerned for the horses as well as for the children. It’s not clear which animals in this story-world are sentient in the same way that Gobbolino is. We definitely don’t hear the horses speaking so maybe sentience is only found in cats? And in a world where horses are seen primarily as a mode of transport it would be very easy to forget that they are living creatures that can be hurt or exhausted. I understand that Gobbolino’s bond with the Brothers means that they are his first concern but it’s a sign of his general caring nature that he so quickly tHints of the horses as well.
This sentence is in the middle of a (short) paragraph that starts with Gobbolino comforting the remorseful Brothers and wiping away their tears and then making the plan to go back to the orphanage and apologise to the Lord Mayor straight away. I admire Gobbolino’s kindness and ability to think clearly after a traumatic experience.
Please, oh please, kind sir, don’t take us away without our little cat
Date: 2020-07-02 09:30 pm (UTC)It makes me think about the bonds I have formed with the cats in my life and how important they have been to me. And also that Gobbolino has become a kind of (sentient) transitional object to them helping them first to settle into the Orphanage and now being necessary for them to feel safe and secure in a new home with new adults caring for them. I admire them for recognising what they need and for having the strength to speak up for someone whom they love.
Putting them together
Date: 2020-07-02 09:50 pm (UTC)I notice the animals more - the horses and the cat. Because Gobbolino is the hero of this story and is as much of a person as any of the human characters it’s easy to forget his essential animalness. Animals in this world have to work and to serve humans. Their lives are regulated by the (adult) humans and like the Brothers they have to go where they are sent/taken and follow the rules set for acceptable behaviour.
With this juxtaposition it also seems like a mended coach and fit horses are what can provide space to bring the along. If the Brothers had be forced to walk to their new home would it have been harder to bring Gobbolino along with them?
Or is it that if the damage to the coach had not been reparable or the horses had been hurt would the Brothers have really risked never getting to be at all? We know that the Porteress is a loving Carer but the Orphanage is not a family. A group of four siblings could well have been split up and sent to different placements or risked never been adopted if at all if they had lost this opportunity. We know that originally the Mayor and Mayoress had only intended to adopt one child but they have opened their home and hearts to four children and now to a cat as well (in spite of the a Lady Mayoress’ antipathy to cats) That kind of radical hospitality and family-building is inspiring
Re: Putting them together
Date: 2020-07-02 10:05 pm (UTC)Somehow this seems more positive to me. The Brothers’ plea to keep Gobbolino is answered by the mending of the coach and the health of the horses. Keeping Gobbolino with them will somehow empower the Brothers or the Mayor and family to fix things, to rebuild their new shape of family and to keep on riding/driving along the metaphorical road of life.
It brings back the idea of a Gobbolino as a transitional object or emotional support animal supporting the Brothers through these momentous changes in their circumstances. And Gobbolino’s optimism and practical nature helps them to see what needs doing and
appreciate the positives of the situation. It makes me think about how my (stuffy) Bunny and fight toys help me to cope in difficult situations and reminds me to be conscious that even a very positive change can be difficult - it’s OK to needs support and it’s a good thing to be aware of our needs and develop coping strategies.